FAFSA
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Divorced parent remarrying before FAFSA submission - how to answer marital status question?
I'm filling out the FAFSA for my daughter who'll be starting college next fall, and I'm stuck on the marital status section. I'm currently divorced (have been for 5 years), but I'm getting remarried in December. The FAFSA asks for my marital status, but I know they'll be looking at my 2023 tax return which shows me as 'single' filing status. Should I answer 'married' since I'll be married when she starts college? Or 'divorced/separated' since that's my status during the tax year they're examining? I don't want to mess this up and delay her financial aid! Thanks for any advice!
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Can I get FAFSA aid if I select 'none of the above' for foreign high school? Urgent with July 3rd classes
I'm stressing out because my classes start July 3rd and I've hit a roadblock with my FAFSA application. I completed my high school in another country, and when filling out the FAFSA, there was no option to list my foreign high school. My college financial aid office told me I have two options: either make corrections to my FAFSA or they can waive the high school requirement. The problem is I selected 'none of the above' for high school, and now my application is going through verification which seems to be taking FOREVER. The FAFSA website is showing maintenance for corrections today which makes everything worse. Does anyone know: 1. Will I still qualify for financial aid with 'none of the above' selected for high school? 2. How long do FAFSA corrections typically take to process right now? 3. Is there any way to speed this up since my classes start so soon? I'm worried I'll lose my financial aid and won't be able to start classes next week. Help!
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same thing happend to my roomate last semester!!!! he's from colombia and fafsa was a NIGHTMARE for him. his finacial aid didnt come through until 3 weeks after classes started but the school gave him some kind of emergency loan to cover until then. ask ur school about emergency funding options!!!!
That's a great suggestion! I didn't even know emergency loans were an option. I'll definitely ask about that when I talk to them tomorrow.
Update: Just checked the FSA website and today's maintenance is scheduled to end at midnight Eastern time. So you should be able to make corrections tomorrow. However, I still recommend pursuing the school waiver as your fastest option, as FAFSA corrections are taking 7-10 days minimum to process right now.
Thank you for checking! That's helpful to know. I think I'll pursue both routes simultaneously - get the waiver from my school while also submitting the correction once the system is back up.
FAFSA only covers 1/5 of cost - supporting son alone despite being married
I'm in this weird financial aid situation where I'm married but basically handling everything alone. My husband can't contribute financially and offers zero help with college planning for our son 😞 We submitted our FAFSA but they're only offering to cover 20% of the total cost. My son has been applying for every scholarship he can find, but I'm getting desperate for other options. I know nothing about navigating financial aid and feel completely overwhelmed trying to figure this out by myself. With our combined income on paper, we look okay financially, but the reality is I'm shouldering everything alone. Are there any other funding sources we're missing? Special circumstances appeals? Private loans? I'm so lost and my son really wants to attend his dream school.
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To address your follow-up question about documents for a special circumstances appeal, here's what you should gather: 1. Personal statement detailing your situation (be specific about financial separation while legally married) 2. Documentation showing you pay household expenses (mortgage/rent, utilities, insurance) 3. Documentation showing you'll be solely responsible for education costs 4. Tax returns with a statement explaining why the joint return doesn't reflect your actual situation 5. Budget worksheet showing your income and expenses separately 6. If applicable, any documentation regarding why your spouse cannot contribute (medical issues, etc.) Regarding Work-Study: Even if it wasn't initially offered, during your appeal process you can request to be considered for it. Many schools have additional work-study funds they can allocate during appeals. One last suggestion - see if your son's school offers any tuition installment plans. These don't reduce the cost, but they break payments into smaller monthly amounts that might be more manageable than lump-sum semester payments.
Thank you so much for this detailed list! I'll start putting together these documents right away. I think we have a strong case for the appeal since I've been handling all household and education expenses on my own. I didn't realize I could specifically request work-study during the appeal process - that's really helpful to know.
btw my neighbor's kid got like 5k more in aid after appealing so it def works sometimes! also dont forget to fill out FAFSA again next january, sometimes sophomore yr they give more aid (happened for my daughter).
That's encouraging to hear about your neighbor's success with appealing! And good point about reapplying - I'll make sure we submit the FAFSA early every year. I've heard aid can sometimes increase in later years.
