FAFSA disbursement withheld after graduation - school says I owe money due to 2022 tax return changes?

This happened to me too! My school did the same thing - told me I was covered then suddenly said my tax info changed my eligibility. You need to demand to speak to a financial aid counselor, not just the front desk person. Ask for a written breakdown of your aid package and what exactly changed. The whole "next batch" thing is BS - they have specific disbursement dates they can tell you. Don't let them keep you in limbo!

i went thru similar but different... my school held my disbursmnt bcuz they claimed i didnt complete exit counseling but i DID. turned out they just hadnt processed it yet. def get everything in writing n take names of who u talk to. sometimes calling fafsa directly helps more than talking to the school tbh

Financial aid counselor here. This situation is unfortunately common but needs clarity. When your SAI (Student Aid Index) changes based on updated tax information, it can affect your aid eligibility. However, the school is required to provide: 1. A clear explanation of what specifically changed in your eligibility 2. Documentation showing the before/after calculations 3. Specific disbursement dates for any remaining aid 4. Options for appealing if you believe there's an error The vague "next batch" language is concerning. Request a formal aid adjustment notice in writing. If they refuse, you should contact your school's ombudsman or file a complaint with the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Feedback System.

SCHOOLS DO THIS ALL THE TIME!!!! They hold your degree hostage until you pay whatever random amount they decide you owe! My sister had the EXACT same situation - they told her she was covered, then suddenly said her tax info changed things, and wouldn't give her a graduation date. We ended up having to pay $3,700 out of pocket with ZERO explanation of where that number came from. The financial aid system is COMPLETELY RIGGED against students!!!

The financial aid office should be providing you with specific information about why your aid changed. This sounds like what's called a "Professional Judgment" adjustment, where your school's financial aid administrator reviewed your FAFSA information against your actual tax documents and found a discrepancy. A few important things to know: 1. Schools are required to give you a clear breakdown of any changes 2. If your SAI increased based on 2022 taxes, that can reduce your aid eligibility 3. The "next batch" typically refers to the school's regular disbursement schedule, which should be published somewhere I'd recommend requesting a meeting with a senior financial aid officer (not just the front desk) and asking for documentation of exactly what changed in your file.

I had almost this exact situation last year and it was incredibly frustrating trying to get answers from my school. After weeks of getting nowhere with emails and visiting the financial aid office, I finally managed to reach someone at Federal Student Aid who could help me understand what was happening with my disbursement. I used Claimyr to get through to an actual person at FSA - saved me hours of hold time and disconnected calls. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FSA agent was able to confirm my disbursement status and gave me specific information that I then took back to my school. Suddenly the financial aid office was much more helpful when they realized I had spoken directly with FSA. Worth trying if you're getting nowhere with your school.

Have you checked your studentaid.gov account? Sometimes you can see disbursement information there that the school isn't telling you. Also, if they're talking about your 2022 tax return affecting things, that sounds like verification might have happened - did they ever ask you to submit additional documentation to verify your FAFSA info?

Your school is giving you the runaround hoping you'll just pay up without questions. Classic tactic. Don't budge until they give you EXACT numbers and documentation.

Based on everything you've shared, I think there are three possible scenarios: 1. Verification results: If your FAFSA was selected for verification and they found discrepancies between reported info and your tax documents, this could legitimately change your SAI and reduce your aid. 2. R2T4 calculation: Since you completed in December, they may have done a Return to Title IV calculation that determined you weren't enrolled long enough to earn all your aid. 3. Administrative error: Your aid may have been incorrectly applied or not properly processed. The fact that studentaid.gov shows disbursements as completed while your school claims otherwise is particularly concerning. I strongly recommend escalating this to the school's Financial Aid Director (not just a counselor) and requesting specific documentation of any aid adjustments or R2T4 calculations.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My school is also being super vague about disbursement dates and suddenly claiming I owe money after telling me I was fully covered. What's really frustrating is they keep saying "it's being processed" but won't give me any timeline. I've been trying to get my transcripts released for weeks now because I need them for a job application. Have you tried going above the financial aid office? I'm thinking about contacting the registrar's office directly since they're the ones actually holding my records. Also, is there a student advocacy office at your school? Mine has one and I'm wondering if they might be able to help push for faster resolution. Keep us updated on what happens when you meet with the Financial Aid Director - I might need to do the same thing!