FAFSA household size mismatch hurting daughter's aid - can I amend as single provider for blended family?

Thank you! I wasn't sure if this was allowed since we're not married. Do I need to provide any documentation proving I support them? And will this trigger some kind of verification process? I'm worried about delaying her aid even further.

You don't need to submit documentation when making the correction, but be prepared in case you're selected for verification afterward. Schools typically verify about 30% of FAFSAs, and corrections can sometimes trigger this process. If selected, you might need to provide: - A statement explaining your household situation - Proof you support them (utility bills, rental agreement, etc.) - Possibly signed statements from other adults in the household While verification might delay processing slightly, the potential increase in aid is usually worth it. The key FAFSA rule here is "more than half support" - not legal relationships or tax status.

i did something like this last yr when i was helping my nephew w/ his fafsa. his mom (my sister) passed away & he lives w/ me but i dont claim him on taxes. financial aid office made me write a letter explaining our living situation. took like 2 extra weeks but he got way more aid after!!

That's awful! It's crazy how rigid these systems can be. Did you ever find a way to resolve your situation? I'm definitely going to try amending the form, but I'm worried about getting flagged for verification since I'm changing it after submission.

We fought it for MONTHS. Had to get my ex to sign a notarized statement that my daughter lives with me despite him claiming her on taxes. Eventually got it fixed but missed priority deadlines. If I were you I'd both amend the FAFSA AND make an appointment with the financial aid office at your daughter's school to explain the situation in person. The school has some discretion with "professional judgment" adjustments.

I've never heard of that service - does it actually work? The last time I tried calling I was on hold for over an hour before getting disconnected. At this point I'll try anything that might help get this resolved!

Yeah it definitely worked for me! Instead of waiting on hold forever, they call and wait in line for you, then call you when an agent picks up. The FSA reps know WAY more about these household size rules than the school financial aid offices in my experience.

Thank you for the specific guideline info! I had trouble finding the exact rules. Do you know how much this might affect her SAI? Also, will her school automatically reassess, or do I need to contact them after making the change?

The SAI impact will vary, but increasing household size from 2 to 5 will likely reduce it substantially - possibly by several thousand dollars. The protection allowance for a family of 5 is much higher than for 2. Schools don't automatically reassess after FAFSA corrections. You should: 1) Make the correction on studentaid.gov 2) Wait 3-5 days for processing 3) Email the financial aid office with your daughter's ID number, explaining you've updated household information and requesting a review 4) Follow up by phone if you don't hear back within a week Do this ASAP as aid funds are first-come, first-served at many schools.

They made me do this too except I had to prove that my grandma lives with us and we support her. So annoying! The verification process took forever but eventually worked out. Make sure you respond to verification requests super quick or it can delay everything.

It's helpful to hear from someone who went through this! Did they contact you about verification after you made the change, or did you have to initiate that part? And how long did the whole process take from correction to revised aid offer?

they emailed me like 2 weeks after i made the change asking for the verification stuff. took another 3 weeks after i sent everything in to get my new aid package. so like 5-6 weeks total? the letter from my stepdad was super important, make sure ur girlfriend writes one too saying u pay for everything!

Yikes, that's concerning. Do you know what triggered the extra scrutiny for your cousin? Was it just the household size change or something else? I'm trying to weigh the potential benefit against delays...

I think it was because he changed his FAFSA *after* getting his initial aid offer - that seemed to raise flags. Plus he changed household size from 3 to 6 which was a big jump. If you do this, maybe contact the school financial aid office first so they know it's coming? My cousin just did it without telling anyone and I think that made it look suspicious.

Yes, when she's not at college she lives with me 100% of the time. Her mom isn't in the picture at all. I've been her only parent since she was little.

ok thats good! makes ur case stronger. def update that fafsa asap

That's a really good point I hadn't considered. I'm not actually listed on her son's FAFSA at all - she filled it out herself and I think just included her income. Should she be amending hers too to include me as part of the household? This is getting complicated...

It depends on how her son's FAFSA was completed. If she listed herself as a single parent household and only included her income, that's likely why his SAI is so low. Technically, if you provide more than 50% support for the entire household, both FAFSAs should reflect the same household size and potentially include your income. However, changing his could increase his SAI and reduce his aid. This is a complex situation where you might want to consult with a financial aid advisor who specializes in blended families before making changes to his FAFSA.

This is incredibly helpful advice! I really appreciate the strategic approach - starting with just my daughter's FAFSA makes a lot of sense to avoid complications. The documentation list is useful too. Do you know roughly how much household size changes typically impact SAI? I'm trying to get a sense of whether the potential aid increase would be worth the verification process if we get selected.

This is such a relief to hear from someone in the exact same boat! I was starting to feel like we were the only family dealing with this confusion. The screenshot idea is brilliant - I definitely should have thought of that before. I'm curious, have you already started the correction process or are you still gathering documentation first? And does your boyfriend's kids' financial aid situation create any complications like what others mentioned about consistency across FAFSAs? It's really encouraging to know this post is helping other families navigate this. The FAFSA system really wasn't designed with blended/unmarried partner families in mind, but at least we're figuring out how to work within it together!