FAFSA eligibility with $130k income, overtime work, and absent biological father - worth applying?

You should absolutely complete the FAFSA regardless of your income level. Step-parent income IS counted if you're married and the student lives with you, so your husband's $130k would be included in the calculation. However, there are several reasons to still apply: 1. Some schools require FAFSA for merit scholarships that aren't based on financial need 2. Your Student Aid Index (SAI) might be better than you expect after considering your family size, number of college students, etc. 3. Some private colleges have their own formulas and might offer institutional aid even if federal aid is limited 4. Unsubsidized federal loans are available regardless of financial need The biological father's income is irrelevant if he's not the custodial parent. It doesn't matter that he's not paying child support (though you might want to address that separately through legal channels).

ITS ALL A SCAM!!1! My stepdaughter was in EXACT same situation - her mom remarried, stepdad made good money, bio dad was useless. We filed FAFSA thinking maybe she'd get something but NOPE! They don't care if the stepdad works 100 hours a week or if bio dad contributes NOTHING. All they see is the tax return number! Don't waste your time, the whole system is RIGGED against families trying to do the right thing. My stepdaughter ended up with MASSIVE loans because apparently her stepdad (my husband) was "too rich" even though he had his own biological kids to support too!!

I work in financial aid at a community college, and I see this situation more often than you'd think. Yes, your husband's income will be counted, but here's what most people don't realize: 1. The FAFSA is required for ALL federal aid including unsubsidized loans (which aren't need-based) 2. If your son plans to attend a state school or community college, the costs may be low enough that he could still qualify for some aid 3. Many schools have special circumstance appeal processes where you can explain the overtime situation Don't assume you won't get aid without completing the application. The worst outcome is you find out you don't qualify. The best outcome is you get some unexpected help.

OMG I literally just went through this with my daughter last semester!!! My husband (her stepdad) makes about $125k but it's because he works like 60+ hours every week as a contractor. Her biological dad hasn't sent a penny in support for like 8 years. We filed the FAFSA anyway and got nothing from federal grants BUT her university still gave her a $6500 scholarship that required FAFSA completion! Plus she got approved for federal loans which had better rates than private ones. My advice - just do it. Takes like an hour online and might surprise you what happens.

my cousin didnt file fafsa cuz her parents made too much money then couldnt get into her dream school nursing program bcuz they required fafsa even for merit scholarships. dont make that mistake!!!! just file it even if u think u wont get anything

When I was trying to reach the Federal Student Aid people about a similar complicated family situation last year, I kept getting disconnected or waiting on hold forever. Super frustrating when you have specific questions about step-parent income! I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual FAFSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with was actually really helpful and explained that while my stepdad's income counted, they could take into consideration some circumstances through the financial aid office at each school. Definitely worth talking to an actual person rather than just guessing.

I forgot to mention in my earlier comment - check if any of the schools your son is applying to require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. Some private schools use both, and the CSS Profile actually has more detailed questions that might help in your situation since it considers things differently than FAFSA does. It costs money to submit ($25 for first school, $16 for each additional) but fee waivers are available.

To answer your questions from earlier: Yes, SAI (Student Aid Index) is the new term for what was previously called EFC (Expected Family Contribution). The formula changed slightly for the 2024-2025 FAFSA and beyond. Regarding custodial parent - it's the parent the student lived with more during the 12 months prior to filing the FAFSA. If equal time with both parents, then it's the parent who provided more financial support. It has nothing to do with legal custody arrangements. One other thing to consider - if your son has any income or savings of his own, that counts in the FAFSA calculation too, typically at a much higher percentage than parent assets/income.

For the special circumstances appeal, yes, you would need documentation. Typically: 1. Letter explaining the situation 2. Paystubs showing base pay vs overtime 3. Letter from employer confirming the overtime is not guaranteed 4. Documentation of any recent changes (if applicable) Each school handles these differently, so after you complete the FAFSA, contact the financial aid office at each school your son is considering and ask about their "professional judgment" or "special circumstances" process.

To answer your question about my daughter's school - she goes to a mid-sized state university in the Midwest. About $24k/year total including room and board. The $6500 scholarship came directly from the university, not from federal grants. Each school has different institutional aid policies, so that's why it's worth applying everywhere and comparing offers!

