FAFSA Net Price Calculator: Which tax amount should I enter - before or after credits?

You should enter the amount from line 22 of your Form 1040, which is your total tax. This represents what you actually paid AFTER credits and adjustments. The Net Price Calculator is trying to assess your actual tax burden to determine your financial situation more accurately. This helps calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which has been replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI) in the new FAFSA.

Thank you so much! I was leaning toward the after-credits amount but wasn't confident. Line 22 makes it clear. Really appreciate the help!

this is why i hat these calculators, they never explain what they want. my son's collge had us put in some random numbers and then we got totally different results than the actual FAFSA. waste of time tbh

Same experience here! I spent hours on those calculators last year and the actual financial aid package was completely different. The worst was when we got $7k less than the calculator estimated.

The calculators are just estimates and can't capture all the nuances of your financial situation that the full FAFSA considers. But using the correct figures (like Line 22 for taxes) will help get closer to an accurate estimate.

The NPC is supposed to use the same formula as FAFSA, but it's ALWAYS OFF. I work in financial aid office (at a community college) and we tell students it's just a rough starting point. For taxes specifically, it's Line 22 on 1040 as mentioned above. But also know that the new FAFSA for 2024-2025 gets tax info directly from IRS now, so at least that part is more accurate now.

That's really helpful perspective! If it's just a rough estimate anyway, I guess being off by a few thousand on the tax input won't matter too much in the grand scheme. Does the direct IRS connection make the actual FAFSA easier to complete now?

Yes, MUCH easier! The IRS data transfer pulls everything automatically. Just make sure your 2022 taxes are filed for the 2024-2025 FAFSA. The new system has other issues though - lots of people having trouble with the contributor access codes and getting locked out. Progress, I guess? 🙄

Actually, I discovered not all NPCs work the same way. Some specifically ask for the AMOUNT WITHHELD (line 25d) rather than total tax (line 22). Double-check the instructions on each specific calculator. I had to call three different schools last year to clarify because each one wanted different numbers!

Oh wow, I hadn't considered they might all be different! I'll look more carefully at the wording on each one. I'm applying to about 8 schools so this could get complicated.

If you're doing 8 schools, I'd strongly suggest calling each financial aid office to confirm what they want. You don't want to make decisions based on incorrect estimates. Also, check if they have any school-specific scholarships not captured by the NPC!

Has anyone tried using the Claimyr service to get through to the Federal Student Aid office? I needed clarification about some FAFSA stuff that the schools couldn't answer, but kept getting disconnected. Found this service at claimyr.com that got me through to an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ It was so helpful when I needed to ask specific questions about how tax information is used in the new FAFSA formula.

Never heard of this but might try it. Been trying to get through to FSA for THREE WEEKS about my daughter's verification issues 😡

That might come in handy if I run into problems with the actual FAFSA. Saving this for later, thanks!

I think everyone's overthinking this. The calculator is just an ESTIMATE anyway. Put whatever tax number you have handy - the real financial aid package is going to be different no matter what. We stessed about getting exact numbers and then got a completely different offer. Better to just apply to schools you like and negotiate the financial aid package later if needed.

You're probably right that I'm stressing too much over this. Just trying to get a feel for what schools might be in our price range before my daughter gets her hopes up about places we can't afford.

That's smart. Just know that some schools with high sticker prices often give better aid than cheaper schools. My daughter got more aid from the $70K/year private school than the $30K state school. Makes no sense but that's how the system works.

wait now im confused again. is it line 22 or line 25d????? these forms are impossible

Check the specific wording on the calculator you're using. If it says \

To add some clarification: For most FAFSA purposes and most Net Price Calculators, you want Line 22 (total tax). The distinction matters because:\n\n- Line 22 = Your total tax liability after calculations but before credits\n- Line 24 = Your total tax after credits are applied\n- Line 25d = Amount withheld from paychecks\n\nFor a truly accurate NPC estimate, check for any clarifying text or hover-over explanations on the specific calculator you're using. The new 2024-2025 FAFSA directly imports IRS data now, so when you actually file, this won't be an issue.

This breakdown is super helpful! I'll check each calculator carefully. Looking forward to the direct IRS import when we do the real FAFSA next October.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I'd recommend creating a spreadsheet to track which schools want which tax figures. I made the mistake of assuming they all used the same inputs and had to redo several calculators when I realized some wanted different information. Also, don't forget that some schools have their own institutional aid calculators separate from the federal NPC - these can sometimes give you a better picture of merit aid possibilities. The whole process is confusing but getting rough estimates really does help with planning!

Just wanted to jump in as someone new to this whole process - reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! My son is a junior and I'm just starting to research financial aid. The spreadsheet idea and checking each calculator's specific wording sounds like great advice. One quick question - when you all mention "line 22" vs "line 24" - are these referring to the 2023 tax forms we'd use for the 2024-2025 FAFSA? Want to make sure I'm looking at the right year's forms when I start practicing with these calculators over the summer.

This has been such an informative thread! As someone just starting to navigate this process, I really appreciate all the detailed explanations. The confusion around which tax line to use makes so much more sense now - I was getting overwhelmed thinking I needed to understand every nuance perfectly. The spreadsheet idea for tracking different schools' requirements is genius, and I'm definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service in case I need to reach FSA later. It's reassuring to know that even though the calculators are just estimates, using the right tax information (Line 22 for most cases) will at least give me a reasonable starting point for planning. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to hear from people who've actually been through this!

As a parent who just completed this process for my youngest daughter last year, I wanted to add one more perspective that might help. While everyone's advice about Line 22 vs Line 24 is spot-on, I'd also suggest running the calculators with both numbers if you're unsure - the difference in your estimated aid usually isn't dramatic enough to change your school list completely. What really caught me off guard was how much the "assets" section impacts your results. Make sure you understand whether they want checking/savings balances as of the day you fill out the calculator vs. some average amount. I made the mistake of running calculators right after we'd moved money around for a major expense, and it threw off all my estimates. Also, if you have multiple kids, some calculators let you factor in siblings who will be in college simultaneously, which can significantly improve your aid eligibility. Don't skip that section if it applies to your situation!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly educational! As someone completely new to the FAFSA process (my daughter is just a sophomore), I'm already feeling more prepared thanks to all your insights. The tax line confusion seems to be a common issue - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who finds these forms confusing. I'm definitely taking notes on the spreadsheet idea for tracking different schools' calculator requirements, and the tip about timing for asset reporting is something I never would have considered. One question for those who've been through this - how far in advance did you start using these net price calculators? I'm wondering if it's worth doing rough estimates now with our 2022 tax info, or if I should wait until my daughter has a clearer idea of her target schools junior year?

This thread has been so helpful for a newcomer like me! My daughter is a junior and I'm just getting started with understanding the FAFSA process. The clarification about Line 22 vs Line 24 really cleared up my confusion - I was worried I'd mess up the whole calculation by using the wrong number. I love the spreadsheet idea for tracking different schools' requirements, and the tip about timing with asset reporting is something I definitely wouldn't have thought of on my own. It's actually reassuring to hear that even financial aid professionals acknowledge these calculators aren't perfect - takes some of the pressure off getting every detail exactly right. Planning to start running some rough estimates this summer just to get a feel for what we might be looking at financially. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences instead of just generic advice!