FAFSA with disabled ex-spouse - will my daughter qualify for more grants vs loans?

Your daughter's aid eligibility is primarily based on the custodial parent's information (yours), so your ex-husband's disability status doesn't directly factor into the FAFSA calculation. However, having a lower household income overall does typically result in more grant eligibility. Did you make sure to indicate you're a single-parent household on the FAFSA? That's crucial for an accurate SAI calculation.

my daughter is in almost the same boat!!! her dad is on disability too and doesnt help at ALL with college. we got mostly loans offered and only like $1500 in pell grants. so frustrating!!!

You should definitely submit a special circumstances appeal with your community college's financial aid office. While your ex's disability status isn't automatically factored into the FAFSA formula, you can request a professional judgment review. The financial aid administrator has the authority to adjust your daughter's SAI based on special circumstances like this. Make sure to document everything - your divorce decree showing you have full custody, proof your ex receives disability, and evidence showing you provide 100% of your daughter's support. Community colleges are often more willing to work with students on these appeals than larger universities. Did your daughter also apply for scholarships specific to students with a disabled parent? There are several foundations that offer these.

My son got way more grant money when I explained our family situation to the financial aid office in person rather than just submitting forms. Sometimes you gotta put a face to the application!

Has your daughter filed as an independent student? That might help because then only HER income would count, not yours. My nephew did this and got full Pell Grant coverage.

Have you tried calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly? They can explain exactly how your situation affects grant eligibility. I was in a similar situation last year and spent DAYS trying to get through on their phone line. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an FSA agent without the wait. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent I spoke with explained exactly how my daughter's aid was calculated and what documentation we needed for our special circumstances appeal. It was way more helpful than what we got from the school's financial aid office.

THE WHOLE FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST SINGLE PARENTS!!!!! I make $52k and my son's SAI is $6,200!!!! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?? Meanwhile my coworker who is married with the same household income has a kid with $1,800 SAI?!?! They don't care about us at all.

Something important to understand: The new FAFSA (2025-2026) has significantly changed how divorced parents are handled. Now it's the parent who provides MORE financial support (not just who the student lives with) who should complete the FAFSA. Did you provide more than 50% of your daughter's financial support during the previous tax year? If so, you completed it correctly. Also, make sure you've reported any child support you receive accurately. Even if it's informal support, it should be included in your income for FAFSA purposes. Regarding grants vs. loans - your daughter's community college may have institutional grants that aren't tied to FAFSA formulas. Ask specifically about these when you appeal. Many community colleges have emergency grants or special funds for students in circumstances like yours.

one thing nobody mentioned - have your daughter talk to her professors! my daughter's english teacher told her about a special scholarship for first generation college students that paid for almost a whole semester! lot of times the teachers know about money that the financial aid office never mentions

Just to clarify for everyone in this thread - the 2025-2026 FAFSA uses the Student Aid Index (SAI) instead of EFC, and it calculates need differently. Having a disabled parent doesn't automatically increase grant eligibility, but low household income does. For the original poster: Your $48k income with a $4,800 SAI actually aligns with the new formula. However, your daughter should definitely qualify for some Pell Grant funding with that SAI. If your community college is suggesting mostly loans, you should specifically ask: 1. What is her Pell Grant eligibility amount? 2. Has she been considered for Federal SEOG grants? 3. What state grants might she qualify for? 4. Are there institutional grants she's missing? Don't accept a financial aid package that's mostly loans without questioning it. Many schools offer an initial package and expect students to appeal or ask for more grant funding.