FAFSA
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FAFSA submitted without 2022 tax return - will Fresh Start IRS program cause verification issues?
I'm super nervous about our FAFSA submission. My wife and I haven't filed our 2022 taxes yet (I know, I know). We got a legitimate extension and are working with a tax professional right now because we unexpectedly owed a significant amount for the first time ever. We're enrolled in the IRS Fresh Start program to manage the tax debt. We just completed the FAFSA application yesterday and checked the "did not file" box for 2022 taxes. My son's work-study eligibility depends on this FAFSA going through smoothly. I'm worried this unusual tax situation will trigger verification or delay his financial aid. Has anyone dealt with submitting FAFSA while in the Fresh Start program or with unfiled taxes from the required year? Will the financial aid office request additional documentation? I'm worried we'll mess up my son's entire college funding situation because of our tax issues.
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Can't submit FAFSA - looking for private student loans with deferred payments and low interest rates
I've been trying to submit my son's FAFSA application for the past week but keep getting error messages about 'incomplete parental information' even though I've filled out everything correctly! After calling the helpline 7 times and being disconnected each time, I'm looking into alternative options. Can anyone recommend private student loan providers with competitive interest rates that allow payments to be deferred until after graduation? My son will be attending UC Berkeley for engineering next fall, and we're looking at needing about $18,000 per year beyond what we can cover. I've heard Sallie Mae mentioned but their rates seem high (8.2%+). Any suggestions from parents who've gone the private loan route? Really frustrated with the FAFSA system right now!
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Has your son checked if Berkeley offers any school-specific financial aid options? My daughter's university had several engineering-specific scholarships that weren't part of the standard financial aid package. Worth asking Berkeley's financial aid office directly!
That's a great suggestion! I'll have him contact the engineering department specifically to ask about department scholarships. Every little bit helps!
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to try using Claimyr first to see if I can get our FAFSA issues resolved and speak to an actual human being at Federal Student Aid. If that doesn't work out, I'll look into the Parent PLUS loan option, and then explore private loans with SoFi and College Ave as backups. I really appreciate all the insights and warnings about variable rates and loan management - this community has been incredibly helpful!
FAFSA contributor section stuck for Study Abroad student - time running out!
I'm seriously panicking right now. My daughter leaves for her Study Abroad program in Barcelona in FIVE DAYS and her FAFSA is still showing 'In Progress' because of my section. The system shows I accepted the contributor request back in February, but I can't figure out how to actually complete my part! Every time I log in, it just shows the status tracker with 'FAFSA Form Started' but doesn't take me to any form to fill out. I've tried multiple browsers, clearing cache, even using my husband's laptop. Nothing works! Has anyone dealt with this contributor section glitch? The university financial aid office said they can't process her aid package until the FAFSA is complete, and she NEEDS that money for her program expenses. I'm so desperate I've been crying all morning.
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Any update? Did your daughter's submission fix the issue? I'm dealing with a similar situation and wondering if there's hope...
YES!!! It worked! As soon as she properly submitted her section, I got an email notification that I could complete mine. The trick was that she thought she had submitted everything but had only saved it. Once she actually completed the submission of her part, I could access mine. My section only took about 15 minutes to complete. Such a relief!
That's great news! Just a heads-up - after you both submit, it typically takes 3-5 business days for the FAFSA to process and generate the SAI (Student Aid Index). Then her school needs time to create her aid package based on that. Since she's leaving in just 5 days, I'd recommend calling her school's financial aid office to let them know the FAFSA is finally submitted and ask if they can expedite processing for study abroad students.
Great advice - just called the financial aid office and explained the situation. They said they'll fast-track her file once the SAI comes through! I'm still stressed about the timing but at least we're moving forward. Thank you all for the help!
FAFSA 2025-2026: Do I report UA competitive scholarship as income on IRS question?
I'm filling out my FAFSA for next year and I'm stuck on the income reporting section. I received a $12,000 competitive admissions scholarship from University of Arizona last year. Now I'm at the question that says "Amount of college grants, scholarships or americorp benefits reported as income to the IRS" and I have no idea what to enter. My parents handled my taxes and I'm not sure if they included the scholarship as income. How do I know if my scholarship was reported as income? Does a merit scholarship even count for this question? I really don't want to mess this up and delay my financial aid. Help!
