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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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One strategy to consider: if you're still able to contribute to an IRA, you could move some of your savings there before completing the FAFSA. For 2025, the IRA contribution limit for someone over 50 is $8,000 ($6,500 base + $1,500 catch-up). This would effectively shelter that amount from FAFSA consideration. Just make sure you're eligible to contribute based on any earned income requirements.
this is smart! my mom did this last yr and it helped. just make sure u do it BEFORE filing fafsa. cant do it after and go back and change it
I want to thank everyone for their incredibly helpful responses. Just to summarize what I've learned: 1. My regular savings accounts DO count as assets for FAFSA, even though I use them for retirement 2. At age 62, I get an Asset Protection Allowance of about $15,500 3. Only about 5.6% of my remaining assets affect the SAI calculation 4. I should look into moving some money to an IRA if possible 5. My Social Security survivor benefits may help qualify my daughter for Pell Grants This community has been amazing - I was so stressed about this, and now I feel like I can approach the FAFSA with much more confidence.
You've got it exactly right! One last tip: when you fill out the FAFSA, take a snapshot of your accounts on that exact day. The FAFSA asks for the value "as of today" when you're completing the form. Good luck with everything!
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i wish i could help but we're in the same boat... my daughter will be a senior next year too and i'm just starting to research all this FAFSA stuff. it seems so complicated! especially since my husband and i divorced 2 years ago and now i don't know which parent is supposed to fill everything out? does anyone know if it's the custodial parent or the one who claims the kid on taxes or what?
For divorced parents, FAFSA only requires information from the custodial parent - that's the parent the student lived with more during the past 12 months. If time was split equally, it's the parent who provided more financial support. If that parent has remarried, the step-parent's information must be included too. This is different from taxes - the parent who claims the student as a dependent for tax purposes isn't relevant for FAFSA. Also, some private schools require the CSS Profile, which might ask for non-custodial parent information too.
Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to start organizing our 2023 tax documents this weekend and look into the FSA ID setup. One more question - my son is interested in some private colleges that might be out of our price range without significant aid. Is there any way to estimate what kind of aid he might get before we go through the whole application process? I don't want him to get his hopes up for schools we ultimately can't afford.
Yes! Most colleges have Net Price Calculators on their financial aid websites. These tools ask for simplified versions of the information you'll put on FAFSA and give you an estimate of what you might pay after aid. Keep in mind these are just estimates, but they can help you identify which schools might be more generous. Some high-end private colleges actually offer better aid packages than state schools if your income is in the right range. Also look for schools that meet "100% of demonstrated need" - these tend to be more expensive but often provide better aid packages for qualifying students.
Also remember that financial aid offers can be negotiated! When my daughter got accepted to her top choice, their initial offer was about $7,000 short of what we needed. I submitted an appeal letter with a competing offer from another school, and they increased her scholarship by $5,500/year. Don't be afraid to ask for more if the initial offers don't work for your family.
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Just a heads up - the "something within a week" is often their request for income verification. About 30% of FAFSA applications get selected for verification, where you need to provide additional documentation to confirm the income information on your FAFSA. If that happens, you'll need to submit documents like tax returns, W-2 forms, and possibly a verification worksheet. Don't worry if this happens - it doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Just respond promptly with the requested documents to avoid delays in her final aid package.
Thank you for the heads up. Do schools typically tell you immediately if you've been selected for verification? Or might that come later?
They usually tell you right away if you've been selected. The Department of Education flags applications for verification when they're processed, so schools know almost immediately. If you get that verification request, prioritize it - I've seen students lose out on aid because they missed verification deadlines.
One important thing to understand about this year's FAFSA process: colleges are receiving FAFSA data in batches from the Department of Education, but the final SAI calculations are still being worked out. What most colleges are doing now is: 1. Confirming receipt of FAFSA data 2. Identifying any missing information 3. Selecting applicants for verification if needed 4. Preparing preliminary aid packages based on estimated SAI The "something" coming within a week is almost certainly step 1 or 2. Actual aid packages won't be finalized until all four steps are complete, which for most schools means March-April for regular decision applicants.
This timeline helps a lot, thank you! I've been so confused by all the changes to the FAFSA this year. Is there anything specific we should be doing while waiting for steps 3 and 4?
While waiting, I recommend: - Check the student portal frequently (often schools communicate there first) - Gather 2023 tax documents for both student and parents - Research and apply for external scholarships - If your financial situation has changed significantly since 2023, prepare documentation for a potential professional judgment appeal These steps will help you be ready when the school moves to the verification or packaging stages.
Maria Gonzalez
i think this is all so unfair!!! my kid studied sooo hard and got 12k in scholarships and then our EFC went up because of it???? like punishing kids for doing well. the whole system is rigged against middle class families who make too much for pell grants but not enough to actually pay these crazy tuition bills
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Elijah Brown
•Just to clarify, outside scholarships shouldn't affect your EFC/SAI calculation at all. They can affect how your aid package is structured, but that's a different issue than your FAFSA-calculated contribution. If your EFC actually increased, there might be a different reason - perhaps income changes or other financial factors.
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Jacob Lee
Update from my advising experience this year: schools are DEFINITELY becoming more accommodating about outside scholarships. Several universities have announced they're implementing a "no loan" policy for families under certain income thresholds, and many are specifically addressing the sibling penalty in their institutional methodology. The landscape is changing rapidly in response to the FAFSA changes. Key tip: when you receive your financial aid packages, compare them side by side with your daughter's outside scholarships listed. Then email each financial aid office with a specific proposal for how you'd like them to integrate the scholarships. Be direct but courteous. Many will work with you if you're specific about what you're asking for.
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Ava Harris
•This is really encouraging! Thank you for sharing this update. I'm starting to feel a bit more hopeful about the process. We'll definitely make specific requests when the time comes.
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