Which tax return year do I use for 2025-2026 FAFSA for my senior son?

For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll need your 2023 tax return info. That's right - it's not the most recent one! This is part of the FAFSA Simplification Act changes that started with the 2024-2025 form. They're using what they call the "prior-prior year" system now. It's a bit weird getting used to reporting older tax info, but it actually gives families more time to plan.

wait are you sure its 2023? i thought they always used the year right before. this is confusing lol

The WHOLE FAFSA system is a MESS right now!! I spent 6 HOURS trying to submit for my daughter last week. The website kept crashing and then we got some weird "contributor" error that made no sense. Now they want tax info from 3 YEARS AGO?!? Who even has that stuff readily available anymore? And yeah what if your situation has totally changed since then? The system is BROKEN.

To clarify for everyone: Yes, for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll use 2023 tax information. This is called Prior-Prior Year (PPY) methodology. If your financial situation has significantly changed since 2023, you can request a professional judgment review (sometimes called a special circumstances review) from each college's financial aid office after you receive your aid offers. You'll need to provide documentation of the change in circumstances. As for accessing older tax records, you can request a free tax transcript from the IRS website or by using Form 4506-T if you don't have copies of your 2023 return.

when i did my sons fafsa last month we needed our 2022 taxes for his 2024-25 year so ya its always 2 years behind now. kinda makes sense cause most ppl have their taxes done by the time fafsa opens unlike the old way when u had to rush to do taxes early

I remember when my daughter was applying for college, I was so confused about all this tax stuff too! We ended up using the wrong year and had to redo everything. Such a headache! Make sure you also have your son create his FSA ID early, that took us forever to get working properly.

Since several people have asked about changed financial circumstances, I'd like to add that the professional judgment process varies by school. Some are very receptive to these requests while others are more rigid. The key is to: 1. First complete the FAFSA with the required 2023 tax information 2. After receiving your SAI (Student Aid Index) and aid offers, contact EACH school's financial aid office about their professional judgment process 3. Gather documentation showing the change (pay stubs, termination letters, medical bills, etc.) 4. Be prepared to complete school-specific forms Also, make sure you're looking at your SAI correctly - it's not the same as the old EFC.

Is anyone else having trouble reaching the Federal Student Aid helpline? I've been calling for days about a similar issue and can't get through to anyone. Just curious if it's just me or if others are experiencing this too.

To answer your follow-up question about SAI vs EFC: Yes, there are significant differences. The SAI calculation eliminates some of the factors that were in the EFC formula. For example, the number of family members in college doesn't reduce the SAI the same way it did with EFC. Also, the SAI can go as low as -1500 (negative), whereas EFC couldn't go below zero. This negative SAI helps schools identify students with exceptional financial need. The formula also changed how certain assets and income are counted. Overall, some families will see very different results under the new system.

Yes, there are SAI calculators available. The Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.gov) has an official FAFSA Simulator tool. Also, many colleges have updated their net price calculators to reflect the new SAI formula. Regarding multiple children in college: While it doesn't impact the SAI calculation as dramatically as it did with EFC, many colleges still consider this in their institutional aid calculations. When you reach out to each school's financial aid office, specifically mention that you'll have multiple children in college simultaneously. One more tip: Make sure all parent/contributor information is correct on the FAFSA. The new system has had issues with correctly identifying and processing contributor information, which has caused delays for many families.

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful information! Just to make sure I have everything straight: 1. Use 2023 tax return for 2025-26 FAFSA 2. Have my son create his FSA ID early 3. For our changed financial situation, complete FAFSA first, then contact each school individually 4. Use the FAFSA Simulator to get an early estimate of our SAI 5. Make sure to mention multiple children in college when talking to financial aid offices 6. Pay extra attention to parent/contributor sections to avoid delays This has been so much more helpful than anything I've found on the official websites. I feel much more prepared now!