FAFSA for Spring 2025: Confused about using 2024 taxes vs parent income requirements

The 2025-2026 FAFSA uses the 2023 tax year info (from taxes you filed in 2024). This is called prior-prior year. So no, don't wait for your 2024 taxes - they won't even ask for those. And yes, for dependent students they look at parent income AND student income, plus assets.

The 2025-2026 FAFSA application (which covers Spring 2025) became available October 1, 2024. It uses your 2023 tax information. And yes, it considers your entire household income, not just the student's. It looks at both parents' income if married or living together, and includes the student's income as well, though they have a higher protection allowance for student earnings. Don't wait to complete it - many schools have priority deadlines for financial aid that are months earlier than the actual enrollment deadline, and some aid is first-come, first-served. Many state grants run out of funding early too.

depends on if ur actually married to the other prson. if ur married their income counts even if not bio parent. if just living together but not married then no it doesn't count their $

Financial aid professional here. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll need your 2023 tax information (the taxes you filed in 2024). The application should be available now (as of October 1, 2024), and I strongly recommend completing it as soon as possible. Regarding your household income question - yes, both parent income AND student income are considered for dependent students. Since you mentioned your daughter, I'm assuming she's a dependent student. If you're married, both your income and your spouse's income must be reported, even if they're not biologically related to your daughter. Many schools have priority deadlines for Spring enrollment that can be as early as October or November for the following Spring. Missing these can significantly impact the aid package she receives.

That happened to my family too!! We had to do a "special circumstances appeal" or something AFTER we submitted the FAFSA. You submit the FAFSA with the 2023 info like normal, then contact each school's financial aid office directly to explain the job loss. They made us provide layoff documentation and current income estimates. Some schools adjusted our aid, others didn't. It was honestly pretty frustrating and each school handled it differently. 😩

U kno the FAFSA is crazy hard to complete these days... when I called the Federal Student Aid hotline last year I was on hold for 3+ HOURS and then got disconnected!!! Found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual human in like 10 minutes. Worth every penny not to waste my whole day! claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

To address your question about job loss after the tax year used for FAFSA: You should absolutely complete what's called a Professional Judgment Request (sometimes called a Special Circumstances Appeal) with each school's financial aid office. The FAFSA itself only collects your 2023 data, but financial aid officers have the authority to adjust your EFC/SAI based on current circumstances. Job loss is one of the most common reasons these appeals are approved. Be prepared to provide: - Documentation of your layoff - Unemployment benefits statement (if applicable) - Current pay stubs from any new employment - Estimated income for the full year Don't wait until your daughter is accepted to begin this process - many schools will consider these appeals even during the application phase.

There's an "Additional Financial Information" section on the FAFSA, but honestly, most schools don't look closely at those comments. Your best bet is to complete the FAFSA using the required 2023 tax info, then immediately reach out to each school's financial aid office directly about your job loss situation. Each school handles these differently - some have formal appeal forms on their website, others want you to write a letter, and some require an appointment with a financial aid counselor. Be persistent and follow up!

Something else to consider - Spring enrollment sometimes has different/fewer scholarship opportunities than Fall. Some institutional scholarships are only awarded to students starting in the Fall semester. Has your daughter considered waiting until Fall 2025 instead? She might qualify for more aid packages that way.

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your state has any specific FAFSA deadlines that are earlier than the federal ones. Some states award aid on a first-come, first-served basis and can run out of funding surprisingly early in the cycle. Also, since you mentioned this is your first time with FAFSA, make sure you're using the official site (studentaid.gov) - there are a lot of scam sites that charge fees for something that should be completely free. The whole process can definitely feel overwhelming at first, but you're asking all the right questions!