FAFSA stepparent income reporting question - deceased biological father situation

Unfortunately, the advice you got from friends isn't correct. Since you're married and living with your husband, his income DOES count for FAFSA purposes, regardless of whether he's the biological parent or legally responsible for your son. The 2025-2026 FAFSA considers the income and assets of parents in the household, including stepparents if they're married to the custodial parent (that's you). The fact that you file taxes jointly actually isn't the determining factor - even if you filed separately, his income would still count because you're married and he lives in the household with your son.

my sister was in similar situation and they made her include the stepdad income even tho bio dad was deceased. its stupid system honestly cuz the stepdad wasn't paying a dime for college but they counted his income anyway!!!! 😡

To give you the technical explanation: The FAFSA uses what's called "household methodology" rather than legal obligation. Under federal aid rules, a dependent student's "parents" include: 1. Biological or adoptive parents living together (regardless of marital status or gender) 2. A single parent (if widowed, divorced, or never married) 3. A parent and stepparent if married and living together Since you're married and your husband lives with you, his income is included in the FAFSA calculation. This is true regardless of his legal obligation to support your son. However, there's one important thing to check: Did your son receive any Social Security survivor benefits after his biological father passed away? If so, that income needs to be reported under your son's income section, which can affect the SAI calculation differently than parental income.

Correct - you only report income your son is currently receiving. If the survivor benefits ended last year, they won't be counted on the 2025-2026 FAFSA. One thing you might consider is reaching out to the financial aid offices at schools your son is applying to after you submit the FAFSA. Explain your situation about the stepparent relationship and ask if they offer any professional judgment adjustments. Some colleges have discretion to adjust the aid package if they feel the FAFSA doesn't reflect your actual ability to pay. Not all schools will do this, but it's worth asking.

Just wanted to chime in and say I HATE how the FAFSA handles stepparent income!! My stepdad and mom got married right before I started college and suddenly my EFC (what they call SAI now) shot up by like $15,000 even though my stepdad made it clear he wasn't paying for MY college!! It's like the system WANTS to punish blended families. So frustrating. 😤

One other angle to consider: If your son's biological father passed away while working, your son might qualify for benefits or scholarships specifically for children who've lost a parent. These might not be affected by your current household income. Organizations like The Fallen Patriots, Kids' Chance, and The Life Lessons Scholarship Program offer support specifically for students who have lost parents. Also, when you contact financial aid offices for professional judgment requests (great suggestion from the previous commenter), bring documentation showing: 1. Death certificate of biological father 2. Documentation showing your current husband has no legal obligation to your son 3. Any relevant financial circumstances (medical bills, debts, other dependents, etc.) 4. A detailed letter explaining your financial situation realistically I've seen several cases where schools made adjustments for situations like yours.

Been trying to call Federal Student Aid for 3 days to ask this EXACT question! So frustrating how you can never get through to a human there. After waiting hours on hold I kept getting disconnected. Finally used Claimyr.com to get a callback from an actual FAFSA agent who confirmed everything people are saying here - stepparent income counts even if they're not supporting the student. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ if anyone else is struggling to reach them about similar questions. Saved me hours of hold time frustration.

One additional option to consider: If your son will be applying to selective private colleges, many of them also require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. While the CSS Profile also counts stepparent income, it allows for more nuanced financial reporting and some schools using it offer more flexibility in how they evaluate blended family situations. The CSS Profile costs money to submit (unlike the FAFSA), but fee waivers are available based on family income. If any schools on your son's list require the CSS Profile, this might actually work in your favor since you can explain the family dynamic in more detail than the FAFSA allows.

Thank you all SO much for your helpful responses! I'm disappointed that we do have to include my husband's income, but at least now I understand the rules correctly and won't make mistakes on the application. I really appreciate the tips about reaching out to financial aid offices for professional judgment reviews and looking into scholarships specifically for students who have lost a parent. I had no idea those existed! One last question - if my husband and I have a joint savings account that we both contribute to, is that considered a parent asset that needs to be reported? Or only my portion of it?