FAFSA finally processed for 2024-25 with zero aid - what changes for 25-26 when income drops?

colleges dont care about ur situation lol. fafsa is a JOKE. i applied 3 times and only ever got loans too. they only give real money to the super poor or athletes. middel class gets screwed everytime no matter what ur income changes are.

Actually, significant income changes CAN make a difference for your 25-26 FAFSA. The key is understanding that FAFSA for 25-26 will use your 2023 tax information (they use prior-prior year). So your current income reduction won't automatically be captured. However, you have two options: 1. Complete the 25-26 FAFSA using your 2023 tax info as required 2. After submission, contact each college's financial aid office directly to request a "Professional Judgment Review" (sometimes called an "Income Adjustment Appeal") For the appeal, you'll need documentation showing the income reduction (termination letter, pay stubs showing reduced hours, etc.). Each school has their own form and process for this. Don't assume you'll get nothing - your situation is exactly why these appeal processes exist.

I went through this exact situation last year with my son's FAFSA. Our income dropped by almost 50% due to my partner's disability, but the FAFSA was using our income from before when we were both working full-time. Here's what worked for us: we completed the FAFSA normally, then immediately contacted the financial aid office at his school. They gave us a "Special Circumstances" form where we documented our current income situation. We had to provide current pay stubs, a letter explaining the situation, and a few other documents. It took about 3 weeks, but they adjusted his SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) down significantly, which qualified him for a $3,800 Pell Grant he wouldn't have received otherwise. One tip: be persistent and follow up regularly. The process works but sometimes gets lost in their paperwork shuffle.

@profile5 - You should submit the appeal as soon as you've submitted the FAFSA for 25-26 and have documentation of your income change. Don't wait until closer to the academic year because schools often distribute their institutional aid on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, to clarify something important - the Professional Judgment process doesn't automatically guarantee more aid, but it ensures your current financial situation is considered rather than just the outdated tax information. Each school has discretion in how they handle these appeals.

Ya my parents make too much on paper but have so much debt the FAFSA is useless for us too. Just loans loans loans. System is broken IMO

@profile5 - Yes, we had to do the special circumstances appeal each year. They don't carry it forward automatically because they need current documentation that the situation is ongoing. But the second year was much easier - we already knew the process and what documentation they needed. Just keep a folder with all your paperwork from the first appeal so you can quickly update it for the next year.

Have you tried calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly? I was in a similar situation and needed clarification on the professional judgment process, but couldn't get through for days. I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to a FAFSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with gave me specific guidance on what documentation I needed for my income reduction appeal and how different schools typically handle these requests. Having that official information directly from FSA made the process much smoother when working with my daughter's college financial aid office.

Professional financial aid advisor here. There's one important warning I want to share regarding income reduction appeals: timing matters significantly. If your income reduction is happening in September 2023, that will actually affect TWO different FAFSA years in different ways: 1. For 2024-25 FAFSA (which uses 2022 tax data): You can file a professional judgment appeal NOW since the reduced income is current 2. For 2025-26 FAFSA (which uses 2023 tax data): Your 2023 taxes will partly reflect the reduction (September-December), but not the full year So you may need to do appeals for both years. Also, provide documentation about why this income change is not temporary - permanent position elimination, ongoing medical situation, etc. Schools are more likely to adjust for permanent changes.

@profile5 - It's not too late to appeal for 2024-25. While some institutional aid might already be allocated, federal aid like Pell Grants can still be adjusted, and schools often hold back some of their own funds for situations like yours. Contact your daughter's financial aid office immediately. One more tip: when documenting income reduction, provide a simple table showing: - Pre-reduction annual income - Post-reduction annual income - Total projected income for the full relevant year This makes it easier for financial aid officers to understand and process your request. Many families just submit documents without clearly showing the bottom-line impact.

This whole system is ridiculous! My daughter just started college and we had to hire a financial aid consultant for $350 just to figure it all out. Even with professional help it took MONTHS to get everything sorted. Good luck with next year's application!!