Is filing FAFSA worth it if we might not qualify for aid? First-time parent confused

YES, absolutely file the FAFSA regardless of income! There are several important reasons: 1. Many colleges require the FAFSA for ANY type of aid, including merit scholarships that aren't based on financial need 2. Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans (which aren't need-based) require FAFSA filing 3. You might be surprised - the SAI calculation takes into account family size, number of college students, and other factors beyond just income 4. Some schools with high costs have very generous aid formulas and consider families making up to $200K as potentially qualifying 5. Your financial situation could change (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), and having FAFSA already filed makes adjustments easier The form is much simpler now than in previous years! Plan about 45 minutes if you have your tax documents handy.

we didnt file last year for my son and REGRETTED IT BIG TIME!!! his school wouldnt even let him get the unsub loans without fafsa on file. ended up filing late and it was a whole mess. just do it now and save urself the headache

I was in your exact position last year! Household income $150k, thought we'd get nothing. But we have two kids in college simultaneously, and that made a HUGE difference in the calculation. Ended up getting some grants at the private schools (nothing at state schools though). Also, IMPORTANT: Many colleges use the FAFSA as the gateway to their institutional scholarships - even if you don't qualify for federal aid, the college might have their own funds they distribute. Some won't even CONSIDER your child for certain scholarships without that FAFSA on file. So yes, absolutely worth the time.

no you dont HAVE to file fafsa but your basically throwing away free money if you dont lol. even rich ppl can get some aid sometimes.

Financial aid professional here! Beyond what others mentioned, there are a few more reasons to file: 1. The federal loan programs (which many middle/upper-income families use) REQUIRE a FAFSA, even if you don't qualify for need-based aid 2. Some state grant programs have higher income thresholds than federal programs 3. If multiple children attend college simultaneously, your SAI gets divided 4. Some schools won't package ANY institutional aid without a FAFSA 5. Having a FAFSA on file makes it easier if you need to appeal aid decisions later The form takes about 30-45 minutes with the new streamlined version if you have tax returns handy. Most families making $140K will qualify for something, even if it's just unsubsidized loans.

I was in identical situation last year and WISH someone had told me to file earlier!!!! We make about $135k and I thought "why bother" but my son's top choice school wouldn't even CONSIDER him for their presidential merit scholarship without FAFSA on file. By the time I realized this, we were past priority deadlines. DON'T MAKE MY MISTAKE!!!

Trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid to get answers about FAFSA eligibility is IMPOSSIBLE. Waited on hold for 2.5 hours last week and got disconnected! Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in 20 minutes. They connected me right away and I was able to ask all my questions about our unusual situation (self-employed with business losses). Saved me hours of frustration. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and the website is claimyr.com if anyone else is struggling to reach FSA. So much easier than waiting for hours.

THE ENTIRE FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM IS A SCAM!!! We filed FAFSA for 3 YEARS and got NOTHING but loans with ridiculous interest rates. Complete waste of time. The government just wants your financial info.

Quick tip about filing: The 2025-2026 FAFSA will use your 2023 tax information (they always use tax info from two years prior). So have your 2023 tax return handy when you fill it out. And make sure both you AND your daughter create FSA IDs before starting - that alone can take a few days to process.

lol yeh do it, it's like buying a lottery ticket that's free. might win something might not but costs nothing to try ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

One more important point: Even families with higher incomes often use Parent PLUS loans to help pay for college, and you need a completed FAFSA on file to access those. Many families use a combination of the student's Direct loans (from FAFSA) and Parent PLUS loans to bridge gaps. So file the FAFSA even if you just want access to the federal loan programs!