Is FAFSA worth the hassle when my kids got almost no aid for 4 years?

You should absolutely still complete the FAFSA, even if you haven't seen significant benefits yet. The new FAFSA for 2025-2026 has completely revamped the SAI formula that determines aid eligibility. With the changes, many families in the $90-110K income range are seeing better results than before. Also, many schools require a completed FAFSA for ANY institutional aid, even merit scholarships. Without it, your daughter could miss opportunities regardless of your income level.

lol yeah it's basically useless if u make over like 80k. my parents make around what yours do and i got nothing except eligibility for unsubsidized loans which isn't even real aid tbh. waste of time every year but my school makes us do it anyway for stupid "institutional aid policies" whatever that means

I understand your frustration, but I'd strongly recommend completing the FAFSA again. Here's why: 1) The Student Aid Index (SAI) formula changed significantly for 2025-2026, with more generous allowances for middle-income families 2) Many colleges require FAFSA for ALL institutional aid - not just need-based. This includes merit scholarships, departmental awards, and special grants 3) If your family situation changes (job loss, medical expenses, another child entering college), having an active FAFSA makes adjustments much easier 4) At minimum, it secures access to federal student loans which have better terms than private alternatives 5) Some states have their own grant programs with higher income thresholds that use FAFSA data The $98,000 income level might actually qualify for more than you think under the new formula, especially with multiple dependents or if you live in a high-cost area.

I was in EXACTLY your position last year! Two kids in college, making about $104K, and got basically nothing for years. But honestly, I almost didn't do FAFSA for my youngest's sophomore year and would have MISSED OUT BIG TIME. Turns out her university had a new donor-funded program that required FAFSA completion but had a higher income threshold (up to $125K). She got a $4,500 scholarship we would have completely missed if I hadn't grudgingly filled out that form one more time. Also, the FAFSA is so much easier now! The 2025-2026 form has fewer questions and better tax data integration. Took me 25 minutes instead of the usual 2-hour nightmare.

THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST THE MIDDLE CLASS!!!! We make too much to qualify for "need" but not enough to actually afford these insane tuition prices!!!! I've filled out FAFSA for 6 YEARS across 3 kids and all we ever got was LOANS LOANS LOANS. Just another way to TRAP families in DEBT while universities build fancy rock climbing walls and pay administrators six figures!!!

OMG don't even get me started on FAFSA customer service!!! I tried calling them like 8 times last year when they had that huge glitch with parent contributions, and I'd be on hold for HOURS just to get disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to someone after my friends recommended it. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and call you back when an agent is on the line. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Totally saved my sanity and I actually got a live person who fixed our application in like 5 minutes. Might be worth it if you decide to do FAFSA again and run into problems.

I was in your shoes until last month - ready to give up after years of no results. My daughter's school financial aid office actually called and encouraged me to submit for her senior year, explaining that their endowment had created new scholarships specifically for students in the $90-115K family income range. I reluctantly did it, and she got a $3,200 scholarship that required FAFSA completion even though it wasn't technically "need-based." My advice: call your daughter's financial aid office directly and ask if there are ANY institutional aid programs that require FAFSA but might apply to your income level. Many schools have special funds that aren't advertised widely.

I just want to thank everyone for the thoughtful responses. I had no idea about the SAI formula changes or that some school-specific scholarships require FAFSA regardless of need. I called my daughter's financial aid office this morning, and they mentioned TWO scholarship programs I hadn't heard of that require FAFSA completion but are designed for families in our income range. One is even specifically for students in her major! I'm going to complete the form this weekend and see what happens. Really appreciate all the advice - sometimes it's hard to keep pushing through bureaucracy when it feels pointless.

Just want to echo what others have said about contacting the financial aid office directly - that was a game changer for me too! I was in almost the exact same boat (household income around $95K) and had given up after three years of basically nothing. But when I called about my daughter's final year, they told me about an emergency fund for families affected by the pandemic that I never would have known about otherwise. Got $2,800 that literally saved us from taking out another loan. The new FAFSA really is easier too - I was shocked when I finished it in under 30 minutes this year compared to the multi-hour ordeal it used to be. And with those SAI changes everyone's mentioning, it seems like they're finally recognizing that middle-class families need help too. Definitely worth one more try, especially since you've already identified specific programs at your daughter's school!