Why is my son's FAFSA Pell Grant only $3900 when I have low income?

There are several factors that could be affecting your son's Pell Grant amount. The new FAFSA uses the Student Aid Index (SAI) instead of the old EFC, and it calculates eligibility differently. Some things that might be reducing his grant amount: 1. Your home equity might be counting against you more than you think 2. If your son has any savings or income of his own 3. If you received any untaxed income that isn't showing on your tax return 4. Family size and number of college students in your household For the 2025-26 FAFSA, the maximum Pell Grant is around $7,400, so getting $3,900 means something in your financial situation is reducing eligibility. Did you check your SAI score? That would tell you a lot about why the amount is lower than expected.

omg the same thing happened to my daughter!!! her dad makes way more $$ than me but when we switched to my info on fafsa the grant was still tiny. so annoying!!!! the system is rigged against us single parents i swear

I work in a college financial aid office, and I can explain what's likely happening here. With the 2025-26 FAFSA, student assets are now assessed at 20% rather than the previous 12%. So your son's $8,000 in savings is reducing his aid by about $1,600. Additionally, the home equity protection allowance was adjusted in the new formula, so some of your home equity could be counting against you. Another important factor: if your AGI is around $32,000, you're in what we call the "donut hole" range where you make too much to get the maximum Pell Grant but not enough to comfortably afford college costs. The full Pell typically requires an AGI under $27,000 for a family of two. I'd recommend contacting your son's college financial aid office directly to request a Professional Judgment review. Explain your current financial situation, especially if it's worse than what your tax returns show.

u should call the fafsa ppl directly and ask them to explain it. they can see exactly why ur sons grant is low. my nephew got more $ after we called and explained our situation

Have you checked if there were any mistakes on the FAFSA form? When my daughter applied, we accidentally entered our retirement account value in the wrong field, and it counted as a liquid asset. That significantly reduced her grant eligibility. After we corrected it, her Pell Grant nearly doubled. The new FAFSA is super confusing with all the changes they made.

the whole system is RIGGED I tell you!!!! My son got NOTHING even though I'm below poverty line. Those fat cats in Washington don't care about us regular folks trying to get our kids educated. They give millions to rich ppl tax breaks but can't help OUR KIDS go to college without CRUSHING DEBT?!?!

Update to my previous comment: Another factor that could be affecting your Pell Grant amount is the new Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation method. If you're a single parent who files as Head of Household, the new FAFSA doesn't provide as generous an income protection allowance as the old system did for some situations. Also, any child support you received for your son would be counted as untaxed income under the new FAFSA rules, which could further reduce his eligibility if that applies to your situation. I'd still recommend requesting that Professional Judgment review from the college financial aid office. They can adjust the SAI calculation if they determine your circumstances warrant it.

has ur son applied for scholarships too?? my daughter got way more $ from private scholarships than from stupid fafsa lol. tell him to apply for EVERYTHING even the small ones they add up!!

After reviewing the comments and your situation, I think I see what happened. With the new FAFSA formula, your son's SAI of 2600 puts him in a partial Pell Grant range. The formula takes your $32,000 income, subtracts various allowances, then adds in assessed portions of your assets and your son's assets. With your son's $8,000 in savings (assessed at 20% = $1,600), plus the $3,600 in child support counting as untaxed income, plus potentially some home equity depending on your state and local housing values, an SAI of 2600 actually sounds right. For the 2025-26 year, that SAI level would qualify for a partial Pell Grant of around $3,900, which matches what you were offered. It's not the maximum, but it's still significant aid that doesn't need to be repaid. Definitely pursue that Professional Judgment review, and have your son apply for as many scholarships as possible!

I'm going through something similar with my daughter's FAFSA! The new system has been so confusing compared to when my older son applied a few years ago. One thing that helped us was creating a spreadsheet to track all the different factors affecting her SAI - it made it easier to see exactly where the money was "going" in the calculation. Also, don't forget to check if your son's school offers any institutional aid or work-study programs that might help bridge the gap. Some schools have emergency funds for students whose families are struggling financially. Good luck with the Professional Judgment review - I hope they can increase his aid package!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and reading through everyone's responses has been really eye-opening! My daughter will be applying for college next year and I had no idea about all these changes to the formula. Can someone explain what the difference is between the old EFC system and the new SAI system? I want to make sure I understand what we're getting into before we fill out her FAFSA. Also, should I be encouraging her to move money out of her savings account before we apply, or is that not allowed? Thanks for all the detailed explanations everyone - this community is so helpful!

