Do retired mother and adult son count in FAFSA household size for triplets?

Your mom counts but your son doesn't. EZPZ.

For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, your household would include yourself, your triplets, and your mother since you provide more than half her support. Your 24-year-old son would NOT be included because he's over 23 and financially independent even though he lives with you. The key factors are: 1) Your triplets count because they're your dependent children applying for aid, 2) Your mother counts because you provide majority support, regardless of her filing status, 3) Your adult son doesn't count because he's not in school, over 23, and financially independent. Make sure to document your mother's support situation in case of verification.

when i did FAsa for my twins last yr i included my elderly father who lives w/ us becuz i pay for most of his stuff even tho he gets SS checks. they wanted proof later so keep bills/receipts showing u support her. its called verification and its annoying!!

I went through EXACTLY the same situation last year with my twins (not triplets though - I can't imagine!). I included my disabled mother who lives with us but not my 26-year-old daughter who has her own apartment but occasionally stays with us. The financial aid office questioned it and I had to go through this whole verification nightmare where they kept asking for more and more documentation. I spent HOURS on hold trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid to explain my situation. Was ready to give up when someone recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it got me through to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent walked me through exactly what documentation I needed for proving my mother's support. Saved me so much stress!

I'm a financial aid counselor at a university, and I can confirm that for FAFSA purposes: 1. Your triplets: Count in household size 2. You: Count in household size as the parent 3. Your mother: Counts if you provide more than 50% of her support, regardless of her tax filing status 4. Your 24-year-old son: Does NOT count unless he's still in college and you provide more than 50% of his support Your household size directly impacts your Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation. A larger household size with the same income generally results in a lower SAI, which typically means more aid eligibility. Make sure you're prepared for possible verification by keeping documentation of financial support for your mother (bills, medications, food expenses, etc.). Also, with triplets attending simultaneously, look into the sibling discount many colleges offer when multiple children attend the same institution.

To address the follow-up question: Your mother's Social Security benefits would NOT be included in your FAFSA household income IF she doesn't file taxes with you. The current FAFSA only looks at the income reported on your tax return (and your spouse's if you're married). If your mother files her own separate tax return, her Social Security benefits don't affect your FAFSA, even though she counts in your household size. This actually works in your favor - you get the household size benefit without having to include her income.

I'm going through this exact situation and my financial aid advisor told me something COMPLETELY different!!! She said I couldn't count my mother even though I provide 100% of her support because she's not in college! Now I'm freaking out because I already submitted my FAFSA without including her. Can I edit my application or do I need to start over??? My twins are getting their acceptance letters and I'm worried I messed everything up!

UPDATE: I called the financial aid office at one of the schools my triplets applied to, and they confirmed that I should include my mother in the household count (5 total people) but not my older son. The counselor also mentioned that with triplets attending college simultaneously, we should contact each financial aid office directly after getting the aid packages to explain our situation. Apparently some schools have special consideration for families with multiple children attending college at once, even beyond what the FAFSA calculates. Just wanted to share in case it helps someone else with multiple kids in college!

@profile6 The financial aid counselor I spoke with mentioned asking specifically about their "sibling discount policy" or "multiple student adjustment." She also suggested requesting a "professional judgment review" once we have all the offers, explaining the triple college expense. Apparently some schools have discretionary funds they can use in unique situations like ours. And thanks! We're proud of our triplets but terrified of the cost!

As someone who just went through this process with my own complex household situation, I wanted to add that it's worth double-checking the specific wording on the FAFSA form itself. The question asks about people who "will receive more than half their support from you" between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. So you're looking at future support, not just current. Also, keep in mind that "support" includes housing costs - if your mom lives with you rent-free, that counts toward the support calculation even if she pays for some of her own expenses. With triplets, every point matters on that SAI calculation, so make sure you're capturing everyone who legitimately counts!