What types of financial aid will my son qualify for with FAFSA for 2025-2026?

definitely fill it out!!! we make around 75k and my daughter got $6500 in pell grants her first year plus work study for like 12hrs a week. every school offers different packages tho, some give more institutional aid than others

ALWAYS complete the FAFSA, regardless of your income. It's not just about Pell Grants - it's the gateway to Direct Subsidized Loans (where government pays interest while in school), work-study opportunities, and many institutional scholarships that require FAFSA completion even if they're merit-based. With your $87k income, your son will likely receive a Student Aid Index (SAI) that may or may not qualify for Pell, but many schools have their own institutional aid formulas that use FAFSA data. Based on your financial information, expect your son to qualify for: - Federal Direct Loans ($5,500 freshman year, with $3,500 potentially subsidized) - Possible work-study (depends on school and when you apply - earlier is better) - Institutional grants/scholarships (varies dramatically by school) Most families in your income range receive some combination of grants and loans, but the exact breakdown varies widely by institution.

we make 92k and my son got literally NOTHING except loans. not even work study. complete waste of time filling out all that tax info. depends on your assets too not just income

Each school's financial aid package will vary significantly. I work in financial aid, and here's what I typically see for families in your income range ($85k-90k): 1. Public in-state universities: $3,000-7,000 in grants/scholarships + federal loans + possible work-study 2. Public out-of-state universities: Similar grant amounts but higher costs, resulting in larger gap 3. Private universities: Much wider range ($5,000-30,000+) in institutional grants to offset higher tuition Your home equity generally isn't counted in the FAFSA formula, but retirement savings are protected. The new FAFSA (2025-2026) has eliminated many questions about assets and focuses more on AGI from tax returns. Definitely complete the FAFSA as early as possible (opens December 1) - many schools have priority deadlines for institutional aid consideration. And remember to check which schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA.

I spent HOURS trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid last year when our FAFSA got flagged for verification and they kept saying documents were missing that we'd already uploaded THREE TIMES. Literally called for weeks and never got through. Finally used Claimyr.com and got connected to an agent in 10 minutes. Worth every penny because they fixed the issue immediately and my daughter's aid was processed correctly. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ But definitely fill out the FAFSA. My daughter got $9,800 in grants her first year at a private college that we wouldn't have received otherwise.

The whole system is RIGGED against middle class families!! We make 95k, have saved responsibly for retirement, and my son got ZERO grants, just loans with ridiculous interest rates. Meanwhile his roommate's parents are both teachers making less and he got a full ride. The FAFSA punishes you for working hard and saving. The cutoffs are completely arbitrary. Apply early if you want, but don't get your hopes up. And when they inevitably make some stupid error in their calculations, good luck getting anyone on the phone to fix it!!!

my daughter is sophomore now and we get different amounts every year depending on our income from 2 years before (they use old tax info) so dont forget your 2023 taxes will determine his 2025 aid!

Based on your follow-up comments, let me clarify some key points: 1. Yes, for the 2025-2026 academic year, they'll use your 2023 tax information. This is called prior-prior year (PPY) reporting. 2. Regarding CSS Profile - this is required by approximately 200 institutions (mostly private colleges) that use it to determine eligibility for their institutional aid. Unlike FAFSA, CSS Profile does consider home equity in some cases and asks more detailed financial questions. 3. Front-loading of aid is unfortunately common at many institutions. Always ask the financial aid office directly if their institutional scholarships and grants remain consistent for all four years (assuming academic requirements are met). For more consistency in your planning, have your son also apply to schools known for meeting high percentages of demonstrated need or those with generous merit aid programs.

My twins are juniors now and DEFINITELY fill out fafsa every year!!! Even if u think u won't get anything! My husband and I made around 80k when they started and they both got pell grants plus subsidized loans. BUT the amount changed every year based on our income. Their sophomore year we made more (around 95k) and they got less grant money. The school matters too - my daughter got more institutional scholarships at her private college than my son did at state school.

With your income level around $87k, you're right in that tricky middle-class zone where aid can be unpredictable, but absolutely still fill out the FAFSA! At minimum, your son will qualify for federal Direct Loans ($5,500 freshman year), and depending on your exact SAI calculation, you might get some Pell Grant money - even partial Pell grants can be $1,000-3,000 which adds up over four years. The real key is applying to a mix of schools with different aid philosophies. Some state schools are stingy with aid but have lower sticker prices, while certain private colleges might surprise you with generous institutional grants to bring costs down to state school levels. Also, don't overlook work-study - it's not just about the money, but gives students valuable work experience and helps with networking. One tip: when you get aid offers, don't be afraid to appeal if your circumstances have changed or if one school offered significantly more than another. Financial aid offices have some flexibility, especially at private institutions. Good luck!