Will my 17-year-old's part-time job affect his FAFSA eligibility?

Your son's income won't significantly impact his financial aid as long as it stays below the student income protection allowance, which is $7,600 for the 2025-2026 FAFSA. Only 50% of income above that threshold counts against aid eligibility. Working part-time has several benefits: building his resume, learning money management, and potentially qualifying for education tax credits. Just make sure he understands that if he earns more than $14,000 during the calendar year, he'll need to file his own tax return.

let him work!!! my daughter worked all through hs and still got good aid. the fafsa looks more at PARENT income than student. they expect kids to contribute some but not that much. plus working teaches responsibility

Watch out! It DOES affect financial aid. My niece worked part time and her SAI score went up, which meant less Pell Grant. I think they took like 50 cents on the dollar from her savings account too. I'd tell him to wait til after FAFSA.

The entire FAFSA system is DESIGNED to punish working families! Your son will lose dollar-for-dollar whatever he earns while the children of wealthy families who don't need to work still get scholarships for their fancy volunteer work and extracurriculars. It's completely backwards. And good luck getting anyone at the Dept of Education to explain how their SAI formula actually works - they'll keep you on hold for HOURS only to transfer you to someone who knows even less!

If you're having trouble getting answers about how employment affects your son's FAFSA, try using Claimyr to reach Federal Student Aid agents directly. I was stuck on hold for hours trying to understand how my daughter's summer job would impact her aid package, but with Claimyr I got through to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes who explained everything. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and their site is claimyr.com. Made the whole process way less stressful!

my son is also 17 and working part time. his guidance counselor told us its fine and might even HELP with some scholarships that want to see work experience. plus he needs spending money for college anyway lol

There's a lot of confusion about student income and FAFSA, so let me clarify a few points: 1. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, student income under $7,600 is fully protected 2. Income above that threshold is assessed at 50% 3. Student assets are assessed at 20% 4. Parent income and assets have a much larger impact on the SAI calculation 5. Work-study income is not counted in future FAFSA calculations Given your family income ($62,000), your son's part-time job is unlikely to significantly impact his aid eligibility. The benefits of work experience, financial responsibility, and building his resume likely outweigh any minimal reduction in aid. Just make sure he's aware of income tax filing requirements if he earns over the threshold.

another thing to think about - if he doesnt work now when will he learn to manage money?? my daughter learned SO MUCH from her first job and now shes super responsible with her college budget. its not just about the fafsa!

Based on everything discussed here, it seems the benefits of your son working part-time considerably outweigh any potential minor reduction in aid. With your family income level and the student income protection allowance, a typical part-time high school job is unlikely to meaningfully impact his financial aid package. The work experience, financial literacy, and resume building will likely prove more valuable in the long run, both for college applications and future employment opportunities.

Great decision! Just wanted to add one more tip - have your son keep good records of his earnings throughout the year. When it comes time to fill out the FAFSA, you'll need accurate income information from his W-2 or paystubs. Also, if he's able to save some of his earnings, consider having him put it toward college expenses rather than keeping it in a savings account, since student assets are assessed at 20% while money already spent on education isn't counted. The work experience will definitely serve him well in college and beyond!

I went through this exact situation with my daughter two years ago! She worked about 16 hours a week at Target during her senior year, making around $12/hour. Her total earnings were under $6,000 for the year, so it didn't impact her FAFSA at all since it was well below the protection allowance. The work experience actually helped her get a campus job once she started college, and she learned valuable time management skills balancing work and school. Plus, having some spending money made her feel more independent. I'd say let him work - the life skills he'll gain are worth way more than any minimal impact on financial aid!

