Can I delay FAFSA submission until Feb 2025 to use post-divorce tax info?

You can technically wait until February 2025 to file the FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year, but there are important considerations: 1. Many schools have priority financial aid deadlines in January or February, and filing after those deadlines could mean missing out on institutional aid. 2. Instead of waiting, I'd recommend filing the FAFSA as soon as it opens (December 2024) using your 2023 tax information, then immediately contacting each college's financial aid office to explain your situation. This is called a "special circumstances appeal" or "professional judgment review." 3. For the special circumstances review, you'll need documentation of your divorce, current income, and financial situation. They can then adjust your FAFSA to reflect your current financial reality. This approach ensures you meet all deadlines while still potentially getting aid based on your post-divorce finances.

Just so u know I tried to wait when my daughter was applying last year and it was a HUGE mistake!!! The financial aid money was GONE by march at 2 of her top schools. File early!!!!!

To directly answer your question: Yes, you CAN wait until February 2025 to submit the FAFSA using your 2024 tax information, but I strongly advise against it. Instead, complete the FAFSA in December 2024 using your 2023 tax return, then immediately pursue a special circumstances review (also called professional judgment) with each school's financial aid office. You'll need to provide: - Copy of divorce decree or separation agreement - 2024 pay stubs showing current income - Statement explaining the change in financial circumstances - Any relevant bills showing your current financial obligations Each school has their own form for this process - some call it a "Change in Circumstances Form" or "Special Conditions Appeal." This approach ensures you meet priority deadlines while still having your aid calculated based on your current financial situation.

My kid goes to State University and they have a Feb 15 priority deadline for FAFSA. We filed late last year and missed out on some grants. Don't make our mistake! Also the SAI calculation isnt very forgiving with divorce situations, ugh.

I dealt with this exact situation last year. Here's what I learned: If you wait until February, you'll almost certainly miss priority deadlines for institutional aid and state grants. These deadlines are often in January or early February, and the most generous aid packages go to early applicants. I tried calling the Federal Student Aid helpline to ask about this and spent HOURS on hold only to get disconnected. So frustrating! Eventually I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent confirmed I should file with my previous year's tax info and then request special circumstances reviews from each school. This was absolutely the right approach - my daughter got a significantly adjusted aid package at 3 of her 5 schools after we submitted the additional documentation.

Something nobody's mentioned - even though your ex isn't the biological father, if he was legally married to you during 2023 and you filed jointly, then technically that income does count for FAFSA purposes regardless of biological relationship. The FAFSA doesn't care about biological relationships, only legal ones at the time of filing. Waiting to use 2024 taxes makes logical sense, but as others said, you'll miss deadlines. I'd add that some schools have special supplemental forms like the CSS Profile that dig deeper into your finances beyond the FAFSA. If your son is applying to private schools, they might want this additional form, and it actually has more flexibility for reporting recent changes in financial circumstances.

Ok so the weird thing about FAFSA now is with the new FAFSA Simplification Act changes, you may actually be better off filing early anyway. The new formula has different treatment of divorced/separated parents. Isn't the parent who provides more financial support the only one who fills it out now? Someone correct me if im wrong.

Thank you everyone for the advice! I'm going to file as soon as the FAFSA opens in December using my 2023 tax information and then immediately request special circumstance reviews from each school. I'll make sure to gather all the documentation (divorce decree, current pay stubs, etc.) in advance so I'm ready to go. I'm still worried about how this will affect my son's aid package, but at least I have a plan now. Should I warn my son that his initial aid offers might not look great until the special circumstances reviews are processed?