Shocked by FAFSA SAI jumping from 130 to 11k despite lower household income - how is this possible?

omg i had almost the same thing happen!!! my sai went from like 2k to 9k even tho my mom is making LESS $ this year. something is definitely wrong with their system

This is actually happening to a lot of people with the new FAFSA system. There are several possible reasons: 1. The new FAFSA formula looks at different factors than the old system - some types of untaxed income are now included that weren't before 2. Asset protection allowances were reduced significantly 3. If your parents have any retirement accounts or home equity that wasn't previously counted, it might be factored in now 4. The income lookback period for the 25-26 FAFSA would be using 2023 tax info, when your dad was still employed You should definitely submit an appeal based on your dad's unemployment. The financial aid office at your school can do a professional judgment review based on your current situation rather than the 2023 tax info.

THE NEW FAFSA IS A COMPLETE DISASTER!! I work in college counseling and have seen HUNDREDS of students with this exact problem. The Education Department completely botched the rollout and the new formula is HURTING middle class families the worst. Some of my students are seeing SAI increases of 5-15K with NO actual change in circumstances!!! Even worse, schools are WAY behind on processing aid packages because of all the FAFSA delays earlier this year. The whole system is broken and students are paying the price!!

I can help explain what's likely happening here. The 2025-2026 FAFSA uses a completely revised formula for calculating the Student Aid Index (SAI). The biggest changes that might be affecting you: 1. The asset protection allowance was substantially reduced, meaning more of your family's savings/assets are counted 2. The income protection allowance thresholds changed 3. Certain untaxed income is now included that wasn't before 4. Small family size adjustments were modified For your specific situation, with your dad being unemployed, you need to file what's called a "Special Circumstances Appeal" or "Professional Judgment Request" with your school's financial aid office. They can adjust your SAI based on current circumstances. For documentation, you'll typically need: - Letter explaining the change in circumstances - Proof of unemployment (letter from employer, unemployment benefits statement) - Recent pay stubs showing reduced household income - Documentation of any severance package Start this process ASAP as schools have limited funds for adjustments.

Start the process right away. Many schools have a finite pool of funds for adjustments, and they often work on a first-come, first-served basis. You don't need to wait for your official package - the sooner you get your documentation in, the better your chances of getting an adjustment.

Hey there, I had the same nightmare scenario last year trying to reach FSA about my SAI calculation issues. After dozens of failed calls and hours on hold, I discovered a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual human at Federal Student Aid in under 20 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when an agent is ready. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and the website is claimyr.com. Totally worth it for dealing with SAI issues since those require talking to an actual person who can explain the calculations.

Yes, it actually worked for me! I had been disconnected several times too after waiting 30+ minutes each time. With the service, I just entered my number and they called me when an agent was on the line. The FSA agent was able to go through my SAI calculation line by line to explain what happened.

i think the big jump might be from retirement accounts too. my mom told me her 401k somehow counted this year but it didn't before? idk how that works but she was super mad about it lol

Update: I was able to speak with someone at my school's financial aid office today. They confirmed that my dad's unemployment definitely qualifies for a special circumstances review. I need to submit: - Dad's unemployment award letter - Termination notice from his employer - Our 2023 and 2024 tax returns - A personal statement explaining the situation They said many students are experiencing similar SAI increases, but they're trying to make adjustments where possible. Still super anxious about all this, but at least there's a process to appeal.

My sister went through the same thing but it was because my parents sold some stocks in 2023 that they had for years which made their income look higher for that one tax year. Is it possible your family had a one-time income boost in 2023 that wouldn't repeat in 2024? That might explain it too.

I'm going through something similar but not quite as extreme - my SAI went from about 3,500 to 7,200 even though our income stayed roughly the same. What's really frustrating is that I'm a senior and was expecting similar aid to help finish my degree. One thing I learned from talking to other students is that if your parents took any money out of retirement accounts in 2023 (even for emergencies), that counts as income now in ways it didn't before. Also, if they have any savings accounts that grew due to interest rates being higher, the asset calculation hits harder now. I'm also planning to do the special circumstances appeal, but I'm worried about timing since graduation is coming up fast. Has anyone had success getting these appeals processed quickly? Like within a few weeks rather than months?

This is such a helpful thread - I'm dealing with a similar situation where my SAI jumped from around 800 to 8,500 even though my family's income actually decreased. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the new FAFSA formula is really hitting families hard with these unexpected increases. I want to add a few things that might help others going through this: 1. Document EVERYTHING when you call or visit financial aid offices. I've been keeping a log of every conversation because it's so easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. 2. If your school has a student ombudsman or student advocate office, they can sometimes help navigate the financial aid appeals process more effectively than going it alone. 3. Don't forget to check if your state has any additional aid programs that might help bridge the gap while you're waiting for federal aid appeals to process. The whole situation is incredibly stressful, especially when you're trying to plan for next semester. Hang in there everyone - it sounds like the appeals process, while frustrating, is actually helping people get more realistic aid packages based on their current circumstances rather than outdated tax info. @William Rivera - definitely emphasize that bonus in your appeal letter since it was a one-time thing that won't repeat, especially with your dad being unemployed now.