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my roommate says i should have reported my scholarships as income and now im freaking out that i did my taxes wrong last year!!! does anyone know if we can get in trouble for this???
Many students don't need to report scholarships as income because they use the funds entirely for qualified educational expenses. Your roommate might be referring to a different situation. If you're concerned, you could consult with a tax professional, but this is actually a common misunderstanding. Focus on answering the FAFSA question accurately based on what was ACTUALLY reported on your tax return, not what might have been reported.
UPDATE: I looked through the 2025-2026 FAFSA Help text for this specific question, and it clarifies: "Enter the amount of any college grants, scholarships or AmeriCorps benefits (awards, living allowances, and interest accrual payments) that were reported as income on your 2023 tax return." The key phrase is "that were reported" - you're not answering whether they SHOULD have been reported, just whether they WERE reported. So check your actual tax return to answer this question accurately.
That's super helpful! I checked my tax return last night and there's nothing about scholarships on my Schedule 1 or anywhere else. So I'm going with $0. Thank you all for your help with this question!
FAFSA processed but no financial aid offers yet - when will performing arts schools send packages?
Finally got my son's FAFSA processed last week with all his performing arts schools added! Now the stress of waiting for actual financial aid offers begins. From what I've pieced together from various sources, we could be waiting anywhere from 2 weeks to possibly months because: 1) Each school's systems might access FAFSA data differently, and 2) Schools are making individual decisions about how to handle the backlog of applications and generate aid packages. Can any financial aid officers clarify if I'm understanding this correctly? We've got applications at 7 different performing arts programs, and I'm losing sleep wondering when these offers will actually arrive. Some schools' portals show they've received the FAFSA, others show nothing at all. Is this normal variation? Any insight on realistic timelines would be SO appreciated!!
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just wait till u get the packages and see how TERRIBLE they are!!! my daughter got into her dream conservatory and they expect us to pay $42k a year!!! with a household income of $95k!!! make it make sense!!!!!
This is unfortunately common with many performing arts programs, especially private conservatories. Their institutional funds are often more limited than larger universities. I always recommend students apply to a mix of public and private institutions for this reason. Public universities with strong arts programs often provide better overall value. Have you tried appealing the offer? Many schools have special appeal processes specifically for arts students where they can review your financial situation again.
just checked my daughters portal and now it says "pending verification" what does that even mean?? more delays??
Pending" verification means your FAFSA was selected for verification, which is like an audit of the information you provided. About 25-30% of all applications get selected randomly each year. The school will request additional (documentation typically tax transcripts, W-2s, or household size)verification . Once you submit those documents,'they ll review and complete your financial aid package. This will add some time to your process - typically 2-3 weeks after you submit all requested documents. I recommend uploading any requested verification documents as soon as possible to minimizedelays.
Amun-Ra Azra
wait i'm confused... isn't FAFSA using the 2023 tax info now for the 2025-26 form? why are they looking at your 2022 taxes?
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Summer Green
You're mixing up the tax years. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they'll use 2023 tax information. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA (the current application cycle), they use 2022 tax information. The OP is dealing with the current application cycle.
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Amun-Ra Azra
ohhh that makes sense!! i get so confused with all these different years lol
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Payton Black
Update: I wanted to thank everyone for the advice! I followed the suggestions and contacted the financial aid office proactively. They were actually really understanding about our situation. They gave us a specific list of documents to provide: 1. Copy of our extension paperwork 2. Letter from our tax professional 3. Documentation of our Fresh Start program enrollment 4. An estimated income worksheet (they provided their own form) They said they'd put a note in my son's file and as long as we provide these documents within 30 days, his work-study shouldn't be affected. They also said we'll need to provide the actual tax return info once we file, but that can be handled through a professional judgment review as someone suggested. I feel so much better knowing what to expect rather than just waiting for a potential verification issue to pop up! Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences and advice.
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Harold Oh
That's excellent news! This is exactly why proactive communication with the financial aid office is so important. They deal with these situations regularly and usually have established procedures. Glad to hear your son's work-study position shouldn't be affected.
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Darcy Moore
Good for you! Wish we'd done the same instead of waiting for them to contact us. You probably saved yourself MONTHS of stress!!!
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