Parents' identity theft issue delaying tax filing - Will this ruin my FAFSA deadline and financial aid chances?

Don't panic yet! You actually have options in this situation. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you can submit what's called a "special circumstance" documentation. The FSA (Federal Student Aid) office has specific provisions for victims of identity theft. You'll need to gather documentation of your parents' identity theft situation - the affidavit they file with the IRS, any police reports they filed, correspondence about the identity theft, etc. Then contact your schools' financial aid offices directly. Each school handles these situations differently, but most have procedures in place. Be aware that while you can submit FAFSA without the processed tax return using estimated figures, you'll eventually need to verify that information once their taxes are processed. The key is proactive communication with each financial aid office.

ur not screwed but u need 2 act fast!! my brother had something similar (not ID theft but my dad had tax problems) and he still got aid BUT he had to do all this extra paperwork. call every school ur applying to ASAP and tell them whats happening. some might give u a form to fill out 4 special circumstances. also u should still submit the FAFSA on time even if u have to use estimated numbers! u can fix it later

This is actually quite a common scenario! I work in financial aid, and here's what you need to know: 1. File your FAFSA by the priority deadline using ESTIMATED income figures. Check the box indicating this information is estimated. 2. Immediately contact each school's financial aid office to explain the identity theft situation. Request their "Income Verification" or "Special Circumstances" form. 3. Most schools will put a hold on your file rather than deny aid outright. 4. Gather documentation: the IRS identity theft affidavit (Form 14039), any police reports, FTC identity theft reports, and correspondence with IRS. 5. You'll likely need to complete an Income Verification form with your best-faith estimates. You won't lose priority consideration if you file on time with estimates and communicate proactively. Schools have procedures for these situations and won't penalize students for parents' identity theft issues.

dude u are DEF screwed!!!! my cousin went thru something like this and ended up with ZERO financial aid bc he missed the priority deadline. schools don't care WHY u missed it just that u did. especially with ur stats u would've gotten good money but now...good luck getting anything. the system is totally broken and favors people who can file everything perfectly on time. so unfair!!

Have you tried reaching Federal Student Aid directly? I was in a somewhat similar situation a few months ago (not identity theft but another tax complication) and spent DAYS trying to get through to someone at the FSA office. Kept getting disconnected or facing hour-long wait times. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to an actual FSA agent without the endless waiting. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FSA agent I spoke with was able to document my situation and gave me specific instructions for my application. They can make notes on your FAFSA application about the identity theft situation so schools see it. Definitely worth talking to them directly in addition to contacting individual schools.

The EXACT same thing happened to me last year!!! My dad had his identity stolen and all the tax nightmare that came with it. It was super stressful but here's what worked for me: - I got a letter from the IRS confirming the identity theft case (took about 2 weeks but worth it) - Submitted the FAFSA with estimated info (used his W-2s) - Got a letter from my dad's accountant explaining the situation - Hand-delivered all this to my top choice schools' financial aid offices I DID still qualify for priority aid at 3 of my 5 schools. The other two required additional verification but eventually came through with decent packages. Also make sure your parents start filing their 2023 taxes ASAP since you might need those for verification later in the process. The whole system is MADDENING but you're not alone and there ARE procedures for this!!!!

just wondering why your parents havent filed taxes for so long? identity theft or not thats kinda a big deal and the irs probably isnt happy about that... not judging just saying maybe theres bigger issues here than just fafsa

One more important thing: make sure you understand how the SAI (Student Aid Index) will be calculated with estimated figures. Your family income of $120k puts you in a particular range, but the SAI formula also considers assets, number of family members in college, and other factors. When you submit estimated figures, try to be as accurate as possible because significant changes later could affect your aid packages. Schools may place your file in a "verification" status, which is standard procedure - don't panic if this happens. Also, keep in mind that for many schools, missing the priority deadline impacts institutional aid more than federal aid. You'll still be eligible for federal programs even with a later filing, but some school-specific scholarships have stricter deadlines.

wait ur parents make 120k and u think ull get good aid?? lol maybe at like harvard or smth but most places will give u squat with that income js

I'm sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! Identity theft complications are more common than you might think, and schools are generally understanding about these circumstances. Here's my advice as someone who went through a similar process: 1. Document everything NOW - get copies of the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit (Form 14039), any correspondence with the IRS about the identity verification process, and police reports if they filed any. 2. Contact each school's financial aid office BEFORE submitting your FAFSA. Explain the situation and ask about their specific procedures for identity theft cases. Many have special forms or processes. 3. Submit your FAFSA with estimated figures using your parents' 2022 W-2s and other available documents. Mark clearly that these are estimates due to the identity theft situation. 4. Keep detailed records of all communications with schools and the IRS - you'll likely need to reference these multiple times throughout the process. The good news is that this won't automatically disqualify you from aid or priority consideration if you're proactive about communication. Schools deal with these situations regularly and have procedures in place. The key is being transparent and organized with your documentation. Don't let this derail your college plans - you have options!