As someone who works in financial aid counseling, I can confirm what others have shared here - student employment typically has minimal impact on FAFSA eligibility, especially at the income levels you're describing. Your son working 15-20 hours at minimum wage would likely earn well under the $7,600 protection allowance. Beyond the financial aid aspect, I always encourage students to work if they can balance it with their studies because employers and scholarship committees often view work experience very favorably. Many of our most successful students worked part-time in high school and developed strong time management and communication skills that served them well in college. Just make sure he saves some of his earnings specifically for college expenses - it shows financial responsibility and reduces the amount you'll need to borrow or pay out of pocket.

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My daughter is a junior and I'm already starting to worry about these decisions for next year. One thing I'm wondering about - if a student works during the summer after their senior year (so after FAFSA is already submitted), does that income get counted on the following year's FAFSA renewal? Or is there a way to time employment to minimize any potential impact across multiple years of aid? Also, are there any types of jobs that are treated differently by FAFSA - like internships vs regular retail work?

I just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this discussion! As someone who just went through this process with my oldest child, I can confirm that the advice here is spot-on. My son worked about 20 hours a week his senior year at a local restaurant, earned around $6,800 total, and it had zero impact on his FAFSA eligibility - he still received a full Pell Grant. The work experience was invaluable though. He learned customer service skills, how to handle difficult situations, and most importantly, the value of money. When he got to college, he was much better at budgeting than his peers who had never worked. Plus, his part-time job experience helped him land a great work-study position on campus. Don't let FAFSA fears stop your son from gaining real-world experience - the benefits far outweigh any minimal financial aid impact!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who has been through this process multiple times with different kids! My oldest worked part-time and had no FAFSA issues, but I learned a few practical tips along the way. First, encourage your son to open a checking account if he doesn't have one already - it helps with money management and you'll need banking info for FAFSA anyway. Second, consider having him set aside a small percentage of each paycheck specifically for college expenses like textbooks or supplies. This shows financial planning skills and reduces the cash you'll need to cover later. Third, make sure he understands the importance of keeping his grades up while working - some merit scholarships have GPA requirements that are more valuable than the small amount he might lose in need-based aid. The mall job sounds perfect for teaching customer service and time management skills that will serve him well in any future career!

I went through this same worry with my son last year! He worked at a grocery store during his senior year, about 18 hours a week, and earned around $7,200 total. It didn't affect his financial aid at all since he stayed under that $7,600 protection allowance everyone's mentioned. What I didn't expect was how much the job helped him mature - he became so much better at managing his time and money. He even got promoted to a shift lead position, which looked great on his college applications. Now he's a freshman and already has a campus job lined up because of his work experience. Honestly, I think the personal growth and life skills he gained were worth way more than any potential small reduction in aid would have been. Let your son take the job - at your family's income level and with typical part-time hours, the FAFSA impact will be minimal but the benefits will be huge!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm in a very similar situation with my 17-year-old who wants to work at our local Target. Reading through everyone's real experiences - from the parent whose son earned $6,800 with no FAFSA impact to the one whose daughter learned valuable budgeting skills - has really eased my concerns. The consistent message about the $7,600 income protection allowance and the emphasis on work experience benefits over minimal aid impact makes so much sense. I especially appreciate hearing from the financial aid counselor and all the parents who've actually been through this process. It's clear that the life skills, responsibility, and resume-building aspects of part-time work far outweigh any small reduction in aid eligibility. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - you've helped this worried parent make a much more informed decision!

As someone new to this community and navigating FAFSA for the first time, this entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening! I was in the exact same boat - my 17-year-old wants to work at a local retail store and I was terrified it would hurt his financial aid chances. Reading through all these real experiences has been so reassuring. The consistent message about the $7,600 income protection allowance, combined with actual examples like the student who earned $6,800 with zero FAFSA impact, really puts things in perspective. What struck me most was how many parents emphasized the non-financial benefits - time management, customer service skills, financial literacy, and how work experience actually helped kids get campus jobs and even merit scholarships. It's clear the personal development and resume-building aspects far outweigh any minimal aid reduction. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and expertise - you've turned an anxious parent into a confident advocate for teen employment! My son is definitely getting that job.