FAFSA filing after spouse's death - joint tax return confusion

so sorry for ur loss... i think u need 2 call them directly, my cousin was in similar situation last yr & they made her do some special form

I'm very sorry about your husband. For FAFSA purposes, your marital status is determined on the day you submit the application. Since you're now widowed, you should check "widowed" on the application, but you'll still need to report the income from your joint tax return. However, you'll only include YOUR portion of the income, not your husband's. There's a worksheet on the FAFSA site to help separate joint income - look for the Income Separation Worksheet in the Help section.

I went thru the EXACT same thing when my wife passed before my son's college apps. The FAFSA system is NOT designed well for this situation! When you fill it out, list your current status as widowed. For income, you're supposed to only report YOUR income from the joint return, but it's REALLY confusing because the FAFSA asks for specific line numbers from your tax forms that don't separate your incomes. I ended up having to estimate what portion of our joint income was mine.

I work with financial aid applicants, and here's what you should do in your situation: 1. Select "widowed" as your marital status 2. For income, you need to separate your income from your husband's using your W-2 forms 3. Only report YOUR income from the joint return 4. For investment and asset questions, only report assets that are now solely in your name 5. In the notes/comments section, briefly explain your situation If you're having trouble reaching Federal Student Aid on the phone, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It helps you get through to a live agent without the endless hold times. I've recommended it to several clients who were in similar situations and needed urgent help. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

JUST WENT THROUGH THIS LAST YEAR!!! The system is HORRIBLE for people dealing with death!!! Nobody at studentaid.gov could give me a straight answer and I got different info every time I called. One thing I learned the hard way: DO NOT submit the FAFSA until you talk to your daughter's school financial aid office first!!! They can do a "professional judgment" adjustment that could get your daughter WAY more aid because of your change in circumstances. If you submit first, sometimes they won't adjust it later!

So sorry about your husband. When my mom died during my college application process, my dad found that bringing all the paperwork (death certificate, tax returns, etc.) directly to the school's financial aid office was the most effective approach. They helped him fill out the forms correctly. Often speaking to a human is better than trying to figure out the online system alone.

Just to follow up on what others have said - after you submit the FAFSA with your corrected information, your daughter should receive a Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation that determines eligibility. With your changed circumstances, I strongly recommend requesting a professional judgment review from the financial aid office. Bring documentation of your husband's passing and current financial situation. This can significantly improve your daughter's aid package since the FAFSA will be based on information that no longer reflects your current financial reality.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ava. Going through FAFSA paperwork while grieving is incredibly difficult. I'm glad to see you got connected with Federal Student Aid and have that appointment scheduled with the financial aid office - that's a huge step forward. One additional tip: when you meet with the financial aid office, ask them about their appeal process timeline. Some schools have specific deadlines for professional judgment reviews, and you want to make sure you don't miss any important dates that could affect your daughter's aid package for the upcoming academic year. You're doing great advocating for your daughter during such a challenging time.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ava. This is such a difficult situation to navigate while you're grieving. It sounds like you've gotten some excellent advice here, especially about contacting the financial aid office directly before submitting the FAFSA. One thing I'd add - if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the paperwork and deadlines, don't hesitate to ask a trusted friend or family member to help you organize the documents or even come with you to the financial aid office appointment. Sometimes having an extra set of eyes and ears during these conversations can be really helpful when you're dealing with so much. You're being such a strong advocate for your daughter during an incredibly difficult time.

I'm so deeply sorry for your loss, Ava. What you're going through is incredibly difficult, and it's completely understandable to feel overwhelmed by all this paperwork while grieving. I'm really glad to see you've gotten such helpful advice from this community and that you were able to connect with Federal Student Aid through Claimyr. Having that appointment with the financial aid office next week is a major step forward. Just wanted to add one more suggestion - when you go to that meeting, consider bringing a written summary of your situation (date of husband's passing, your current financial status, etc.) along with all the documents people have mentioned. Sometimes having everything written down can help ensure you don't forget important details during what can be an emotionally difficult conversation. You're doing an amazing job advocating for your daughter during such a challenging time. This community is here for you.