Regarding your son's savings - student assets are assessed at 20% on the FAFSA, while parent assets are assessed at a maximum of 5.64%. However, $3,000 isn't going to make a dramatic difference in his overall aid eligibility. And there's a protection allowance for student assets now, so some of that may not even be counted. The most important thing is not to let perfect be the enemy of good. Complete the FAFSA, apply to a range of schools, and see what offers come in. You might be pleasantly surprised!

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter last year, I want to echo what others have said - definitely complete the FAFSA! Our situation was eerily similar to yours. My husband (stepdad) makes around $140k but works crazy hours in construction, and my daughter's bio dad has been MIA for years. Here's what we learned: Even though we didn't qualify for Pell grants, my daughter still got about $8,000 in combined federal and state aid, plus she was eligible for subsidized loans at better rates than private loans. More importantly, two of the schools she applied to gave her merit scholarships that required FAFSA completion - we would have missed out on $12,000 just because we didn't file! The process itself was way easier than I expected. Took maybe 90 minutes total using the IRS data retrieval tool. And honestly, even if you get zero aid, you'll have peace of mind knowing you tried everything possible. The "what if" would have eaten me alive if we hadn't applied. One last thing - make sure to apply for scholarships through the schools directly too. Many of them stack with whatever aid you might get from FAFSA. Good luck!

I'm in a very similar situation and just wanted to add my perspective! My stepson's bio mom makes decent money but never contributes, while my husband (his stepdad) works two jobs to support our blended family. We were initially discouraged by our high household income on paper, but filing the FAFSA was absolutely worth it. What really helped us was understanding that many schools have their own institutional aid programs that aren't just based on federal formulas. My stepson ended up getting a "first-generation college student" scholarship from his state university (since neither bio parent had college degrees), plus work-study opportunities that wouldn't have been available without FAFSA completion. Also, don't overlook community college for the first two years if money is tight. Many have excellent transfer agreements with four-year schools, and completing FAFSA there helped establish his aid history for when he transferred. The overtime income situation is more common than you think - financial aid counselors have seen it all and can often work with you on appeals if needed. The bottom line: you lose nothing by applying except a few hours of your time, but you could potentially miss out on thousands in aid and scholarships by not applying. File it!

I'm a financial aid counselor and see this exact situation weekly! Your husband's income will definitely count since you're married and your son lives with you, but please don't let that discourage you from filing. Here's why it's still worth it: 1. Many students with family incomes in the $120-150k range still receive some aid, especially with multiple family members or other factors 2. Unsubsidized federal loans are available regardless of income and often have better terms than private loans 3. Work-study programs require FAFSA completion 4. State aid programs often have different income thresholds than federal aid The biological father's absence from financial support is unfortunately irrelevant for FAFSA purposes - only the custodial parent (you) and spouse income matters. Pro tip: When you file, make sure to indicate if your son will be the only family member in college, as having multiple college students significantly improves aid eligibility. Also, some schools will consider "professional judgment" appeals for situations like excessive overtime work that may not be sustainable long-term. The FAFSA takes about an hour to complete online. Even if you only qualify for loans, you'll have options and won't be left wondering "what if." Trust me, I've seen too many families miss out on aid simply because they assumed they wouldn't qualify!

