FAFSA special circumstances - father deceased but SAI still 26000, who to contact when FA office delays appeals?

I went through something similar last year. You need to talk to the Director of Financial Aid, not just regular FA advisors. Email them directly explaining your situation and use the term "Professional Judgment" - that's the official term for what you're asking for. Also, don't wait for their form in May. Write a detailed letter explaining your changed circumstances with documentation of your father's passing and the end of death benefits. Schools can actually process these appeals anytime, the May timeline is just their preference for workflow.

omg mid MAY?? thats ridiculous!! deposits are due way before then at most places. def try to go above the regular advisors head. ask for a meeting with director. be nice but firm.

Speaking as someone who used to work in a financial aid office, schools often delay special circumstances forms because they want to process regular FAFSAs first. However, the death of a parent is considered an urgent special circumstance that should be addressed immediately. Here's what you should do: 1. Email the Director of Financial Aid AND cc the Dean of Student Affairs 2. Include documentation of your father's passing and the termination of benefits 3. Specifically request a Professional Judgment review for special circumstances 4. Mention that you need this resolved before the May 1 commitment deadline 5. If they still won't budge, consider reaching out to the Provost's office Your SAI of $26,000 should definitely be adjusted given your circumstances. The FAFSA doesn't automatically capture changes after submission, so this is exactly what the Professional Judgment process is designed for.

Have you tried calling the Federal Student Aid hotline directly? I had a similar issue last year - my mom lost her job but it wasn't reflected in my FAFSA. Sometimes they can update info on their end or at least give you documentation to take to your school. But honestly the wait times are HORRIBLE - I was on hold for 3+ hours before giving up multiple times.

I work in student advocacy and deal with these situations frequently. While the advice to contact the Director is good, I'd recommend a two-pronged approach: 1. For immediate needs: Request an emergency meeting with a financial aid counselor specifically for Professional Judgment review. Use those exact words. Explain that this is time-sensitive for enrollment decisions. 2. For documentation: Compile all of the following: - Death certificate (copy is fine) - Documentation showing termination of death benefits - Before/after monthly income statements showing financial impact - A timeline of events - A detailed letter explaining how this affects your ability to pay Remember that your original SAI of $26,000 was calculated based on prior-prior year income when your family situation was different. Schools have full authority to make adjustments for special circumstances, especially involving the death of a parent. Don't take no for an answer - this is precisely what Professional Judgment is designed for.

This happened to me too!!! My mom got really sick and couldn't work anymore but my SAI was still super high based on when she was working. I literally had to go in person to the financial aid office and cry (not on purpose, I was just frustrated) before they took me seriously. Eventually they did adjust my aid but it took like 2 months and so much stress. The whole system is broken.

One additional point that no one has mentioned: When contacting the financial aid director, specifically state that your circumstances affect your "Expected Family Contribution" (now called the Student Aid Index or SAI). The $26,000 SAI was calculated using outdated information, and a Professional Judgment review should result in a recalculation based on your current financial reality without your father's income and with the loss of death benefits. Also, most schools have an enrollment deposit deferment process for students in special financial circumstances. Ask about this specifically when you contact them - it could allow you to defer your deposit deadline until after your aid is recalculated.

After reading through all the responses, I want to emphasize something important: document EVERY communication with the financial aid office. Save emails, note the names of who you speak with by phone, and follow up verbal conversations with summary emails. If your appeal is denied initially, you have the right to escalate to university leadership. The death of a parent is one of the most clearly defined special circumstances in financial aid guidelines.