FAFSA prep timeline for high school junior - when to start SAI planning?

You're actually ahead of the game! As a financial aid counselor, I see most families start thinking about this much later. For a current junior, you'll be filing the 2025-2026 FAFSA, which opens October 1, 2025. The key financial documentation will be from the 2024 tax year (the year before your student enrolls). What you should be doing now: 1. Research how different colleges treat investment properties in their financial aid calculations (some follow FAFSA's SAI formula strictly, others have their own methodology) 2. Understand if any high-value colleges on your list require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA 3. Plan any major financial moves NOW that might impact your 2024 taxes 4. Look into merit scholarships that don't rely on FAFSA calculations Feel free to ask specific questions about your investment property concerns!

my kid is a junior too but we havent even gotten FSA IDs yet so ur ahead of us lol. we did take the psat but waiting on SAT still. financial aid is so confusing, i thought we just do the FAFSA senior year and thats it?? now im worried

You've got plenty of time, but it's smart to plan ahead. For your investment property specifically, FAFSA doesn't count your primary home equity, but investment properties are considered assets. The CSS Profile (required by many private colleges) is more comprehensive and will definitely count that property. For a current junior, focus on these FAFSA prep steps: 1. Start gathering 2024 tax documents in January 2025 2. Plan to file the FAFSA in October 2025 3. Know that investment income will affect your SAI calculation 4. Understand that retirement accounts (properly structured) are protected assets The FAFSA simplification has changed how income is assessed, but business and investment income still impacts eligibility. Consider meeting with a financial aid consultant in early 2025 to optimize your specific situation.

WHY is financial aid so COMPLICATED?? I swear the system is designed to make us crazy! We have 3 kids, and every single year is a new nightmare with FAFSA. They completely changed the formula this year with the new FAFSA and our middle child got way less aid than our oldest did, even though our situation is basically identical. The SAI calculation is practically a mystery formula! And try getting anyone at Federal Student Aid to explain it - IMPOSSIBLE to reach a human being.

hi i just wanted to say that u should also be looking at scholarships now!! my son is a junior too and we found out lots of local scholarships have deadlines in the fall of senior year which means u gotta apply right when school starts!! thats way before fafsa even opens so dont just focus on fafsa, look for free $$ too

Colleges use a two-year prior tax model for FAFSA, which is why people are telling you 2024 taxes. But I actually did some strategic planning in my child's junior year (2 years ago) and it paid off tremendously. If you're considering selling any assets or making significant income changes, doing it before the "base year" can help. Since your child is halfway through junior year, you're entering the FAFSA financial planning window right now. Any major financial moves after December 31, 2024 won't help your initial aid package. For the investment property - the rental income will count in your AGI (which affects FAFSA), but the asset value is more complicated. Some schools will want you to report the equity value on CSS Profile.

has anyone else noticed that the fafsa website is always breaking down?? my sister did fasfa last yr and said it was offline for like 2 months after it opened and nobody could submit anything

Since your daughter is currently a junior, I wanted to add that now is also the perfect time to understand how different types of assets affect your SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation. As others mentioned, properly structured retirement accounts are protected assets. Some specific points to understand: 1. Parent assets are assessed at a maximum rate of 5.64% in the FAFSA SAI formula 2. Student assets are assessed at 20% 3. Income is weighted much more heavily than assets in the formula When you're talking about investment properties, the rental income affects your AGI directly, which has a bigger impact than the property value itself. You might want to speak with both a tax professional and a financial aid consultant to optimize your specific situation. And don't forget to look at college net price calculators now - they can give you early estimates based on your current financial situation.

As someone who just went through this process with my oldest (now a college freshman), I wanted to share some practical timeline advice! You're actually in a great spot starting to think about this now. Here's what worked for us with our junior: **Spring of Junior Year (NOW):** - Research colleges' financial aid policies - some are much more generous than others - Start tracking which schools require CSS Profile vs. just FAFSA - Begin organizing your financial documents in one place - Look into merit scholarships that don't depend on financial need **Summer before Senior Year:** - Create a spreadsheet with all aid deadlines for each school on your list - Gather all your 2024 tax documents as soon as you file - Consider any last-minute financial moves if they make sense **Fall of Senior Year:** - Submit FAFSA as soon as it opens (October 1st) - Submit CSS Profile for schools that require it - Apply for local scholarships with early deadlines The investment property income will definitely impact your SAI, but don't let that discourage you from applying everywhere. Some schools have much better aid programs than others, and you won't know until you try!

As a parent who just finished this process with my twins (both now college sophomores), I want to emphasize something that might ease your stress: you're NOT behind at all! Having FSA IDs already puts you ahead of most families. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - don't get too caught up in trying to "game" the FAFSA system with your investment property. The income from it will count regardless, and any major financial restructuring could have tax implications that offset potential aid benefits. Instead, focus on what you CAN control: - Apply to a mix of schools with different aid philosophies (some are much more generous than others) - Look for schools that meet 100% of demonstrated need - Don't overlook merit aid opportunities that aren't income-dependent - Consider having your daughter apply to a financial safety school where her stats put her in the top 25% of applicants The FAFSA process itself is actually pretty straightforward once you sit down to do it. It's all the overthinking beforehand that makes it seem overwhelming! You've got this.