Need help finding professional FAFSA consultants - worth the money?

Yes, there are legitimate consultants who can help with FAFSA! As someone who works in college financial aid, I recommend looking for a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) who specializes in college funding. They typically charge $150-300 for FAFSA assistance, which can be worth it in complicated situations like yours with self-employment and recent divorce. College financial aid offices also offer free FAFSA help, but they won't give tax advice for your specific situation. The key is finding someone who understands both financial aid formulas AND tax strategies to maximize your aid eligibility. Before paying anyone, check if your student's prospective colleges offer free FAFSA workshops or if there's a College Goal Sunday event in your area. NASFAA (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) has resources too.

dont bother with consultants lol ive filled out fasfa for 3 kids its not that hard just follow the dierctions...the website walks you thru everything step by step and theres videos on yourtube that help also

BEWARE OF SCAMMERS!!! There are so many fake "consultants" out there who just want your money and personal info. My sister paid $500 to some "expert" who basically just filled out the same form we could have done ourselves and made several mistakes! The worst part is they asked for all our personal financial data and who knows what they did with it. The FAFSA isn't designed to be so complicated that you need professional help. That's just a myth consultants spread to make money off desperate parents. College financial aid offices provide FREE help - USE IT!!!

I was in a similar situation last year (small business owner with complicated taxes). I found a college funding specialist through my accountant who was extremely helpful. Here's what to look for in a legitimate consultant: 1. They should be transparent about their fees upfront 2. They shouldn't promise specific aid amounts (that's a red flag) 3. They should have credentials in either financial planning or education consulting 4. They should focus on both FAFSA strategies AND college selection to maximize aid For me, the consultant helped me understand how my business income would affect the SAI calculation and suggested legitimate ways to time certain business expenses. She also explained how to properly report the assets in my LLC, which I would have done incorrectly. The $275 I paid saved us at least $4,000 in additional aid eligibility. Worth every penny.

I tried reaching Federal Student Aid directly with my complicated FAFSA questions, but kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. A friend told me about Claimyr (claimyr.com), which gets you through to a live agent quickly. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I finally talked to an actual FSA agent, they answered my specific questions about reporting split custody after divorce, which was super helpful. Sometimes you just need to talk to the source rather than paying a consultant.

I HATE how the FAFSA form is supposedly "simplified" but still impossible to understand!!! Why should we need consultants for a government form that's required for financial aid?? The whole system is broken and designed to confuse parents. Even the financial aid officers at colleges give conflicting advice! I've gotten different answers from different schools about how to report the same information. It's RIDICULOUS!

My tax preparer offered FAFSA help as an add-on service for $125. It was absolutely worth it because she understands how tax decisions affect the FAFSA formulas. For example, she showed me how contributing more to my retirement account before filing FAFSA would reduce our countable income for aid purposes. Just make sure whoever you hire understands the recent FAFSA changes and the new Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation. Many consultants are still giving outdated advice based on the old EFC formula.

check with your kids high school! our school guidance office had a free fafsa night where financial aid advisors from local colleges came and helped parents fill out the forms. we got one-on-one help for free!

After using both paid and free options, here's my advice: 1. First, try the free resources (college financial aid offices, high school counselors, FAFSA hotline) 2. If you still have questions specific to your complicated situation, consider a one-time consultation with a fee-only financial advisor who specializes in college planning (avoid "free consultations" that are really sales pitches for investment products) 3. For your divorce situation specifically, make sure whoever helps you understands which parent should complete the FAFSA (it's the one who provided more financial support during the past 12 months, regardless of custody arrangements) 4. For self-employment, getting the business income and assets reported correctly is crucial for accurate SAI calculation The key is finding help specific to your unique situation rather than general FAFSA guidance.

As someone who's helped friends through similar situations, I'd say your combination of self-employment and recent divorce definitely makes your case complex enough to consider professional help. The key issues you'll face are: 1. Properly reporting business income/expenses and timing them strategically 2. Understanding which parent should file (this can make a HUGE difference in aid eligibility) 3. Correctly categorizing business vs personal assets 4. Knowing how to handle any spousal support or child support payments Before hiring anyone, I'd suggest starting with your state's financial aid agency - many offer free FAFSA help sessions. If you still feel overwhelmed after that, then yes, a qualified consultant could be worth the $200-300 investment. Just please be careful about who you hire! Ask for references, verify their credentials, and never work with anyone who guarantees specific aid amounts or asks for payment upfront before explaining exactly what they'll do for you. Your peace of mind and getting it right the first time might be worth the cost, especially since mistakes could cost you thousands in aid eligibility.

