FAFSA asking for tax form information that's blank on my return - should I enter zeros?

Thank you! That's what I thought but wasn't 100% sure. I was worried that putting zeros might somehow trigger some kind of audit or verification. The SAI calculation seems so complicated.

Oh wow, I hadn't thought about that distinction! I do have some investments in a 529 plan for my younger child but they didn't generate reportable income. So I should put zeros for the income lines but the actual value for the investment itself?

Thank you so much for this detailed breakdown! That really helps clarify things. So for the W-2 income, I'll just transfer the exact amounts, for any blank lines on my 1040 I'll use zeros, and for investments I'll distinguish between income (zero in my case) and actual value. Really appreciate it!

I had the same frustrating experience trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid about verification issues. After multiple disconnected calls, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of hours. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. The agent I spoke with was able to answer all my questions about blank fields on my tax forms and cleared up some confusion about the Parent Plus loan eligibility that would have cost us thousands.

That's because they completely redesigned the FAFSA for the 2024-2025 aid year and made some additional tweaks for 2025-2026. They're now using the Student Aid Index (SAI) instead of the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The calculations are different and they're asking for slightly different information. It's supposed to be simpler but the transition has been rocky for sure.

That's really good advice - I'll definitely keep documentation ready. My niece got selected for verification last year and it was such a headache for my sister. I think I'll take photos of the relevant pages of my tax return just to be safe.

Please be careful with this approach. Intentionally entering incorrect information on the FAFSA is considered fraud and can result in serious consequences, including fines up to $20,000, prison time, and having to repay all aid received. The Department of Education does verify information against IRS records. Always report accurate information even if it might result in less aid.

Glad to hear it went through! The new SAI calculation is actually a bit more generous for many families compared to the old EFC system. If you don't mind sharing (without specific numbers), is your daughter considering any schools that also require the CSS Profile? That form requires even more detailed financial information.

Yes, she's applying to two private schools that need the CSS Profile too. I've heard that's even more complicated than the FAFSA! Going to tackle that next weekend... wish me luck!

Thanks for the heads up about the CSS Profile! I had no idea it would be so much more detailed than the FAFSA. I'll definitely start gathering all those documents this week - sounds like I'll need way more financial information than I thought. The 3 hour time estimate is actually helpful to know so I can set aside enough time. Really appreciate the tip about needing current values as of filing date too, that's not something I would have thought about!

Oh wow, thank you for catching that! I actually was looking at my 2024 return instead of my 2023 return. I'm so glad you mentioned this because I would have completely messed up the application. I need to go back and pull out my 2023 tax documents instead. This is exactly the kind of mistake that could have caused major delays or verification issues. Really appreciate you sharing your experience - it's so helpful to hear from someone who's been through this multiple times!

Welcome to the FAFSA world! It definitely feels overwhelming the first time through, but you're absolutely on the right track asking these questions. One thing I'd add that helped me as a newcomer - don't be afraid to save your progress frequently and come back to sections if you get stuck. The FAFSA system saves your work automatically, but I found it less stressful to tackle it in chunks rather than trying to power through everything in one sitting. Also, if you run into any technical issues or get error messages, try logging out completely and logging back in - that solved several glitches for me. You've got this! The hardest part is just getting started, and it sounds like you're well-prepared with all the great advice from this thread.

Welcome to the community! It's so great to see newcomers finding value in these discussions. I completely understand that feeling of being overwhelmed - the FAFSA process can feel like learning a foreign language at first! One additional tip I'd share as you're getting started: make sure to print or save a PDF copy of your completed FAFSA once you submit it. I learned this the hard way when I needed to reference specific information later and couldn't easily find it in the online portal. Also, don't stress too much about getting everything perfect - the system has gotten much better at catching obvious errors and will prompt you if something seems off. The fact that you're asking these questions and preparing thoroughly means you're already ahead of the game. Best of luck with your son's application!

Welcome to the community, Javier! I'm also new here and just went through this same process with my daughter's FAFSA. One thing that really helped me was keeping a simple checklist of all the documents I needed before starting - 2023 tax return, W-2s, bank statements, and investment account statements. Having everything organized in one place made the whole process much smoother. Also, don't hesitate to use the "Help and Hints" feature on the FAFSA website - I found those explanations really helpful when I wasn't sure about specific questions. The community here has been amazing for getting real-world advice that you just can't find in the official instructions!

Welcome to the community, Chloe! I'm also new here and just completed my first FAFSA experience last week. Your gratitude really resonates with me - this thread has been a goldmine of practical advice that you simply can't get from the official FAFSA help resources. One thing I'd add from my recent experience: after you submit the FAFSA, make sure to check your Student Aid Report (SAR) when it becomes available in a few days. It will show all the information you entered, and you can catch any errors before schools start processing your aid. Also, don't be surprised if the whole process feels anticlimactic - after all this stress and preparation, the actual submission is pretty straightforward! The community here has made such a difference in making this feel less intimidating. Best of luck with your daughter's application!

Hi Geovani! Welcome to the community! I totally understand that feeling of uncertainty - I just went through this exact same situation a few weeks ago with my son's FAFSA. Yes, you should definitely enter zeros for all the blank fields on your tax return. I know it feels strange, but that's the correct way to do it. The FAFSA system needs a numerical value in every field to process your application properly, and blank lines on your 1040 essentially represent zero for those income categories. Just double-check that you're using your 2023 tax return (not 2024) for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, and make sure you're looking at the right line numbers that correspond to each FAFSA question. Don't worry - this is totally normal and you're not doing anything wrong by entering zeros for truly blank tax fields!

Hi Geovani! I completely understand your hesitation - I felt the exact same way when I was doing my daughter's FAFSA for the first time just a few months ago. Yes, you absolutely should enter zeros for all those blank fields on your 1040! It really does feel counterintuitive at first, but that's the standard and correct approach. Think of it this way - those blank lines on your tax return mean you had zero income or deductions in those categories, so zero is the accurate number to report on the FAFSA. The system won't accept blank fields anyway, so entering zeros is what allows your application to process properly. Just make sure you're using your 2023 tax return (not your most recent 2024 one) and double-check that you're looking at the right line numbers that match what the FAFSA is asking for. You're doing great by asking questions - that's exactly what this community is here for!

Hi Geovani! I'm also new to this community and just went through this exact same situation last month. I totally get why it feels wrong - I stared at those blank fields for like 20 minutes wondering if I was making a huge mistake! But yes, definitely enter zeros for all the blank spots on your 1040. The FAFSA won't let you leave anything empty anyway, so zeros is the only option. Just make sure you're using your 2023 tax return (I almost used 2024 by mistake) and that you're looking at the exact line numbers the FAFSA references. The whole process felt overwhelming at first, but once I started entering those zeros and saw the application moving forward normally, it got much easier. You're asking all the right questions - that's exactly what helped me feel confident about the process!

Hi Geovani! Welcome to the community! I just went through this exact same situation a few weeks ago as a first-time FAFSA parent, and I totally understand that feeling of uncertainty. Yes, you should definitely enter zeros for all those blank fields on your 1040 - that's absolutely the correct approach. I know it feels wrong, but think of it this way: those blank lines represent categories where you had zero income or deductions, so zero is actually the accurate number to report. The FAFSA system won't accept blank fields anyway, so zeros allow your application to process properly. Just double-check that you're using your 2023 tax return (not 2024) for the 2025-2026 FAFSA and make sure you're looking at the right line numbers. Don't worry - this is totally normal and everyone here has done the same thing! You're being smart by asking questions first.