FAFSA EITC correction timing vs Professional Judgment request - which first?

Financial aid advisor here: Always correct your FAFSA first before submitting a Professional Judgment request. Schools need the most accurate base information before considering special circumstances. The EITC correction could affect your SAI calculation, which is the starting point for any Professional Judgment adjustments. Plus, schools will question why you didn't fix known errors before asking for special consideration.

We did something similar last year. It took about 2 weeks for our FAFSA correction to process, then another 3-4 weeks for the Professional Judgment review. Start the correction AS SOON as the system allows changes. Don't wait! And contact the financial aid office NOW to let them know your situation and that you'll be submitting both items.

Question - are u SURE u qualify for EITC? The income limits are pretty low (like $63,398 for married filing jointly w/3+ kids for 2023 taxes). If your income was higher than the limits, selecting "no" was actually correct. Double-check this before making a correction that might delay everything for no reason!

Definitely do Option 1. Correct the FAFSA first, then do Professional Judgment. I work in a financial aid office, and we actually require the FAFSA to be fully accurate before we'll even review a Professional Judgment case. The PJ process uses your official SAI as the starting point, so that number needs to be correct first. BTW, for the Professional Judgment, make sure you document EVERYTHING about the job loss - termination letter, unemployment benefits statement, last pay stub, etc. The more documentation you provide upfront, the faster the review goes.

wait u can actually change answers after submitting?? i screwed up some answers on mine too but i thought once u submitted it was just done and couldnt be fixed?

Try calling Federal Student Aid directly to ask about this specific situation. I was having a similar issue last month and spent DAYS trying to get through their regular phone line. I eventually found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with was super helpful and explained exactly what order to do everything in to avoid processing delays. Worth it to get the official answer straight from FSA!

I just want to add - when you submit your Professional Judgment request, make sure you clearly explain that you've already corrected the EITC error separately. Otherwise, the financial aid office might get confused about what changes they're supposed to be evaluating. In my experience, being super clear about what's already been fixed vs. what you're asking them to adjust makes everything go much smoother.

BOTH OPTIONS ARE WRONG!!! You should be submitting your Professional Judgment request NOW, even before your initial FAFSA is processed!! Schools handle PJ differently than FAFSA and they can start working on your case while the federal processing happens. DON'T WAIT or you'll be at the back of the line when aid is distributed!!!

Just wondering - are you absolutely sure you need to correct the EITC answer? I don't think EITC eligibility directly affects your SAI calculation on FAFSA. The FAFSA uses your AGI and other tax info that already accounts for your income level. Changing the EITC indicator might not change your aid eligibility at all.

Here's what I would do (not a pro but went thru this): 1) Call your school's fin aid office ASAP and ask them your exact question, 2) Start gathering ALL your PJ documents now so they're ready, 3) Submit FAFSA correction as soon as allowed, 4) Submit PJ request according to what the school tells you. Different schools have different PJ timelines and requirements!

I'm in a similar situation with needing to make FAFSA corrections! Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like the consensus is definitely Option 1 - fix the EITC error first, then submit your Professional Judgment request. The logic makes sense that schools need the most accurate baseline SAI before they can properly evaluate special circumstances. One thing I'd add - while you're waiting for the FAFSA correction to process, you could use that time to get all your Professional Judgment documentation perfectly organized. That way when your corrected FAFSA is ready, you can submit your PJ request immediately without any delays. Also, keep following up with your school's financial aid office - sometimes being the squeaky wheel helps ensure you don't fall through the cracks during busy aid season! Good luck with everything - job loss situations are so stressful but it sounds like you're being really proactive about getting maximum aid for your son.