I went through something very similar last year - divorced parent with a small consulting business. The FAFSA can definitely be tricky when you have both self-employment income and custody considerations to navigate. One thing that really helped me was using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when possible, but since you're self-employed, you'll likely need to enter much of your tax info manually. The key is being very careful about how you report business assets versus personal assets - this distinction can significantly impact your Student Aid Index. For the divorce aspect, definitely look into which parent should file. Even if your daughter lives with you primarily, if your ex-husband has substantially lower income and assets, it might benefit your aid eligibility for him to complete the FAFSA instead (assuming he provided significant financial support). I ended up using a combination of free resources first (called my daughter's college financial aid office twice with specific questions) and then had one paid consultation with a CFP who specializes in college planning. The $250 fee was worth it just for the peace of mind knowing I hadn't missed anything important. Whatever you decide, don't let anyone pressure you into expensive ongoing services or investment products. For FAFSA help, you should only need one or two consultations max.

I'm in a similar boat as a first-time FAFSA parent with a complicated financial situation! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do decide to hire a consultant, make sure they're up to date on the 2024-25 FAFSA changes. I made some calls earlier this year and found several "experts" who were still giving advice based on the old EFC system instead of the new SAI calculations. Also, I discovered that some community colleges in my area offer free FAFSA completion events throughout the year, not just during the main filing season. They're staffed by certified financial aid professionals and might be another free option to explore before paying for help. The divorce/custody situation is definitely something that needs careful consideration - I've heard too many stories of families missing out on significant aid because they didn't realize which parent should file. Best of luck with everything!

As someone who works with families in complicated financial situations, I'd say your case definitely warrants professional help. The combination of self-employment income and recent divorce creates several potential pitfalls that could cost you thousands in aid eligibility if handled incorrectly. Here's what I'd recommend: Start by calling your state's higher education agency - most have free FAFSA help hotlines staffed by trained professionals. If you're still confused after that, then yes, invest in a qualified consultant. For your specific situation, make sure any consultant you hire understands: - How to properly categorize business vs. personal assets - Income timing strategies for self-employed parents - Which parent should complete the FAFSA (this could be huge for you!) - The new Student Aid Index calculations Red flags to avoid: Anyone promising specific aid amounts, charging over $400, or pushing investment products. Look for fee-only advisors with college planning experience or CPAs who specialize in education tax benefits. The $200-300 investment could easily save you thousands in missed aid opportunities. Your peace of mind alone might be worth it as a first-time FAFSA parent dealing with these complexities.

I've been following this thread as someone who went through a very similar situation two years ago (self-employed + divorce), and I wanted to share what I wish I had known earlier. The biggest mistake I made was not understanding that the FAFSA looks at "prior-prior year" tax information. So for the 2024-25 FAFSA, they're using 2022 tax data. This means if your divorce was finalized in 2023, you might still be filing based on married/joint status from 2022, which could actually work in your favor OR against you depending on your ex's income. Also, since you're self-employed, timing is everything. If you have any flexibility in when you take distributions or make large equipment purchases, these decisions made in the "base year" (2022 for current FAFSA) can significantly impact your aid eligibility. One resource that really helped me was the College Board's CSS Profile calculator - even if the schools you're applying to don't require CSS Profile, the calculator helps you understand how different financial scenarios affect aid eligibility. It's free and helped me model different "what if" situations before submitting my actual FAFSA. My advice: definitely start with free resources, but don't be afraid to invest in professional help if you're still confused. The $275 I eventually spent on a consultant was the best money I spent in the entire college process. Just make sure they understand the timing implications of self-employment income!

As a newcomer to this whole process, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - not divorced but dealing with irregular self-employment income and feeling completely overwhelmed by the FAFSA process. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice has given me a much clearer roadmap: start with free resources (state agency hotline, college financial aid offices), then consider professional help if still needed. The specific red flags to watch out for when hiring consultants are invaluable - I had no idea that guaranteeing specific aid amounts was a scam tactic. One thing that really stood out to me was how much the timing of financial decisions can impact aid eligibility, especially for self-employed parents. I'm definitely going to look into whether any of my upcoming business expenses or income recognition can be strategically timed. For those considering professional help - it sounds like the consensus is that $200-300 for a qualified consultant (CFP, CPA, or fee-only advisor specializing in college planning) can be worth it for complex situations, especially when divorce and self-employment are involved. Just make sure they're current on the new SAI calculations! Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences - both positive and negative. It's so much more helpful than the generic advice you find online!