I just wanted to jump in here because I was literally in your exact shoes two years ago! My husband (stepfather to my son) makes about $135k working crazy overtime in manufacturing, and my son's bio dad disappeared years ago. I was SO convinced we wouldn't qualify for anything that I almost didn't file the FAFSA at all. Thank goodness I listened to advice similar to what you're getting here and filed anyway! While we didn't get Pell grants, my son still received $5,200 in state aid that I had no idea even existed, plus he qualified for subsidized loans at much better rates than private ones. But here's the kicker - he got a $4,000 renewable scholarship from his state university that was ONLY available to students who completed the FAFSA, regardless of need level. The whole process honestly took me less time than I've spent reading and responding to posts on Reddit today! And the peace of mind knowing we explored every option was worth it alone. Your son's situation with the absent bio father is frustrating but unfortunately won't help with FAFSA - they only care about who he actually lives with. My advice: stop overthinking it and just file. You literally have nothing to lose except maybe two hours of your time, but potentially thousands of dollars to gain. The "what if" will haunt you more than just getting it done!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to chime in because this thread has been incredibly helpful for my own situation! My stepdaughter is a junior in high school and we've been stressing about the same exact thing - my husband makes around $125k but it's all from working massive amounts of overtime as an electrician, and her bio dad has been completely absent financially for over a decade. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been eye-opening. I had no idea that so many scholarships require FAFSA completion regardless of need, or that there are state aid programs with different income thresholds. The point about unsubsidized loans having better rates than private loans is something I hadn't even considered. One question for those who've been through this - when you mention the schools having their own institutional aid formulas, do you typically find out about those opportunities when you get your financial aid package, or is there additional paperwork/applications required beyond just the FAFSA? We're trying to plan ahead for next year and want to make sure we don't miss anything! Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences here. It's so much more helpful than just reading the generic advice online!

As someone who recently went through this with my own stepson, I cannot stress enough how important it is to file the FAFSA regardless of your income situation! We had almost the exact same circumstances - my husband makes around $128k but only because he works 70+ hour weeks in his trade, and my stepson's bio father has been completely absent for years. Here's what we discovered that I wish I'd known earlier: Even though we didn't qualify for need-based federal grants, my stepson still received over $7,000 in combined state grants and institutional scholarships that ALL required FAFSA completion. We literally would have left money on the table by not applying. The most surprising part was that three different schools offered him merit scholarships (ranging from $2,500 to $8,000 annually) that weren't based on financial need at all - they just required that applicants complete the FAFSA as part of their general scholarship consideration process. I had no idea this was such a common requirement! Also, the federal loan options available through FAFSA have much better terms than private loans - lower interest rates and more flexible repayment options. Even if that ends up being your only aid, it's still worth having those options. The application itself was honestly much easier than I anticipated. Use the IRS data retrieval tool and it pulls most of your tax information automatically. Took us about 90 minutes total. Don't let the step-parent income situation discourage you - file the FAFSA and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because your situation hits so close to home! My stepson just started his sophomore year in college and we went through this exact dilemma two years ago. My husband makes about $135k working insane hours in construction (sometimes 80+ hour weeks), and my stepson's bio dad has been completely MIA for over 8 years - no support, no contact, nothing. I was absolutely convinced we were wasting our time with the FAFSA given our "high" household income, but I'm SO glad we filed anyway. Here's what happened: We didn't qualify for Pell grants, but my stepson still received $4,800 in state aid that I didn't even know existed, plus he got approved for subsidized federal loans at much better rates than any private lender offered us. But the real game-changer was the institutional aid. His state university gave him a $6,000 renewable scholarship that was only available to FAFSA filers, and a smaller private college offered him $12,000 annually (also required FAFSA). We literally would have missed out on thousands just for not completing the application. The overtime situation is frustrating because it feels like you're being penalized for working hard, but unfortunately FAFSA doesn't distinguish between regular salary and overtime income. However, some schools do have appeal processes for "special circumstances" - definitely worth asking about once you get your initial aid packages. My biggest advice: Just do it! The application took us maybe 2 hours total using the IRS data tool, and the peace of mind was worth it alone. Don't let the step-parent income thing discourage you - there are way more aid opportunities out there than just federal need-based grants.

I'm new here but your story really resonates with me! My husband and I are facing almost the exact same situation with my daughter who's a senior this year. He makes around $140k but works absolutely brutal hours in manufacturing (often 6-7 days a week), and my ex-husband hasn't contributed a penny in child support for the past 5 years despite court orders. I've been going back and forth on whether to even bother with FAFSA, but reading through all these responses has completely changed my mind. The number of people sharing stories about getting institutional scholarships and state aid that required FAFSA completion - even without qualifying for federal need-based grants - is honestly shocking to me. I had no idea so many merit scholarships were tied to FAFSA filing! The point about federal loans having better terms than private loans is also huge. We've been dreading the idea of private student loans, but if FAFSA opens up better options there, that alone makes it worthwhile. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences here. It's so much more helpful than all the generic advice articles online that don't address blended family situations like ours. We're definitely filing this weekend!