I'm a college student who went through this exact situation with my mom last year! The thing that really helped us was requesting a "special circumstances" review (which sounds like the same as the Professional Judgment review others mentioned). My mom's income looked higher on paper than our actual situation because she had been laid off partway through the tax year, so the FAFSA was using outdated info. One thing I wish we had known earlier - if your son's college has a financial aid chat or virtual office hours, those can be way more helpful than trying to call the federal helpline. The college financial aid officers actually have the power to make adjustments to your aid package, while the federal folks can only explain the general rules. Also, definitely look into your state's financial aid programs! Some states have grants that kick in when federal aid falls short, especially for families in that "middle ground" income range. My state had a program specifically for single-parent households that we almost missed because we were so focused on federal aid. Hope the Professional Judgment review works out for you - they really can make a huge difference when your circumstances don't match what the formula assumes!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! As someone who works with families navigating financial aid, I see this scenario quite often with the new FAFSA changes. Based on what you've shared, it sounds like several factors are combining to limit your son's Pell Grant eligibility despite your low income. The biggest culprit is likely your son's $8,000 in savings - with the new 20% assessment rate, that alone is reducing his aid by about $1,600. Combined with the $3,600 in child support counting as untaxed income and potentially some home equity being factored in, an SAI of 2600 actually makes sense mathematically, even though it feels unfair. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Schedule that Professional Judgment review ASAP - bring documentation of any recent changes in your financial situation 2. Ask the financial aid office about payment plans or additional institutional aid 3. Have your son apply for every scholarship possible, including local community ones 4. Look into your state's grant programs for single parents or low-income families The good news is that $3,900 in grant money is still substantial aid that doesn't need to be repaid. I know it's not what you hoped for, but combined with other aid sources, it can still make college more affordable. Don't give up - the Professional Judgment review could really help your situation!

I'm really sorry you're going through this - the new FAFSA system has been such a nightmare for so many families! Reading through all these responses, it sounds like you're getting great advice about the Professional Judgment review. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think anyone mentioned yet - make sure to ask about Federal Work-Study when you meet with the financial aid office. Even if your son didn't get it in his initial package, sometimes they have additional funds available or students drop out of the program. Work-Study jobs are usually more flexible with class schedules than regular part-time jobs, and the money earned doesn't count against you on next year's FAFSA. Also, if your son is planning to live on campus, look into becoming a Resident Assistant after his first year. At most schools, RAs get free or heavily discounted room and board, which can save thousands of dollars. It's competitive, but definitely worth applying for. Hang in there - I know this whole process is overwhelming, but it sounds like you're doing everything right by advocating for your son and seeking help from this community!

I just wanted to say how helpful this entire thread has been for understanding the new FAFSA system! I'm a newcomer to this community and my daughter will be starting her college applications next year, so reading through everyone's experiences with the 2025-26 FAFSA changes has been incredibly educational. The breakdown of how student assets are now assessed at 20% instead of 12% is particularly eye-opening - I had no idea about that change. And learning about the "donut hole" income range where families make too much for maximum aid but not enough to easily afford college costs really helps me understand what we might be facing. I'm definitely going to bookmark this conversation and use it as a reference when we start our FAFSA journey. The advice about Professional Judgment reviews, state aid programs, and alternative funding sources like Work-Study and RA positions gives me hope that there are multiple paths to making college affordable. Thank you to everyone who shared their expertise and experiences - this kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is exactly what families need when navigating this complex system!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful to have found this detailed discussion about the 2025-26 FAFSA changes! My family is just starting to look at college options for my youngest child, and honestly, I had no idea about how dramatically the system has changed from when my older kids applied years ago. The information about the Student Aid Index replacing the EFC and the increase in student asset assessment from 12% to 20% is particularly concerning - it sounds like students are being penalized more heavily now for saving money for college, which seems counterintuitive. The "donut hole" concept that was mentioned really resonates with our situation too. I'm curious - for families who are just beginning this process, are there any proactive steps we should be taking now to position ourselves better for financial aid eligibility? Should we be having conversations with our kids about how they manage their savings accounts before FAFSA time? And when is the best time to start connecting with college financial aid offices to understand their specific policies? This thread has already taught me more about the practical realities of financial aid than any of the official resources I've found online. Thank you to everyone sharing their real-world experiences!

Welcome to the community! As another parent who recently went through the FAFSA maze, I completely understand your frustration. The new system has definitely caught many families off guard, especially those who thought lower income would automatically mean maximum aid. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the timing of when you submit corrections or updates to your FAFSA. If your financial situation has worsened since filing your 2023 taxes (which the 2025-26 FAFSA is based on), make sure to highlight this during your Professional Judgment review. Sometimes colleges can use more recent pay stubs or unemployment documentation to adjust your aid package. Also, don't overlook your son's college's emergency aid funds - many schools received additional federal funding that they can distribute to students facing unexpected financial hardship. These funds are separate from the standard aid packages and often go unused because families don't know to ask about them. The $3,900 Pell Grant plus the $5,500 Direct Loan gives your son $9,400 in aid that doesn't require immediate repayment (since the loan has favorable terms). Combined with scholarships and potentially Work-Study, it can still make college achievable. Keep advocating for your family - you're doing everything right!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story and all the detailed responses from everyone! My son will be applying for college next year and I had no idea about these FAFSA changes. Reading through this thread has been like getting a masterclass in financial aid strategy. The breakdown about the 20% student asset assessment rate is particularly eye-opening - it sounds like we need to have some serious conversations about how my son manages his part-time job earnings and savings before we file. The "donut hole" income concept also explains why some of my friends with similar incomes to mine have had such different aid experiences. I'm definitely going to research our state's additional aid programs and start building relationships with financial aid offices early. It's clear that being proactive and understanding the system can make a huge difference. Good luck with your Professional Judgment review - it sounds like you have a solid plan moving forward, and the community has given you some excellent advice to work with!