Confused about FAFSA accounts - do both divorced parents need one if filing separately?

Yes, you BOTH need FSA ID accounts if your ex-husband is claiming the kids as dependents. Under the new FAFSA rules, the parent who claims the student as a tax dependent is considered the "contributing parent" and MUST create an FSA ID to provide their information. Since he claims them, he'll need to create an account and provide his financial information. You may also need to create one as a secondary contributor depending on your custody arrangement. The system will guide you through this during the application process when it asks about your household and tax filing status.

went thru this last year with my kid. depends on who has CUSTODY not just who claims them on taxes!!! if u have primary custody YOU are the parent who fills out fafsa even if he claims them for taxes. its confusing af

This is exactly why I waited three hrs on hold with FSA last month trying to get this same question answered for my twins! waste of time, kept disconnecting me whenever i finally got through to someone. super annoying

The FAFSA system is incredibly frustrating for divorced parents. My situation was similar - I have 50/50 custody but my ex claims our son on taxes. Here's what we learned: 1. The parent who provides MORE THAN 50% of support should be the contributing parent 2. If that's unclear, then whoever claims the student as a tax dependent is typically considered the contributing parent 3. BOTH parents may need FSA IDs for verification purposes 4. Only the contributing parent's income and assets are considered for SAI calculation The new FAFSA is supposed to be simpler but it's actually more confusing for non-traditional families. Make sure your ex knows he'll need to create an account and be ready to provide his information.

THE NEW FAFSA SUCKS FOR DIVORCED PARENTS!!!! i've been fighting with this for weeks. even when both parents create accounts the system keeps glitching and not recognizing the connections between accounts. had to submit 3 correction forms because of their stupid system errors. good luck.

Financial aid counselor here. Yes, both parents should create FSA IDs, especially for divorced families. However, only the contributing parent (the one who provides most financial support) needs to provide financial information on the FAFSA itself. For 2025-2026 FAFSA, here's what you need to know: 1. The student creates their own FSA ID 2. Both parents should create FSA IDs (even if only one will contribute data) 3. The parent who claims the student as a tax dependent will need to provide tax information 4. The system will determine who is the contributing parent based on responses to household questions My recommendation: Both you and your ex should create FSA IDs before starting the application. The student should begin the application and answer all personal questions. When it gets to the parent contribution section, the contributing parent will need to sign in with their FSA ID to authorize the IRS data retrieval tool.

To answer your follow-up question - yes, if your ex has higher income and he's considered the contributing parent, that could potentially result in a higher Student Aid Index (SAI) and potentially less need-based aid. However, there are two important things to know: 1. If you have a formal arrangement where you'll be paying for college despite him claiming the kids on taxes, you can submit a special circumstances form to the financial aid office at each college explaining the situation. 2. Many schools have a supplemental form called the CSS Profile that collects information from both parents in divorced situations, regardless of who claims the student on taxes. If your daughter is applying to private colleges, they may use this more comprehensive form.

Just went through this exact situation last month! My advice would be to document everything showing you provide the majority of her living expenses - bank statements, receipts for school supplies, medical bills you pay, etc. Even though your ex claims her on taxes, having proof that you're the one actually supporting her day-to-day will really help when you file that special circumstances appeal with the colleges. Also, make sure to apply this to EVERY school she's considering - don't assume they'll all have the same response to your appeal. Some schools are way more flexible with divorced parent situations than others.

As someone who just went through this nightmare with my daughter's FAFSA, I feel your pain! The key thing is getting your ex on board early because once you start the application, you can't really move forward without his cooperation. I'd suggest having a conversation with him about timelines - the FAFSA opens October 1st for the following school year, and some deadlines are really early (like February for state aid in some states). Also, make sure he understands that even though he claims her on taxes, if you're the one who will actually be paying for college, you should gather documentation now showing your financial support. This will be crucial if you need to appeal the aid decision later. The whole system is frustrating, but it's definitely doable once you know the steps!