FAFSA contributor removal - Do I need to notify school about parents' unusual living situation?

Yes, you absolutely should contact the financial aid office! When you have an unusual household situation that doesn't fit neatly into FAFSA categories, proactive communication is crucial. The school will likely want to verify your living arrangement since same address but claiming to live separately raises flags in their verification process. They might request:\n\n- Separate lease agreements or utility bills showing separate living spaces\n- Documentation about the shared bank account (who contributes, who has access)\n- Statements explaining why you share an address but aren't considered a household\n- Possibly tax returns showing separate filing status\n\nThe sooner you reach out, the better. They deal with complex family situations all the time, and explaining it upfront prevents problems later.

Thank you! Do you think they'll let my son keep his current SAI score or will they recalculate everything once we explain the situation? I'm so worried they'll think we're trying to game the system when we're just living in a complicated situation.

Omg same situation with my sister!! Her and her ex share address for the kids but they HATE each other lol. Financial aid office made her write a letter explaining and provide proof they filed taxes separately. It worked out fine once they explained everything.

Financial aid advisor here. This situation requires immediate attention, but isn't uncommon. When you removed a contributor through a correction, it creates a discrepancy the school must verify. Here's what will happen:\n\n1. You'll likely be selected for verification (if not already)\n2. You'll need to provide documentation proving your household composition\n3. The financial aid office will make a professional judgment decision\n\nI recommend gathering: separate tax returns, documentation showing separate finances where possible, statements from both parents explaining the living situation, and any legal documentation about your relationship status. \n\nThe school isn't trying to deny aid - they just need to understand and document your situation to comply with federal regulations. Your son's SAI will be recalculated based on the accurate household information they determine.

Thank you for this detailed explanation. This makes me feel better knowing what to expect. Will this delay his financial aid package, though? He's trying to decide between colleges soon and needs to know what he qualifies for.

u should just put both parents any way. my cousin tried to remove his dad and ended up gettin no aid cause they thought he was hidin income. just sayin

This is incorrect advice. Falsely reporting household composition on FAFSA can result in severe penalties including having to repay aid, fines, and even criminal charges in extreme cases. The correct approach is always to report truthfully and provide documentation to explain unusual circumstances.

Ugh, I had the WORST time trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid about a similar situation last year. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours! Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person at FSA who could help explain the contributor verification process. They have this video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ\n\nAfter I got through to an actual human, they explained exactly what documentation I needed to provide to the school. Made the whole process so much easier!

Does that service actually work? I've been trying to get through to someone about my daughter's application for DAYS. Always get disconnected after waiting forever.

Yeah it definitely worked for me! Got through in like 20 minutes instead of being on hold all day. The agent I spoke with was actually super helpful in explaining how the contributor verification process works with unusual household situations.

The schools are gonna look at your bank statements and see that you're sharing finances... that's what happened to my roommate. We shared an apartment and a checking account for bills but we're definitely NOT a couple. Financial aid office made us write statements and bring in our lease showing separate bedrooms before they'd process her as independent from me. It was a NIGHTMARE but we got through it.\n\nJust be super honest and get ahead of it by contacting them first. Bring ALL your documentation with you - tax returns, explanation letters, anything that shows your situation clearly.

That's really helpful to know. We definitely need to split that bank account then. Did they make you go in person or could you submit everything electronically?

We had to scan and upload everything to their financial aid portal. They also made us schedule a Zoom call to explain the situation to a financial aid counselor. It was stressful but once they understood, they were actually pretty helpful!

This whole FAFSA system is DESIGNED to punish people with non-traditional living situations!!! My son got ZERO aid because his dad and I live in the same house (for financial reasons only, we're 100% separated) but they counted both our incomes anyway. The appeal process is a JOKE. They don't care about real life situations AT ALL.

While I understand your frustration, outcomes vary greatly depending on how the situation is documented and presented. The financial aid office has significant discretion through professional judgment to adjust FAFSA calculations for unusual circumstances. Did you work directly with a financial aid counselor on your appeal?

Yes and they were USELESS! Kept asking for more and more documentation until the deadline passed. Then said

Update: I called the financial aid office this morning and explained our situation. They were actually really understanding! They're sending us a special circumstances form where we can document our living situation. They said we need to provide:\n1. Separate tax returns\n2. A statement from each parent explaining our living arrangement\n3. Documentation about our shared address (separate sections of the house, etc)\n4. Information about the shared bank account\n\nThey said as long as we're honest and provide good documentation, they'll make a fair determination. Feeling much less stressed now! Thanks everyone for your help and advice.

This is excellent news! Your proactive approach is exactly what I recommend to families. Document everything thoroughly and be completely transparent. Most financial aid offices genuinely want to help students receive appropriate aid within federal guidelines. If you have any questions while completing the forms, don't hesitate to reach back out to them.

Awesome!! So glad they were nice about it!