Do I need to report changes in financial status after submitting FAFSA?

Yes, you absolutely need to report this! This is called a "special circumstance" or "professional judgment appeal." You'll need to contact the financial aid office at each college you applied to - not the FAFSA people directly. Each school handles these situations differently, but they can adjust your aid package based on your current situation. Gather documentation of both the job loss (termination letter, unemployment benefits) and medical diagnosis/costs (bills, insurance statements). The sooner you contact them, the better!

whoa sorry to hear about ur dad. when my mom got sick last yr we had to do this thing called a special circumstances review. u gotta call each financial aid office and they'll tell u what forms to fill out. they can adjust ur fafsa numbers

The other posters are correct - this requires a special circumstances appeal directly with each school. I work in financial aid, and I can tell you that job loss and medical expenses are two of the most common reasons we adjust aid packages. Some important points: 1. Your FAFSA itself won't change - the appeal process is separate 2. Each school has different forms and documentation requirements 3. They'll recalculate your SAI based on your projected income 4. This process takes time, so start immediately 5. Be prepared to provide detailed documentation Most importantly, be persistent! Sometimes these appeals get lost in the shuffle during busy periods.

Processing time varies by school, but typically 2-4 weeks. I recommend calling each financial aid office first to explain your situation before submitting documentation. When you call, ask specifically about their "professional judgment" or "special circumstances" process for job loss and medical expenses. Also ask about their timeline for processing these appeals. One more tip: some schools have emergency grant funds separate from regular financial aid. Ask about those too!

I went through this EXACT situation last year. Let me tell you, trying to get someone on the phone at multiple financial aid offices was a NIGHTMARE. I spent like 3 weeks just trying to reach actual humans. The thing that saved me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to actual people. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and call you back when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I actually got through to financial aid officers, they were mostly helpful. Just be ready with all your documentation organized.

It really varied by school. My top choice increased my grants by about $8,000 and offered an additional unsubsidized loan. Another school only added $2,500 to my package. One school flat out rejected my appeal saying they'd already allocated all their funds (which was BS because it was only March). The key is documenting EVERYTHING. I created a folder for each school with their specific forms, copies of termination letters, unemployment filings, medical bills, and a letter explaining our situation in detail. Some schools asked for monthly expense breakdowns too.

A few more technical points that might help: 1. When you submit a special circumstances appeal, it doesn't change your FAFSA or SAI in the federal system. Each school makes their own adjustment to your financial aid package. 2. For medical expenses, they typically want documentation of actual expenses, not just the diagnosis. However, you can provide estimates from your insurance company or healthcare provider if you don't have all the bills yet. 3. For job loss, most schools will want your most recent pay stubs, termination letter, and unemployment award letter (if applicable). 4. Some schools have deadlines for appeals, so ask about this immediately. 5. Make sure to highlight both circumstances (job loss AND medical expenses) in your appeal letter.

my cousin works in financial aid and she said most people dont even know they can appeal their aid when stuff happens!! she says they have special money set aside for these situations but if u dont ask they dont tell u about it lol. the whole systems messed up

I don't think this will work. I tried to update my FASFA after my parents divorced and none of the schools cared. They just kept saying the FASFA uses 2023 tax info and that's final. Maybe medical stuff is different idk

Update: I've contacted all five schools I applied to and it's been a mixed bag. Two have already sent me their special circumstances forms, one said they'll only review after I commit to attending (which seems unfair), and I'm still waiting to hear back from the other two. I used that Claimyr service to get through to one of the schools that wasn't answering and it actually worked! Got through to a financial aid counselor who was really helpful. I've started gathering all our documentation. This is a lot of work but hopefully worth it. Thanks everyone for your help! I'll update again when I hear back about any aid adjustments.

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad's diagnosis and your job situation - that's incredibly stressful to deal with while trying to figure out college finances. Just want to add that when you're writing your appeal letter to each school, be specific about the financial impact. Don't just say "we lost income" - give them actual numbers. Like "Parent A's income went from $X per year to $0 due to job loss on [date]" and "we anticipate $Y in out-of-pocket medical expenses for Parent B's treatment." Also, if your dad's illness might affect his ability to work or your family's long-term financial situation, mention that too. Schools can sometimes adjust aid for multiple years if the circumstances are ongoing, not just temporary. Good luck with everything - this process is overwhelming but it really can make a significant difference in your aid package!