FAFSA family size confusion - divorced with dependents but it's asking about spouse?
I'm totally confused about the Family Size question on the FAFSA for 2025-2026. I file my taxes independently and claim my two daughters as dependents (they're 14 and 16). We're technically a household of 3 based on my tax returns. But the FAFSA keeps asking me to include my spouse in the family size? I'm divorced and have been for 6 years! Should I be putting 3 (me and my daughters) or 4 (including my ex who doesn't live with us)? I'm worried if I put the wrong number it'll mess up my daughters' financial aid prospects. I've read through the instructions twice and I'm still confused!!
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Paige Cantoni
if ur divorced and file taxes as single or head of household, then ur family size would be 3 - just u and ur 2 daughters. u only include a spouse if ur married. sounds like the FAFSA system is just showing the standard question, not one specifically for ur situation
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Chad Winthrope
•Thank you! That's what I thought but I kept second-guessing myself because the form seemed so insistent about including a spouse. So I just ignore that part then?
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Kylo Ren
You're definitely overthinking this, but that's understandable! The FAFSA questions are standardized and don't always adapt to every situation perfectly. Since you're divorced and file taxes independently with your daughters as dependents, your family size is 3 (you + your two daughters). You do NOT include your ex-spouse in your family size. The system isn't smart enough to remove the spouse reference for divorced/single parents. Just answer with your actual household size of 3. If you were remarried, you'd include your current spouse, but since you're not, it's just you and your dependents.
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Chad Winthrope
•This is a huge relief! I've spent hours agonizing over this, worrying that putting the wrong number would get us flagged for verification or something. Why can't they make the wording clearer for different situations?
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Nina Fitzgerald
SAME ISSUE HERE omg the wording is so confusing!!! I put 2 for me and my son but then it kept mentioning spouse and I freaked out thinking I did it wrong
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Jason Brewer
•Yeah the FAFSA doesn't adjust wording well for different family situations. One size fits all approach but we don't all fit one size!!!
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Kiara Fisherman
To correctly complete the household size question on the FAFSA: 1. For divorced/separated parents, you only include yourself and your legal dependents (your two daughters in this case) 2. Only include a spouse if you are currently married 3. Your family size is 3 The FAFSA system displays the same language for all applicants regardless of marital status, which is why it mentions spouse. However, the Expected Family Contribution (now called Student Aid Index or SAI) calculation will properly account for your household size of 3 based on your marital status as divorced/separated. If the system continues to give you issues, I recommend calling Federal Student Aid directly to confirm, though wait times can be extremely frustrating.
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Chad Winthrope
•Thank you for breaking it down so clearly! I've been trying to call FSA for two days but can't get through. The automated system just disconnects me after 30 minutes of waiting.
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Liam Cortez
I had this exact same issue last year! The FAFSA uses really confusing language sometimes. I was worried about putting the wrong family size too because I heard it could trigger verification. I finally got through to someone at FSA who confirmed that as a divorced parent who files taxes independently, my household size was just me and my dependents. If you're having trouble getting through on the phone to confirm, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to a real person instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Worth it for peace of mind when you're stressing about getting something wrong on the application!
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Chad Winthrope
•Thank you!! I'll check this out. I've wasted so much time on hold only to get disconnected. Just need a definitive answer to stop worrying.
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Savannah Vin
The whole FAFSA system is DESIGNED to confuse people! They make it deliberately complicated so fewer people complete it successfully and they can give out less aid. I've been through this 3 times with my kids and every time there's some question that makes no sense. The family size one tripped me up too and I nearly included my ex because I thought I'd get in trouble if I didn't!
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Kiara Fisherman
•While I understand your frustration, the FAFSA isn't intentionally designed to be confusing. It's trying to accommodate many different family situations with standardized questions. The new 2024-2025 FAFSA attempted to simplify things but had implementation issues. For household size questions specifically, remember that only currently married couples include spouses - divorced parents only count themselves and dependents.
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Nina Fitzgerald
just wondering...do we count college students in the household size? my older daughter is 19 and in college but i still claim her on taxes
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Kiara Fisherman
•Yes, you would include your 19-year-old college student in your household size if you provide more than half of her financial support, regardless of where she lives during the school year. Since you claim her on your taxes, she should be counted in your household size on the FAFSA. You'll also need to indicate how many people in your household will be college students during the award year.
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Jason Brewer
i put my boyfriend in my family size because he lives with us and helps with bills but the school financial aid office made me correct it because we arent married even tho hes been with us for 7 years! so dumb
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Kylo Ren
•Yes, unfortunately the FAFSA only recognizes legal relationships. Unless you're married to your boyfriend or he's your legal dependent (which is rare for adults), he shouldn't be counted in your household size even if he contributes financially. The system isn't great at recognizing modern family structures.
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Chad Winthrope
Thank you everyone for the helpful answers! I finally got confirmation that my family size should be 3 - just me and my two daughters. I'm putting that on my application and moving forward. This community is so helpful for navigating these confusing questions!
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Paige Cantoni
•glad u got it figured out! good luck with the rest of the application!
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NeonNova
So glad this thread exists! I'm in a similar situation but with a twist - I'm divorced and have primary custody of my 3 kids, but my ex-wife claims one of them on her taxes while I claim the other two. For FAFSA purposes, do I count all 3 kids in my household size since they live with me most of the time, or only the 2 I claim as dependents? The custody/tax situation is making this even more confusing than it already was!
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Chloe Wilson
•This is a tricky situation! For FAFSA purposes, you should only include the children you claim as tax dependents in your household size. So if you claim 2 kids on your taxes, your household size would be 3 (you + 2 kids). The child your ex-wife claims would be counted in her household for FAFSA purposes, even if that child lives with you primarily. The FAFSA follows tax dependency rules rather than custody arrangements. You might want to consider whether it makes sense to adjust who claims which child on taxes if it would benefit your family's overall financial aid eligibility!
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Natasha Volkov
This is such a helpful thread! I'm a single mom going through my first FAFSA application and was getting so stressed about these household size questions. Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel less alone in finding this process confusing. It's reassuring to know that divorced parents should only count themselves and their dependents - I was second-guessing myself too because of how the questions are worded. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences!
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Isabella Costa
•You're definitely not alone in finding this confusing! I just went through this myself and was so worried about getting it wrong. The FAFSA wording really doesn't help when you're in a non-traditional family situation. I'm glad this thread helped clarify things - it would have saved me hours of stress if I'd found it earlier! The community here is great for getting real advice from people who've actually been through it. Good luck with your application!
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