Can I update FAFSA after parent's stage 4 cancer diagnosis changed our finances?

yes u can do something! it's called a 'special circumstances appeal' or sometimes 'professional judgment'. basically u need to contact the financial aid office at ur school directly, NOT through fafsa website. bring documentation of the medical diagnosis and the income change. my dad lost his job mid-year and we got our aid package completely redone. good luck!!

You've received some good initial guidance, but I'd like to provide more detailed information. What you need is called a "Professional Judgment" (PJ) or "Special Circumstances Review." This is a formal process where financial aid administrators can adjust the data elements used in calculating your Student Aid Index (SAI) based on documented special circumstances. Here's what you should do: 1. Contact the financial aid office at EACH school where you and your brother are enrolled/planning to attend. 2. Ask specifically about their "Special Circumstances" or "Professional Judgment" process for a change in income due to medical disability. 3. Gather documentation including: - Medical documentation of the diagnosis - Letter from the employer confirming termination of employment - Disability award letter showing current benefits - Recent pay stubs (if any) showing reduced income - Documentation of medical expenses not covered by insurance - A written statement explaining the situation Each school has its own procedures, but they all have the authority to make these adjustments. Don't wait - start this process immediately.

so sorry about ur mom!! my cousin had something similar happen and the financial aid office was actually really helpful. just be super nice to them and bring ALL the paperwork u can think of. also dont forget to apply for scholarships!!! lots of organizations have special scholarships for families dealing with cancer

To answer your follow-up question - you don't need to do anything on the FAFSA website. The Professional Judgment process is handled entirely by each individual school's financial aid office. Your original FAFSA data remains unchanged in the federal system, but the school will make adjustments in their own systems when determining your aid package. One important thing to note: Each school makes their own independent decision, so you might get different results from different schools. Some may be more generous than others in their adjustments.

I went through this EXACT same thing when my dad got diagnosed with lung cancer. The school financial aid offices can be super helpful but also INCREDIBLY frustrating to get ahold of sometimes. I spent weeks calling the financial aid office trying to talk to someone who could help with our special circumstances appeal and kept getting voicemail or being put on hold forever. After almost giving up, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual person at the financial aid office in like 10 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I finally got to talk to a real person, the process went pretty smoothly. Just make sure you have ALL your documentation ready because they're really strict about what they'll accept as proof. Good luck and I hope your mom's treatment goes well!

One important detail that hasn't been mentioned: when submitting a special circumstances appeal, be very specific about the TIMELINE of events. Financial aid offices need to understand exactly when your mother was diagnosed, when she stopped working, when disability benefits began, etc. This helps them determine exactly how to adjust your aid calculation. Also, don't just submit the paperwork and wait. Follow up regularly (every 2-3 weeks) by email or phone. These requests can sometimes get buried in the financial aid office's workload, especially during busy seasons. Polite persistence makes a difference. Finally, if your initial request is denied or the adjustment is insufficient, you have the right to appeal that decision with additional information or documentation. Don't take the first "no" as final.

I'm sorry but this system is COMPLETELY BROKEN. Why should you have to jump through all these hoops when your mom has CANCER?? The whole FAFSA setup is garbage. They use old tax info that doesn't reflect current reality, then make you beg individual schools for help. Meanwhile you're dealing with medical bills and family trauma. It's disgusting. And don't get me started on the schools - they're sitting on BILLIONS in endowments but make cancer families fill out 50 forms to prove they're poor enough now. RAGE!!! Yes do the special circumstances thing but be prepared for disappointment. The system is designed to be difficult.

also dont forget to look into medical deferments for any student loans u already have!! my friend's mom got cancer and he got his loans paused during her treatment

hey just wanted to say my family went thru something similar last year and we DID get additional aid after appealing. it took about 3 weeks to process everything once we submitted all the docs. sending good vibes to your mom for her treatment!

