First-time FAFSA applicant totally overwhelmed - where do I even start?

Dont worry everybody gets confused at first! For divorced parents u use the one who you lived with the most during the last 12 months. If its equal then use the one who gives you more financial support. No need to panic its not as hard as it looks once u get started!!

Welcome to the wonderful world of financial aid! I've been through this process three times with my kids, so I can help guide you through it. For divorced parents with equal custody, you'll need to use the information from the parent who provided more financial support during the previous year. If that's truly equal as well, then you would use the parent with the higher income. As for the SAI (Student Aid Index), that's the new name for what used to be called the EFC (Expected Family Contribution). It's a number calculated from your FAFSA information that determines your eligibility for need-based aid. The lower your SAI, the more aid you might receive. Whether you need the CSS Profile depends on the schools you're applying to. Most public universities only require the FAFSA, but many private colleges require both. Check each school's financial aid website to confirm their requirements. My best advice: gather all tax documents before starting (2023 tax returns for the 2025-2026 FAFSA), create your FSA ID early (both you and your contributing parent need one), and set aside a good 2 hours of uninterrupted time to complete the application. You've got this!

omg i feel you! I literally had a breakdown when i did mine last month. the whole system is designed to make us fail i swear

Since your parents are divorced, I'd recommend gathering tax information for BOTH parents before starting. Sometimes you realize halfway through that you've selected the wrong parent as contributor, and switching means re-entering everything. And definitely make sure your parent creates their FSA ID *before* you start - that alone can take 3-5 days to fully process sometimes. Also, take screenshots of every page as you go through the application. The website likes to randomly log people out and lose information (happened to me TWICE). I've been calling about my verification issue for 3 weeks and can't get through to a real person at FSA. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in 20 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. They have a demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Completely worth it when you're dealing with time-sensitive FAFSA issues.

THE FAFSA IS LITERALLY DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! I spent 6 hours on it last week and STILL got an error code saying my "contribution information was incomplete" even though I TRIPLE CHECKED EVERY BOX!!! And good luck getting anyone on the phone - I called 11 times and got disconnected EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. The whole system is a joke. They WANT us to mess up so they don't have to give out as much aid. I'm convinced of it. My sister's SAI came back $12,000 higher than it should have been because of ONE question we answered wrong about retirement accounts. ONE QUESTION!!!! And now she's not eligible for the Pell Grant she deserves. Good luck. You're gonna need it.

Here's a step-by-step approach that should help you navigate your first FAFSA: 1. First, create your FSA ID at studentaid.gov - both you and your contributing parent will need separate IDs 2. For divorced parents with equal custody and financial support, you'll use the parent with higher income (this is in the official FAFSA guidelines) 3. Gather these documents before starting: - Your Social Security Number - Your parents' Social Security Numbers - 2023 federal income tax returns for 2025-2026 FAFSA - W-2 forms and other records of money earned - Bank statements and investment records - Records of untaxed income 4. Set aside 1-2 hours of uninterrupted time 5. Answer each question carefully - the most common errors are: - Incorrectly reporting parent marital status - Mixing student and parent financial information - Reporting retirement assets (which should be excluded) 6. After submitting, you'll receive your SAI within 3-5 business days For the CSS Profile question, check your specific schools' requirements on their financial aid websites. Typically public universities only need FAFSA, while private colleges often require both. Don't worry about making mistakes - you can make corrections after submitting if needed!

To answer your follow-up questions: 1. Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pension plans) are NOT counted as assets on the FAFSA. This is a common misunderstanding that often leads people to report higher assets than they should. However, contributions made to retirement accounts during the tax year ARE counted as income. 2. FAFSA vs CSS Profile differences: • FAFSA is free and required for all federal aid (grants, loans, work-study) • CSS Profile costs $25 for first school ($16 each additional) and is used for institutional aid at ~400 mostly private colleges • FAFSA uses a simpler formula focused on income, some assets, household size • CSS Profile is more detailed and considers home equity, business value, and non-custodial parent information • CSS Profile allows for more special circumstances explanations No need to apologize for questions - that's exactly what this forum is for! Financial aid is complicated, and asking questions is how you navigate it successfully.

My son just went thru this last month! One tip nobody told us - print the confirmation page after u submit!! My son's application some how got lost in there system and having the confirmation number saved us WEEKS of headache!!

I remember when i did my first fafsa my dog actually ate my w-2 form (not kidding lol) and i had to call my employer for a new copy which took forever and i almost missed the priority deadline. Make sure you have ALL your documents ready before you start! Also the most confusing part for me was the asset questions because i have a small inheritance from my grandma in a special account and wasn't sure if i needed to include it. Ended up having to call financial aid office at my school to figure it out.

One important thing to remember about your parent needing to be there: technically no, they don't need to be physically present when you complete the FAFSA. However, they DO need to: 1. Have their own FSA ID (which they should create themselves) 2. Provide you with their financial information OR log in themselves to complete the parent portion 3. Electronically sign the FAFSA with their FSA ID Since you mentioned your mom isn't tech-savvy and your dad travels, you have options: - Schedule a specific time to complete it when your chosen parent is available, even if just by phone - Have your parent create their FSA ID in advance, then provide you with the necessary information - Some parents give their child the FSA ID login to complete everything, though this isn't technically allowed since electronic signatures verify that the actual person is signing Most importantly, don't wait until the deadline! The earlier you submit, the better your chances for certain aid programs with limited funding.