Will my son's part-time job affect his FAFSA eligibility and aid amount?

my kid works 20hrs at target and it didnt affect anything. they look at prior year taxes not current income

This is a common concern! For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they're looking at 2023 tax information, so any job your son gets now won't affect his current financial aid package. The income would potentially impact future aid applications, but there are important details to know: 1. The FAFSA has a student income protection allowance (around $7,600 for dependent students), meaning your son can earn up to that amount with minimal impact on future aid calculations 2. Only about 50% of student income above that threshold is counted in the SAI formula 3. Work-study jobs (if he qualifies) don't count against future aid at all So a part-time mall job is unlikely to significantly impact his aid package, especially if he stays under that income protection threshold.

Let him get the job! College is expensive even WITH financial aid. My daughter needed spending money and the little bit of income from her campus job didn't hurt her aid at all. Plus employers like seeing work experience when they graduate!!

The FAFSA system is DESIGNED to discourage students from working!! My son lost $3,800 in grants because he worked too many hours his freshman year and it pushed him over some threshold. Now he's taking out MORE LOANS to cover what the government TOOK AWAY because he was being RESPONSIBLE and WORKING. The whole system is BROKEN and PUNISHES hard-working kids!!!

Working during college is actually beneficial for most students beyond just the immediate income. Research shows that students who work 10-15 hours per week typically have better time management skills and even slightly higher GPAs than non-working students. For FAFSA specifically, there's also the timing factor that many people don't realize. Since the 2025-2026 FAFSA uses 2023 tax information (prior-prior year), any job your son starts now won't affect his aid until the 2026-2027 application. By then, his employment situation might be completely different anyway. I generally recommend students pursue employment opportunities, especially if they can find something in their field of study. The benefits typically outweigh any minor adjustments to future aid calculations.

Hey there! I had the EXACT same concern last year with my daughter. She wanted to work at Starbucks, and I was worried sick about her losing aid. After hours of trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid with no luck (constant busy signals and disconnects), I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual FAFSA agent in about 20 minutes. The agent explained that student employment has minimal impact because of the income protection allowance. Such a relief! If you're trying to get specific answers about your son's situation, check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration compared to calling directly.

at my sons school they told us student income under 3800$ per semester doesnt count for nothin on fafsa

srry for the confusion i forgot to mention - check if ur school has work study jobs!!! those DEFINITELY dont count for fafsa at all! my kid switched to work study sophmore year and it was way better

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies! This has really put my mind at ease. I'm going to encourage my son to apply for jobs, but we'll look into work-study options first since those seem safest for aid purposes. And we'll definitely keep track of his earnings to make sure he stays under that protection threshold for next year's FAFSA. Really appreciate all the advice!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works in financial aid at a community college. The key thing to remember is that FAFSA looks at "base year" income, which is always two years prior to the academic year. So for 2025-2026, they're using 2023 tax info. One tip I always give families: if your son does start working, keep good records of his earnings throughout the year. When it comes time to file the 2026-2027 FAFSA (using 2024 tax info), you'll want to know exactly how much he earned. If he stays under that $7,600 protection allowance, there's essentially no impact on aid. Also, many students don't realize that work-study positions often pay slightly above minimum wage and the hours are guaranteed to work around your class schedule. Definitely worth checking if he qualifies before taking a regular retail job!

As a parent who went through this exact situation two years ago, I can definitely relate to your concerns! My daughter started working at a local bookstore during her freshman year and I was terrified it would impact her aid package. Here's what I learned: the timing actually works in your favor. Since FAFSA uses prior-prior year tax info, any job your son starts now won't even show up until his junior year FAFSA application. Plus, that $7,600 income protection allowance mentioned by others is really generous - my daughter worked about 15 hours a week and stayed well under that threshold. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: encourage him to save some of those earnings specifically for college expenses. Student assets do count more heavily than parent assets on FAFSA, but if the money is being used for educational costs, it's not sitting in his account when you file the next application. Win-win! The peace of mind knowing he had some spending money without constantly asking us for cash was honestly worth any minor future aid adjustments. Good luck to your son at State University!

As someone who just went through this process with my older daughter, I totally understand your worry! But honestly, you're overthinking it. The income protection allowance gives students a pretty decent buffer, and the fact that FAFSA uses prior-prior year tax info means there's no immediate impact anyway. My daughter worked retail through college and it was one of the best decisions she made. Not only did she have spending money, but she learned time management and responsibility that honestly helped her grades. Plus, having work experience on her resume when she graduated was huge for landing her first job. I'd say go for it! Just keep track of his earnings and maybe aim for work-study positions when they become available since those are even better for financial aid purposes. The benefits of working far outweigh any minor future adjustments to aid calculations.

As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate reading through all these responses! I'm in a similar situation with my daughter who's starting college in the fall. It's such a relief to see so many parents sharing their positive experiences with student employment. The explanation about the income protection allowance and the timing of FAFSA reporting really helps clarify things. I was also worried about her potentially losing aid, but it sounds like as long as students stay reasonable with their work hours and earnings, the benefits far outweigh any minor impact on future aid calculations. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread has been incredibly informative!