Reporting disability income on 2024-25 FAFSA when I didn't file 2022 taxes?
I'm completely lost on how to report my disability benefits on the new 2024-25 FAFSA since I didn't file taxes in 2022. When I got to the income section, it asked if I filed taxes (I selected no), but then it seems to skip over where I should enter my disability income. It didn't even ask about my assets! I receive about $1,450/month in SSDI, which is my only income source. Did I miss something? Is there a specific section for reporting non-taxable disability benefits? I'm worried my application is incomplete and my SAI calculation will be wrong. Should I go back and start over?
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Axel Bourke
when i filled out fafsa last week it asked me about untaxed income after the tax filing question... are u sure you didnt miss it? there should be a section for "untaxed income" where u can report SSDI
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Nalani Liu
•I went through it twice and didn't see that section! Maybe I clicked something wrong? I'll try clearing my browser cache and starting over. Thanks for letting me know there SHOULD be an untaxed income section.
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Aidan Percy
•The untaxed income section is easy to miss. I almost skipped it too! It's after they ask about your W-2s and before the assets questions.
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Fernanda Marquez
Are you sure it's skipping? Sometimes the FAFSA website has glitches. My screen froze THREE TIMES when I was trying to enter my untaxed income. So frustrating! I had to use a different browser to finally get it to work. Maybe try using Chrome or Firefox if you're not already?
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Nalani Liu
•I was using Safari, so maybe that's part of the problem! I'll try switching to Chrome. Did you have to report your disability benefits under a specific category or was there a section just for untaxed income?
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Norman Fraser
The 2024-25 FAFSA does have a specific section for reporting untaxed income, including disability benefits. When you indicate that you didn't file taxes, you should still get questions about untaxed income sources. Your SSDI benefits should be reported as "untaxed Social Security benefits" in that section. This is important for an accurate SAI calculation. If the application is skipping this section entirely, it could be one of three issues: 1. A technical glitch with the FAFSA site 2. You may have inadvertently selected an option that caused it to skip 3. You might be completing the wrong year's FAFSA I recommend clearing your cache, trying a different browser, and starting a new application. Make sure you're completing the 2024-25 FAFSA, not the 2023-24 version. Also, take screenshots of each page as you go through to document any technical issues you encounter.
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Nalani Liu
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! I'm definitely in the 2024-25 application (double-checked that). I'll try the different browser approach and document with screenshots. Does SSDI count as untaxed Social Security benefits? I wasn't sure if disability was different from regular Social Security in how it's reported.
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Norman Fraser
•Yes, SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) does count as untaxed Social Security benefits for FAFSA purposes. You should report the full annual amount you receive, which would be approximately $17,400 based on your monthly amount of $1,450. Make sure you enter the annual total, not the monthly amount, as this is a common mistake that can affect your SAI calculation.
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Kendrick Webb
omg the fafsa site is SO BROKEN this year!! when i was trying to do this same thing it kept timing out and i lost all my work twice. finally called their help number but waited 2 hrs and never got through. super annoying!!!!
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Hattie Carson
•I had the same problem trying to reach someone at FSA! After being on hold for over an hour, I tried Claimyr.com and got connected to a student aid agent in just a few minutes. They have this service that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration! They have a video demo of how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ - definitely worth it for FAFSA issues that need human help.
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Kendrick Webb
•for real? might check that out cuz i still need to fix some stuff on my app. thx!
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Destiny Bryant
I work with students completing FAFSAs daily. Here's what's happening: The 2024-25 FAFSA has had several glitches since its delayed release. For non-tax-filers reporting disability benefits, you need to: 1. Answer "No" to the tax filing question 2. Then indicate you were not required to file (not that you "will file") 3. This should trigger the untaxed income questions including Social Security benefits If these sections aren't appearing, it's a technical issue. Some users have reported that switching devices (try a desktop instead of mobile) resolved the problem. Also important: SSDI should be reported as untaxed income, but SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is reported differently. Make sure you know which type of disability benefits you receive, as this affects where they're reported.
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Nalani Liu
•This is incredibly helpful! I think I messed up on step 2 - I might have selected "will file" instead of "not required to file." That would explain why it skipped the untaxed income questions. I'll fix this and try again on my laptop instead of my iPad. Thank you for the clear explanation!
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Aidan Percy
My cousin had the same issue! He gets disability too and the FAFSA kept skipping the part where he could enter it. He ended up having to call his school's financial aid office and they told him to make sure he was selecting "not required to file" rather than any other option. Also make sure you're using the latest version of your browser!
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Dyllan Nantx
•This happened to my sister too! The financial aid office at her college actually helped her file it in person. So that might be an option if you can't get it to work online.
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Nalani Liu
Update: I tried again on my laptop with Chrome and selected "not required to file" instead of "will file" - and the untaxed income section appeared! I was able to report my SSDI benefits under the Social Security benefits section. The application is now complete and it gave me my SAI calculation. Thanks everyone for your help! Special thanks to those who pointed out the "not required to file" option - that was exactly what I needed to fix!
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Destiny Bryant
•Excellent! Glad you got it sorted out. That distinction between "will file" and "not required to file" has tripped up many applicants this year. For future reference, always keep a record of your SAI calculation and save a copy of your completed FAFSA. If you're selected for verification later (about 30% of applicants are), you'll need to reference this information.
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Norman Fraser
•Great news! Just a reminder to check your Student Aid Report (SAR) in about 3-5 days to ensure everything processed correctly. Since you receive disability benefits, you might qualify for additional considerations for certain federal aid programs, so make sure your school's financial aid office is aware of your situation.
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Liam Fitzgerald
So glad you got this resolved! This thread is super helpful for anyone else dealing with disability income on the FAFSA. I've been putting off starting mine because I wasn't sure how to handle my SSI benefits, but now I know to look for the "not required to file" option and make sure I'm using a desktop browser. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so much less intimidating when you know what to expect!
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