Can a student switch from independent to dependent status on FAFSA after filing as independent?

you cant just chnge dependency status whenver u want. it's not a choice thing, there are strict rules. if he doesn't meet the independent criteria (like being 24, married, military, etc) then he was never supposed to be indepndent in the first place

This is actually a bit complicated. If your nephew received a dependency override last year due to documented parental refusal/estrangement, he doesn't automatically remain independent. Each year's FAFSA is treated separately, and dependency status must be re-evaluated. If the circumstances that led to the original dependency override no longer exist (they've reconciled), he should apply as a dependent student on his new FAFSA. The school's financial aid office will need to know about this change. Here's what you'll need to do: 1. File the new FAFSA with his mother's information included 2. Submit a letter to the financial aid office explaining the change in circumstances 3. Have his mother sign a statement confirming she is now willing to provide information and support 4. Be prepared to show documentation of the reconciliation if requested And yes, in many cases, the SAI can be lower as a dependent if the parent has limited income.

OMG I went through this EXACT same thing with my dad! We didn't talk for 2 years, then made up my junior year. The financial aid people were TERRIBLE about it - kept saying I was trying to "game the system" even though I explained we genuinely reconciled. Had to appeal like three times!!

There's a lot of confusion around dependency overrides. To clarify, parental refusal to provide information alone is NOT grounds for a dependency override according to federal guidelines. The student would have had to demonstrate severe circumstances like abuse, abandonment, or incarceration of parents. If your nephew received an override last year, the school determined his situation met their criteria. For the new FAFSA, he should: 1. File as a dependent student with parental information 2. Contact the financial aid office to explain the changed circumstances 3. Be aware that his current aid won't be affected - this only impacts future aid Schools review dependency overrides annually, so this is a standard process. His mother's income may indeed result in a lower SAI, especially if she qualifies for the income protection allowance.

I tried calling Federal Student Aid about a similar issue last month and was on hold for HOURS. Finally gave up. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to FSA agents without the wait. They took care of it in like 10 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ They connected me to an actual agent who confirmed that dependency status is determined year by year. If circumstances change, the status can change too. In my case, I needed specific documentation, but they walked me through everything.

Your nephew should definitely file as a dependent if he can now! My SAI was WAY lower as a dependent student even though my mom doesn't make much. When I was independent, they counted all my summer job money and small savings with basically no protection allowance. But when I filed with my mom's info, we qualified for income protection allowances that made a huge difference. My Pell Grant almost doubled!

Just to add a bit more clarity to what others have said - dependency status is determined each year when you file the FAFSA. The Department of Education doesn't automatically consider you independent because you were independent in a previous year. If your nephew no longer meets the criteria for a dependency override (since the estrangement has been resolved), then he should file as a dependent student with his mother's information. This isn't considered "switching" - it's simply filing with the correct status based on his current situation. I recommend documenting the reconciliation and being proactive with the financial aid office. Provide a signed statement from both your nephew and his mother explaining the changed circumstances, and request a meeting rather than dealing with voicemail. You might also want to run estimates with both scenarios using the Federal Student Aid Estimator to see the potential impact on his SAI.

lol everyones giving u complicated answers but its simple - if he doesnt meet the legal requirements for independent status he has to file as dependent. if he does meet them he files independent. thats it. its not like u get to choose the one that gives u more money lmao

I work in financial aid and can confirm what several others have said - dependency status is evaluated annually, not permanently locked in. Since your nephew received a dependency override due to parental estrangement last year, but the circumstances have changed (they've reconciled), he should absolutely file as a dependent for the upcoming year. The key is being transparent with the financial aid office about the changed circumstances. You'll want to submit a written statement from both your nephew and his mother explaining the reconciliation, along with the new FAFSA that includes her information. One important note - make sure to submit this information before any aid deadlines. The financial aid office will need time to process the change, and you don't want to miss out on aid opportunities while they review the documentation. Also, run the numbers on the Federal Student Aid Estimator first so you can see exactly how much the SAI difference would be. In most cases where the parent has low income, dependent status does result in better aid eligibility.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add that timing is really important here. When my daughter switched from independent back to dependent status after her dad and I got back together, we had to be super careful about which FAFSA year we were filing for. Make sure you're clear about whether you're updating the current year (which might not be possible if aid has already been disbursed) or filing for the next academic year. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING - the reconciliation letter, your sister's signed statement, any emails with the financial aid office. We had to resubmit documentation twice because the first submission got "lost in the system." The whole process took about 6 weeks from start to finish, so don't expect it to happen overnight. One more tip - if the financial aid office keeps giving you the runaround, ask to speak with a supervisor or the director. Sometimes the front-line staff aren't familiar with dependency override reversals since they don't happen super often.

As someone who recently went through a similar situation with my younger brother, I can confirm that dependency status can absolutely change from year to year! The key thing to remember is that dependency overrides are based on current circumstances, not permanent decisions. When my brother reconciled with our parents after two years of estrangement, we were worried about the same thing - would he be stuck filing as independent forever? Turns out the answer is no. The financial aid office actually told us they prefer when students file with accurate current information rather than maintaining outdated statuses. Here's what worked for us: we submitted a detailed letter explaining the reconciliation timeline, included a signed statement from our parents confirming they were willing to provide information and support, and attached some basic documentation showing renewed contact (like text messages, photos from family gatherings, etc.). The whole process took about a month, but his aid package improved significantly once he filed as dependent with our parents' lower income. Don't let the financial aid office brush you off - this is a legitimate situation they should be equipped to handle. If needed, escalate to a supervisor who has experience with dependency override reversals. Good luck!

I'm new to this community but wanted to chime in since I just went through something similar with my sister last year. What really helped us was creating a timeline document showing the progression from estrangement to reconciliation - dates of when contact resumed, when they started talking regularly again, when the decision to provide financial support was made, etc. The financial aid counselor said having that clear timeline made it much easier for them to understand and approve the status change. Also, don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get someone knowledgeable on the phone - we had to call back three times before we got someone who actually understood dependency overrides. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned - make sure your sister is prepared to provide her tax information and sign the FAFSA. Sometimes parents think they're "helping" by agreeing to the reconciliation but then balk when they realize they have to actually share their financial details. Better to have that conversation upfront!

I'm new here but wanted to share what I learned from a financial aid workshop at my community college. The presenter emphasized that dependency status is fluid and based on current circumstances, not past filings. What really stood out to me was that schools are actually required to reassess dependency overrides annually - they can't just automatically renew them. For your nephew's situation, the fact that the original override was granted due to parental estrangement means the school will need to evaluate whether those circumstances still exist. Since they've reconciled, filing as dependent is not only appropriate but probably required. One tip from the workshop: when submitting the reconciliation documentation, include a brief explanation of how this change will impact his educational goals. Schools sometimes move faster when they understand the student outcome implications. Also, if possible, have your sister call the financial aid office directly to confirm her willingness to provide information - sometimes hearing from the parent directly carries more weight than written statements. The presenter also mentioned that most schools have a specific appeals coordinator who handles dependency override cases. You might ask to be connected directly to that person rather than going through general financial aid staff.