FAFSA SAI too high after spouse's death - will they consider my drop in income?

So sorry about your husband. Fafsa doesnt care about special circumstances. They just use the tax year they want. My son got zero aid because my 2022 included a one-time home sale profit. Now im broke but the FAFSA says im rich. The whole system is broken.

I'm really sorry for your loss. Yes, you CAN appeal this SAI calculation! What you're describing is exactly the type of special circumstance that financial aid offices are allowed to consider. It's called a Professional Judgment (PJ) or Special Circumstances appeal. While the FAFSA itself won't automatically adjust for your situation, individual college financial aid offices have the authority to make adjustments based on documented changes in circumstances. Here's what you need to do: 1. Contact each college's financial aid office where your daughter has applied/been accepted 2. Ask about their process for a "special circumstances appeal" or "income adjustment appeal" 3. Be prepared to provide documentation: death certificate, documentation showing the one-time payments, 2023 tax return showing income drop, and proof of current unemployment Most colleges have specific forms for these situations. Don't wait - reach out to them immediately.

Professional Judgement reviews absolutely work, but success varies by school. Some are more generous than others. Make sure you document EVERYTHING. Death certificate, final pay stubs, unemployment verification, bank statements showing the drop in income, etc. The more documentation the better. I've worked with families in similar situations, and most schools will make adjustments for the loss of a spouse/parent. Be persistent and follow up regularly with the financial aid offices.

my mom went thru this when my dad died. we got help but only after we kept calling and calling the financial aid office. it took like 20 calls b4 we got someone who actually knew what they were doing. most of them just kept saying no at first.

Has anyone tried using Claimyr to reach the Federal Student Aid people? I had a similar situation (not death but job loss) and was getting nowhere trying to figure out the appeal process. I kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Someone recommended Claimyr.com and it was actually helpful - they got me through to a real person at FSA who explained all my options for appealing the SAI calculation. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent I spoke with was really knowledgeable about special circumstances appeals.

One important thing to note: while appealing to the schools is your best option, you should also update your FAFSA to indicate that there's been a significant change in your financial situation. There's a specific question that asks if your financial situation has changed significantly from what is reflected in your tax information. Make sure you select "Yes" for this question, even though it won't change your SAI calculation automatically. Also, don't wait for schools to reach out to you after submitting the special circumstances appeal. Be proactive and follow up every 1-2 weeks. The squeaky wheel gets the grease in financial aid offices!

You might also want to check if your daughter qualifies for independent status due to the death of a parent. I'm not 100% sure about the rules, but I think if one parent is deceased and the student isn't living with or receiving financial support from the other parent, they might qualify as independent. That would completely change the SAI calculation.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I've started reaching out to the financial aid offices at each school. One has already responded and sent me their Special Circumstances form, which specifically has a section for "Death of spouse" and "Loss of employment." Feeling a bit more hopeful now. I'll keep you updated on how it goes!