Can unusually high 2022 AGI be explained to lower our FAFSA SAI and qualify for Pell Grant?
Just submitted my son's FAFSA last night and I'm panicking about the estimated SAI we received. It's WAY higher than we expected ($15,890) and says he's not eligible for a Pell Grant, only 'may be eligible for other aid' whatever that means?? Here's the problem - our 2022 tax info shows an abnormally high AGI because my husband received a one-time settlement from a work injury case. This is NOT our normal income situation at all! We're usually right in the Pell Grant range. Is there any process to explain this unusual circumstance to get the SAI adjusted? Can we submit documentation proving this was a one-time payment? Or are we just stuck with this ridiculous number that doesn't reflect our actual financial situation? Also, anyone know if the estimated SAI might change on its own when the application is fully processed? The status still says "processing" so I'm holding onto a sliver of hope...
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Andre Moreau
Yes, you can absolutely get this adjusted! You need to file what's called a Professional Judgment (PJ) request with your son's school's financial aid office. The FAFSA itself won't change the SAI calculation, but individual schools can adjust it based on special circumstances exactly like yours. One-time income like settlements, inheritances, etc. is a common reason for PJ reviews. You'll need documentation showing: 1. The settlement amount 2. Proof it was one-time only 3. Documentation of your normal income level Contact each school's financial aid office ASAP after your FAFSA is fully processed. Don't wait - they have limited PJ funds.
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Carmen Reyes
•This is SO helpful! Thank you! Do you know if we should wait until the FAFSA is fully processed before contacting schools? Or should I be calling them now to ask about their specific PJ request process?
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Zoe Christodoulou
ya the same thing happened to my brother last year. we sold our grandmothers house and it made our income look way higher. ended up having to fill out a bunch of forms at the school financial aid office. took forever but they did fix it eventually
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Carmen Reyes
•That's encouraging to hear! How long did the adjustment process take for your brother? I'm worried about missing scholarship deadlines while waiting for this to get sorted out.
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Jamal Thompson
To directly answer your second question - no, the estimated SAI generally will not change significantly from what you're seeing now. The FAFSA formula is strictly mathematical and doesn't have a built-in mechanism for considering special circumstances. As the previous commenter mentioned, you need to pursue a Professional Judgment review with each individual school. Every school handles these differently, with their own forms and documentation requirements. Some are more generous with adjustments than others. I recommend preparing a clear, concise letter explaining the situation along with documentation of: - The settlement documents showing it was one-time - Your tax returns from 2021 (the year before) showing your normal income - Any 2023 pay stubs or documentation showing you've returned to normal income levels Keep this package ready to send to each school once your son decides where to apply.
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Mei Chen
•This! The financial aid officers at each school have discretion but they need PROOF everything you're telling them is true. Document document document!
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CosmicCadet
The whole FAFSA system is rigged against families with unusual circumstances!! I went through something similar when I had to cash out my retirement early for medical bills and it counted as "income" even though it was literally my own money that I'd already been taxed on once!!! Spent MONTHS fighting with the financial aid office and they only adjusted our SAI by a small amount. Still didn't qualify for Pell. The system is BROKEN!!
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Jamal Thompson
•While I understand your frustration, it's worth noting that the 2024-2025 FAFSA has actually made improvements to how retirement withdrawals are treated. They now ask separate questions about qualified and non-qualified distributions to better identify true income versus accessing savings. Unfortunately, this doesn't help with the 2022 tax year data being used now, but it shows the system is evolving to address these issues.
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Liam O'Connor
Have you tried calling the Federal Student Aid hotline directly to explain the situation? Maybe they can note it in your file or something?
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Amara Adeyemi
•Unfortunately the FSA Information Center can't make adjustments to the SAI - their system just follows the federal formula using tax data. They'll just tell you to contact the schools directly. BTW if you do need to call them about other FAFSA issues, use Claimyr.com to skip the wait times. I had to call about a verification issue last week and their service got me through in minutes instead of hours. They have a good demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. Way better than sitting on hold all day!
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Carmen Reyes
Update: I called three of the schools my son is applying to and got some helpful information. They all have their own Professional Judgment forms, but I can't submit anything until the FAFSA is fully processed and my son is admitted. One school said they'll review for Pell eligibility separately from their institutional aid decisions, which gives me some hope! I'm gathering all our documentation now - the settlement documents, proof of what the money was used for (medical bills), and our 2021 and 2023 income information to show this was truly a one-time spike. Fingers crossed this works because the difference could be thousands in Pell Grants over four years.
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Andre Moreau
•You're doing everything right! One additional tip - when you submit your documentation, include a simple cover letter with a clear, bulleted timeline showing: • Your normal income in 2021: $XX,XXX • The 2022 settlement amount: $XX,XXX • What normal income would have been without settlement: $XX,XXX • Your current 2023 income rate: $XX,XXX Make it as easy as possible for them to see the anomaly. Financial aid offices are processing thousands of requests.
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Zoe Christodoulou
btw not sure if this helps but my cousin got pell grant with a SAI of 14200 somehow last year? i thought the max was lower but maybe check if ur close to qualifying?
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Jamal Thompson
•That's not accurate information. For the 2023-2024 award year, Pell Grant eligibility cuts off at an SAI of 6206. For the upcoming 2024-2025 cycle, the maximum SAI for Pell eligibility will be 7395. There's no scenario where someone with an SAI of 14200 would qualify for a Pell Grant unless there was a special adjustment made afterward by their school.
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Mei Chen
Good luck!!! The paperwork is a nightmare but WORTH IT
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Ella rollingthunder87
I'm new here but going through something similar! My family had an unusual income spike in 2022 due to a business sale, and our SAI came back way higher than expected. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about Professional Judgment requests! A few questions for those who've been through this process: 1. Do all schools have the same deadlines for PJ requests, or does it vary by institution? 2. If multiple schools adjust your SAI differently, can you use that information when appealing to other schools? 3. Should we also be looking into state grant programs that might have different income thresholds? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating this confusing process!
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