FAFSA only gave my daughter $5500 unsubsidized loan - single mom needs help with college costs

This is EXACTLY why the FAFSA system is completely broken. They take a snapshot of income from a tax year that might not reflect your current situation. If your divorce was finalized after the tax year they're using for the FAFSA, then yes, they're still counting both incomes. You absolutely need to file a special circumstances appeal with the financial aid office at her school. This is CRUCIAL. Don't accept this package! Bring your divorce decree, your current pay stubs, and any documentation showing your ex isn't contributing. Most schools have a process for this exact situation.

my daughter got the same thing last yr, just the unsubsidized 5500. we ended up taking parent plus loans to cover the rest but im still paying them off and shes only a sophomore now. not the best solution but its all we could figure out

I work in financial aid at a university, and I can tell you that your situation is actually quite common after a divorce. Here's what you need to do: 1. File a Special Circumstances appeal with the financial aid office immediately. This is different from a formal FAFSA appeal. 2. The appeal should specifically address the "change in household income" since the tax year used for FAFSA. 3. You'll need to provide: divorce decree, your most recent tax return showing you claimed her, proof of current income (pay stubs), and a statement explaining the situation. 4. If your ex truly isn't contributing, get that in writing if possible (email, text). If not, your statement will work. The good news is that financial aid offices have discretion for these exact scenarios. Because your divorce was finalized after the tax year they used, they have the authority to recalculate based only on your income. This happens all the time, and most schools have standardized processes for it.

Have you looked into outside scholarships? My daughter got $8,000 in outside scholarships her freshman year that the FAFSA didn't know about. Try fastweb.com and scholarships.com - even small local ones add up. Her high school counselor might still be able to help too even though she graduated.

I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at the Federal Student Aid office last month when we had a similar issue with my son's FAFSA (ex's income being counted after our divorce). I finally used Claimyr to get through to an actual human at FSA after being on hold for hours previously. The service connected me to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of the 3+ hour wait I had before. They walked me through exactly what documentation I needed for the special circumstances appeal and how to properly submit it. They know their stuff way better than some college financial aid offices. Worth checking out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo here too: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ After talking with FSA, I went back to the college with the right documentation and they increased his aid package by $9,200!

ur daughter should consider community college for 2 years then transfer. saved us like $25k and my daughter still got her nursing degree from the same university in the end

To answer your timeline question from earlier - when I did a special circumstances appeal for my son after my divorce, it took about 3-4 weeks for a decision. HOWEVER, most schools will extend your decision deadline if you have a pending financial aid appeal. You just need to contact admissions and let them know you're appealing the financial aid package. They deal with this all the time.

totally forgot to mention but check if ur daughters school has payment plans!!! we do 10 monthly payments instead of paying each semester which helps sooo much with cash flow

The FAFSA is SO CONFUSING for divorced parents!!!! I've been divorced 5 years and STILL had issues this year because my ex claimed our son on his taxes (we alternate years) even though I'm the one who completes FAFSA and pays for college. The whole system is designed for traditional families and ignores reality!!!! I had to submit extra forms to explain our custody arrangement. It's ridiculous that YOU have to jump through hoops because your ex isn't contributing!!!!!

One more important point: When you file the special circumstances appeal, focus on the CHANGE in financial circumstances rather than just stating you're divorced. Financial aid officers are looking for specific differences between the tax year used and your current situation. For example, don't just say "We're divorced now" - instead say "The FAFSA calculation included $X in spousal income that is no longer available to our family since the divorce on [date]. My current annual income is $Y, which is significantly less than the joint income of $Z used in the calculation." Be specific about income changes, new expenses (like possibly paying for two households), and any documented legal obligations regarding college expenses from the divorce decree. The more specific and documented you can be about the financial changes, the stronger your appeal.

Has your daughter considered working part-time during school? My daughter works 15 hours a week in the campus library and makes about $7500 during the school year. Every bit helps!

I just wanted to update everyone and say THANK YOU for all your advice! I've started the special circumstances appeal process with her school and extended her decision deadline. I also got through to Federal Student Aid using the Claimyr service someone recommended (it really did get me to a person quickly!). The FSA representative confirmed that we have a strong case for recalculation since the divorce was finalized after the tax year used. I'm feeling much more optimistic now. Will update when we hear back about the appeal!

I'm so glad to see you got some movement on this! As someone who went through a similar situation 3 years ago, I wanted to add that you should also ask the financial aid office about work-study opportunities when you're there for the appeal. My daughter didn't qualify initially but after our special circumstances appeal was approved, they were able to offer her work-study too which added another $2,400 to her aid package. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit - I had to resubmit documents twice because they got "lost in the system." You're doing all the right things and advocating well for your daughter!

As a financial aid counselor at a state university, I want to emphasize that your timeline is actually very manageable! Most schools process special circumstances appeals within 2-3 weeks, and since you've already extended your decision deadline, you should have plenty of time. One thing I don't see mentioned yet - make sure to ask about institutional aid when you submit your appeal. Many schools have emergency grants or additional need-based aid that only becomes available after a special circumstances review. At our school, we have a separate fund specifically for students whose parents are recently divorced or separated. Also, don't forget to mention any additional expenses you now have as a single parent that weren't part of your married household (like paying for separate housing, childcare changes, etc.). These can all factor into the professional judgment review. You're absolutely on the right track!