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the new FAFSA changes have been a nightmare for so many families! Based on what everyone's shared here, it definitely sounds like your situation with your dad's unemployment should qualify for a professional judgment review. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you might also want to reach out to your school's financial aid office to ask about emergency aid or short-term loans while your appeal is being processed. Many schools have emergency funds specifically for situations like yours where there's been a sudden change in family circumstances. Also, if you haven't already, make sure to apply for any work-study positions or campus jobs that might be available. I know it's not ideal to take on more work while dealing with this stress, but every bit of income can help offset the aid reduction. The appeal process seems to be working for people, so try to stay hopeful! The fact that your school confirmed you qualify for special circumstances review is a really good sign. Just make sure to stay on top of the process and follow up regularly like others have suggested.

I'm so glad to see this thread - it's really helpful to know I'm not alone in dealing with these massive SAI increases! My situation is similar to many others here: my SAI jumped from about 1,200 to 8,900 even though our family income stayed roughly the same. What's really frustrating is that my parents have been saving diligently for years specifically to help with college costs, but now it seems like the new FAFSA formula is penalizing families who tried to be responsible and save money. The asset protection changes that @Evan Kalinowski mentioned are hitting us hard. For anyone still working through the appeals process, I wanted to add that some schools also have payment plan options that can help spread out the increased costs while you're waiting for appeals to be processed. It's not ideal, but it can buy you some time if you need to stay enrolled while everything gets sorted out. Also, don't forget to check with your school's scholarships office - sometimes they have institutional aid that's separate from federal aid that might help fill the gap. I found out my school has several small scholarships (like $500-1000 each) that many students don't even know about or apply for. Stay strong everyone - the appeals process seems to be helping people, and there are more resources available than I initially realized!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue and it's been such a nightmare! My SAI went from around 900 to nearly 7,000 even though nothing major changed in our financial situation. What really helped me was calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly (not just my school's financial aid office) to get a detailed breakdown of how my SAI was calculated. The agent was able to walk me through each component of the formula and explain exactly what changed between the old and new FAFSA systems. In my case, it was a combination of the reduced asset protection allowance and some untaxed income that my parents didn't even realize was being counted differently. One tip that really made a difference: when you do your professional judgment appeal, don't just focus on the unemployment situation (though that's obviously the most important factor). Also mention ANY other financial hardships or changes - medical expenses, reduced work hours for other family members, even increased living costs in your area. The more complete picture you can paint of your family's current financial reality versus what the 2023 tax forms show, the better. I submitted my appeal three weeks ago and just heard back that they're reducing my SAI by about 40%. Not back to where it was originally, but much more manageable. Don't give up - the system is broken but the appeals process does seem to be working for people who persist with it!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea so many people were dealing with these massive SAI increases! Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the new FAFSA formula changes are having much bigger impacts than anyone expected. What strikes me most is how the system seems to be penalizing families who were already struggling or trying to be financially responsible. Between the reduced asset protection allowances, different treatment of retirement distributions, and the formula using outdated 2023 tax data that doesn't reflect current unemployment situations, it's creating real hardships for students who were counting on consistent aid. I'm really grateful for all the practical advice shared here - especially the tips about documenting everything, contacting student ombudsman offices, looking into emergency aid funds, and being persistent with appeals. The success stories like @Dmitry Ivanov getting a 40% SAI reduction give me hope that the system, while frustrating, can be navigated if you know what steps to take. For anyone still working through this process, it seems like the key takeaways are: start your professional judgment appeal ASAP, include comprehensive documentation of ALL financial changes (not just the obvious ones), follow up regularly, and don't be afraid to explore multiple resources simultaneously - emergency aid, payment plans, institutional scholarships, work-study, etc. Hang in there everyone - this situation is incredibly stressful but you're not alone in dealing with it!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the exact same thing happened to me! My SAI jumped from around 200 to over 9,000 despite our income actually decreasing this year. It's absolutely devastating when you're counting on that aid. Based on what I learned from going through this nightmare, here are the most important things to do immediately: 1. Contact your school's financial aid office ASAP to start a professional judgment appeal - don't wait for your aid package to come out 2. Gather all documentation of your dad's job loss: unemployment benefits letter, termination notice, recent pay stubs showing reduced income 3. Write a detailed letter explaining how your 2024 financial situation differs from the 2023 tax returns the FAFSA is using The new FAFSA formula is brutal - it reduced asset protection allowances and counts certain income differently than before. But the good news is that job loss absolutely qualifies for special circumstances review, and schools do have funds set aside for these situations. I also recommend calling the Federal Student Aid line directly (not just your school) to get a breakdown of exactly how your SAI was calculated. It can help you understand what specific factors caused the increase. Don't panic - the appeals process really does work, but you need to be proactive and persistent. Start gathering those documents today!