FAFSA delays forced my son to switch colleges - avoiding athletic scholarship disaster
Well, the FAFSA nightmare just cost my son his athletic scholarship. He was all set for a D2 soccer scholarship at his dream school in Colorado, but because of this endless FAFSA disaster, we couldn't get our SAI score to the financial aid office before their internal deadline. The coach tried to help, but the athletic department had to reallocate funds when we couldn't confirm. He's now planning to do a year at community college while keeping his training schedule, then reapply next year. Has anyone successfully appealed a scholarship decision based on FAFSA delays? The financial aid office basically told us "too bad, so sad" and I'm absolutely livid. This system has completely failed families this year.
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Has anyone actually received their aid package yet? We submitted in January, got our SAI score three weeks ago, but still no actual aid package from any of the schools. My son's decision deadline is May 1st and we're completely in the dark!
We're in the exact same position! SAI score arrived two weeks ago but not a single school has sent their aid package yet. May 1st is coming up fast and we have no idea what to do. This whole process is completely broken this year.
i feel u my scholarship got messed up cuz of fafsa too. ended up having to go to state school instead of private school i wanted. this whole system is trash
I'm sorry that happened to you. It's ridiculous how many students are having their futures affected by this administrative disaster. Are you at least happy with the state school now that you're there?
Dad won't accept FAFSA parent contribution invitation - deadline approaching!
My stepmom and I finished everything on my FAFSA application two weeks ago, but we're stuck at the final step waiting for my dad to accept his contributor invitation. My parents file taxes jointly, and literally everything else in the application is complete. I've texted him daily reminders, my stepmom has talked to him, I even set up the email notification to his personal AND work emails. He keeps saying "I'll do it tomorrow" but never does! Our school priority deadline is in 10 days and I'm freaking out about losing potential aid. Has anyone dealt with a parent who won't complete their part? Is there anything I can do besides just waiting and hoping? Would sending another invitation reset anything? So frustrated right now!
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WHY are parents like this?!?! My dad was the same way. FAFSA deadline was LITERALLY the next day and he still hadn't done his part. I had to threaten to make him pay the difference in whatever aid I lost before he finally logged in. Parents have NO IDEA how expensive college actually is or how much these deadlines matter for OUR FUTURE.
RIGHT?! And then they complain about how expensive college is while missing deadlines that could save thousands! Make it make sense!!
UPDATE: I finally got through to my dad! I showed him exactly what he needed to do, made an estimate of how much aid I might lose (about $6000 based on last year's institutional grants), and set up a calendar invite with all his login info included. He completed it last night! Thank you all for your advice - especially about not sending another invitation since that could have reset everything. The application now shows "processing" status. So relieved!
Great news! The "processing" status means everything is submitted correctly. You should receive your Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation within 3-5 days. Make sure to log into your school's financial aid portal once you receive that to ensure they've received your FAFSA information.
Isabella Costa
This is actually an important strategic decision that could significantly impact your daughter's aid package. If your future spouse has substantial income or assets, submitting before your marriage could result in more aid eligibility. Here's what the FAFSA documentation states: "Report your marital status as of today (the day you submit your FAFSA form). If your marital status changes after you submit your FAFSA form, check with the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend." Some additional considerations: 1. If your daughter will apply to private schools requiring the CSS Profile, their methodology may differ 2. If your income will substantially change in 2024 compared to 2023, you might need to request a professional judgment review anyway 3. Some schools have institutional methodologies that might consider your upcoming marriage regardless of when you submit
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Natasha Orlova
AuthorThank you for this detailed information. My fiancé does have substantially higher income than I do, so this could definitely affect her aid. She's applying to both public and private schools, so I'll need to research which ones require the CSS Profile as well. This is all much more complicated than I expected!
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Isabella Costa
It definitely can be complex! For schools requiring the CSS Profile, check each school's specific requirements since they can customize their questions. Also, many financial aid offices are more understanding of family situations than people realize - if you're concerned, don't hesitate to contact your daughter's top choice schools directly to ask how they handle upcoming marriages in their institutional methodology.
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Emma Wilson
i think the fafsa is using 2023 tax info for the 2025-2026 year right? thats what my kids counselor said. so confused with all these changes
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Malik Thomas
Yes, that's correct. The 2025-2026 FAFSA will use 2023 tax information (from two years prior). It's called prior-prior year reporting. But your marital status should reflect your current situation on the day you sign the FAFSA, not your status in 2023.
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