FAFSA family size blank/missing - correction needed or auto-populated?

Family size is NOT automatically populated from your tax information, even when using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. The system has no way of knowing who you actually support financially just from your tax return. You definitely need to submit a correction to add this information. Missing family size can significantly impact your SAI calculation, usually making it higher than it should be (which means less aid).

My brother had the same thing happen!! The financial aid office at his school said it was a glitch that's been happening with the new FAFSA. definitely do the correction!!

This is one of the most common issues with the new FAFSA system. Family size must be manually entered - it will never auto-populate from tax information, regardless of what some websites claim. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool only imports income and tax data, not household information. Here's the correct process for fixing it: 1. Log into studentaid.gov 2. Select "FAFSA Correction" 3. Navigate to the Household Information section 4. Enter your family size (include yourself, your parents if dependent, and anyone they financially support) 5. Submit the correction Your SAI should recalculate within 3-5 days after submitting the correction. If you're on a deadline, contact your school's financial aid office directly - they can often make adjustments on their end while waiting for the official correction.

I had this EXACT same problem and it was a complete nightmare. I called the Federal Student Aid helpline like 12 TIMES and couldn't get through to anyone!!! I kept getting disconnected or put on eternal hold. When I finally reached someone they told me it was definitely NOT auto-populated and I needed to submit a correction. My SAI dropped by $4,200 after fixing it which meant I qualified for way more aid. Don't wait - fix it ASAP!!!

wait i thought household size was the people on your tax return? that's what my school told me when i applied last year

My daughter had this issue too and we fixed it through the correction process. Weird thing is her friend swears hers WAS auto-populated when she used the IRS tool... so maybe it's inconsistent? Either way, def submit the correction to be safe.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I submitted the correction this morning and included myself, my parents, and my younger sister who they support. Hoping this brings my SAI down to qualify for more aid. I'll update once it recalculates in case anyone else runs into this same issue.

Just wanted to add that you can also check if your correction went through by looking at your Student Aid Report (SAR) - it should show the updated family size information once processed. Also, make sure when you're counting family size that you don't accidentally include grandparents or other relatives who might live with you but don't receive more than half their support from your parents. I made that mistake initially and had to submit another correction. The whole process is confusing but once you get it right, your SAI calculation will be much more accurate!