One more thing - when you're calculating the financial impact, don't just focus on the income reduction. Make sure to document ALL increased expenses related to the medical situation: 1. Out-of-pocket medical costs not covered by insurance 2. Transportation costs to/from medical appointments 3. Special dietary needs related to treatment 4. Home care assistance if needed 5. Medical equipment or home modifications 6. Mental health support services for family members All of these can be considered part of the special circumstances review. The more comprehensive your documentation, the better your chances of receiving an appropriate adjustment.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis - what a difficult situation for your whole family. Just wanted to add that when you're working with the financial aid offices, ask specifically about their timeline for processing special circumstances appeals. Some schools can turn these around in 2-3 weeks, while others might take 6-8 weeks, especially during busy periods. If you're starting school this fall, you'll want to get this process started ASAP since aid packages are typically finalized over the summer. Also, don't hesitate to explain the urgency of your situation - many schools have expedited processes for families dealing with serious medical situations. Wishing your mom strength during her treatment and hoping you get the financial support you need!

I'm really sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis - sending thoughts and prayers to your whole family during this incredibly difficult time. Just wanted to add one more resource that might help: many states have cancer assistance programs that can provide financial support for families dealing with cancer-related expenses. These programs sometimes have emergency funds specifically for education expenses when a family breadwinner is undergoing cancer treatment. You might want to contact your state's Department of Health or search for "[your state] cancer financial assistance" to see what's available locally. The American Cancer Society also has a helpline (1-800-227-2345) where they can connect you with local resources and financial assistance programs. Also, some employers have hardship funds or employee assistance programs that could provide additional support - it might be worth checking if your mom's former employer has anything like this available for former employees dealing with serious medical issues. Keep fighting for the aid you deserve, and don't give up if the first response isn't what you need. Your family's situation absolutely warrants additional financial support.

I'm so sorry about your mom's diagnosis - that must be incredibly scary and stressful for your whole family. The good news is that you absolutely have options here! What everyone is describing as "special circumstances" or "professional judgment" is exactly what this situation calls for. I went through something similar when my dad became disabled during my sophomore year. Here are a few additional tips from my experience: 1. When you contact the financial aid offices, ask to speak with a financial aid counselor who specializes in special circumstances - not just anyone who answers the phone. 2. Create a timeline document that clearly shows: date of diagnosis → date mom stopped working → date disability benefits started → current monthly income vs. previous monthly income. This makes it super easy for them to understand the impact. 3. If you're dealing with multiple schools, ask the first one you work with what their decision was based on - this can help you present a stronger case to the other schools. 4. Don't forget to mention your brother is also in college! The fact that you'll have two in college simultaneously while dealing with this income loss makes your case even stronger. The financial aid offices deal with these situations more often than you might think, and most are genuinely trying to help families in crisis. Stay organized with your paperwork and be persistent but polite. You've got this!

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis - what an incredibly difficult situation for your whole family. I want to echo what others have said about the special circumstances appeal being your best option, but I also want to add something important: don't wait to start this process thinking you need to have everything perfect first. I work in higher education (not financial aid, but adjacent) and I've seen families delay starting their appeals because they're trying to gather every possible document. The reality is that financial aid offices would rather work with you to get the right documentation than have you wait weeks to submit anything at all. Start by calling both schools this week and explaining the situation - they can tell you exactly what they need and in what format. Many schools also have emergency aid funds that can provide immediate assistance while your special circumstances appeal is being processed. Also, make sure you're applying to both schools your family will be dealing with (yours and your brother's) since each school makes independent decisions. And if one school gives you a more generous adjustment than another, you can sometimes use that as leverage in discussions with the other school. Sending strength to your mom during her treatment and hoping you get the financial support your family needs and deserves.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis - what an incredibly tough situation for your entire family. The advice you've gotten here is spot-on about the professional judgment process, and I wanted to add one more angle that might help. Since you mentioned medical bills are piling up, make sure to track and document ALL of these expenses - not just the obvious ones like treatments, but also things like prescription medications, travel costs for appointments, parking fees at medical facilities, and any adaptive equipment or home modifications needed. These can all be factored into your special circumstances appeal. Also, I'd suggest reaching out to the social worker or patient navigator at your mom's treatment center if she has one. They often have experience helping families navigate financial aid appeals and might even have template letters or know which documentation tends to be most effective with local schools. One last thing - if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the paperwork and phone calls (which is totally understandable!), see if there's a trusted adult like a school counselor, family friend, or relative who could help you organize and make some of these calls. Sometimes having an advocate can make the process feel less daunting. Wishing your mom strength in her treatment and hoping you get the financial relief your family needs. You're being so responsible by researching all these options.