FAFSA 2025-2026: Include college graduate in household size from 2023 tax year?

You report your CURRENT household size, not your 2023 household size. Even though FAFSA uses 2023 tax information, the household size refers to the number of people in your household as of the day you complete the application. Since your daughter has moved out and is no longer a dependent, you would NOT include her in your household count. Only include your son who will be attending college and anyone else currently in your household that you provide more than 50% support for.

I ran into this exact same issue last year! The FAFSA household size questions were really confusing for me too. I called the Federal Student Aid helpline to get a definitive answer, but I was on hold for over 2 hours and then got disconnected. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to a real FAFSA agent in about 10 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent confirmed what the previous poster said - you report current household size at the time of application, not the household size during the tax year. It saved me from potentially making an error that could have delayed my daughter's financial aid.

THIS IS SO CONFUSING!!! Why do they make everything about FAFSA so complicated?!?! They ask for 2023 tax information but then want CURRENT household size?? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!! I've been trying to help my nephew with his application and it's been a NIGHTMARE. Every time I think I understand something, there's some weird exception or rule that contradicts it. The whole system needs to be redesigned by people who actually understand how REAL FAMILIES work!

I work in college financial aid, and this is one of the most common questions we get. The household size question on the FAFSA specifically asks for your current household size, not the household size from 2023. Here's the exact definition from the FAFSA: household includes you (and your spouse), the student, and other people who live with you AND receive more than half their support from you between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. Since your daughter is now independent and not living with you, she would not be counted. However, if you're still providing more than 50% of her support even though she's moved out, then you would still count her. It's about financial support during the award year, not living arrangements.

When I filled out FAFSA last year my son was still in high school but now hes at State University but I still counted him in household size cause he comes home during breaks and summer and i pay for everything still. is that right or did i mess up?

Also wanted to mention - since you'll only have one dependent in college in 2025-26 (your son), make sure that's clearly indicated in the "number in college" question. That number is actually more important for determining your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) than the overall household size. Having fewer dependents in college can sometimes increase your expected contribution per student.

Yes, your SAI will likely be higher with only one child in college compared to when you had two. The financial aid formula essentially divides your expected family contribution by the number of dependent students in college. So with one student instead of two, your expected contribution for that one student could be higher. However, this doesn't necessarily mean less aid overall - it depends on your income, assets, and the specific schools your son is applying to. Some schools offer institutional aid beyond federal programs that might help offset this change.

just filled out fafsa for my kid and the question says "How many people are in your parents household" and then explains it means people your parents support between july 2025 and june 2026. so definitely current/future not past. hope that helps

I just went through this same situation with my daughter's FAFSA this year! It's definitely confusing when the tax year and household size timeframes don't match up. Just to add another perspective - make sure you also consider any other dependents you might have. For example, if you have younger children still living at home, they count in your household size even if they're not college-bound yet. Also, if you're divorced or separated, only count people in YOUR household that you support, not your ex-spouse's household. The FAFSA customer service can be hit or miss, but your son's college financial aid office is usually really helpful with these specific questions once he's admitted and enrolled.