FAFSA Medicaid question for adoptive parents - will my bio son qualify with 70K income?

prety sure medicaid only counts if the student gets it not siblings

That Medicaid question is important! It's asking about your *household* receiving benefits, not just the student. By marking "yes" you're indicating your family might qualify for the simplified needs test or auto-zero EFC, which can be advantageous. However, at $70K household income, you're likely above the income threshold for those special calculations (typically around $50K). Your income is the primary factor in determining your SAI (Student Aid Index), which replaced the old EFC. It was still correct to mark "yes" since members of your household do receive Medicaid. But your biological son's aid will primarily be determined by your income, assets, and household size.

I was in EXACT same situation last yr!!! My adopted daughter gets medicaid but my bio son was applying for fafsa. I marked YES for medicaid question and it was fine. We make like 65k and he still got some grants plus loans. They never questioned it during verification either.

they're going to flag you for verification trust me happened to everyone i know who checked yes on the medicaid box last year

To directly answer your question: Yes, you were correct to mark that members of your household receive Medicaid, even though it's your adopted children and not the student. Regarding eligibility with $70K income: It depends on several factors including your state, the cost of attendance at your son's chosen schools, and your total household size. With at least 4 family members (you, husband, biological son, and at least one adopted child), your son will likely qualify for: - Unsubsidized Direct Loans ($5,500 for first-year students) - Possibly some state grants depending on where you live - Potentially a partial Pell Grant, though $70K is near the upper limit Many families in the $70-80K range with multiple dependents do receive some need-based aid, especially if applying to higher-cost institutions. The adoption stipend generally isn't counted as student income, but as parent income, so it's already factored into your household total. I recommend using the Federal Student Aid Estimator tool to get a more precise estimate: https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/

I work in financial aid at a community college. The Medicaid question is part of determining if you qualify for an automatic zero SAI or simplified needs test. But with $70k income, you won't qualify for those regardless of the Medicaid status. For a family of 4+ with $70k income, your son should qualify for: - Subsidized and unsubsidized loans - Possibly partial Pell depending on assets and exact family size - State grants vary widely You answered correctly by indicating household members receive Medicaid. The adoption stipend is usually reported as untaxed income on the FAFSA.

Ok so when I filled out FAFSA for my daughter last year I got so confused about all the Medicaid stuff!! We were getting Medicaid for our younger kids but not for her and the form was super unclear. I checked yes but then she got picked for verification and it was a NIGHTMARE trying to get all the documents together and then waiting for them to process everything. She almost missed out on housing because the financial aid was delayed so long!!! If I could do it over again I would have started the FAFSA process WAY earlier and had all our tax stuff and proof of Medicaid ready to go from the beginning.

One important clarification - the 2024-2025 FAFSA has changed significantly from previous years. The question about Medicaid benefits is now part of determining eligibility for the "Student Aid Index (SAI) formula," which has replaced the old EFC calculation. While your income is likely above the automatic qualification threshold, correctly reporting Medicaid receipt might still positively affect how your family's financial situation is assessed. The new FAFSA is supposed to be more generous overall, especially for families with multiple children in college. Also, your biological son will qualify for the standard first-year loan amount ($5,500), but the breakdown between subsidized (interest-free while in school) and unsubsidized portions will depend on your need calculation. With $70K and multiple dependents, he might get a portion as subsidized.

doesnt matter what u put they give u nothing anyway lol college is a ripoff

As someone who just went through this process with my own kids, I wanted to share what worked for us. We have a similar situation - two adopted children who receive Medicaid and state benefits, plus our biological daughter who was applying for FAFSA. First, you absolutely did the right thing marking "yes" for the Medicaid question. That's asking about your household, not just the student. Don't second-guess yourself on that. With your $70K income and multiple dependents, your son should qualify for some aid. We have a slightly lower income (~$65K) and our daughter received about $4,200 in Pell Grant plus the full loan amount. The key is that having more dependents in your household actually helps your aid calculation. One thing I learned: keep very detailed records of everything. We got selected for verification (which seems common when you check yes on benefits), and having all our documents organized made the process much smoother. Get your tax transcripts early, keep copies of the adoption subsidy documentation, and proof of Medicaid for your adopted kids. Also, apply to multiple schools if possible. Aid packages can vary significantly between institutions, and some private schools with larger endowments might offer better aid than you'd expect, even with your income level. Don't let the process intimidate you - your son deserves every opportunity to pursue his education, and there is aid available for families in your situation.