This whole thread is such a perfect example of why FAFSA season is so stressful for families! I'm a college counselor and I literally keep a FAQ sheet about this exact topic because it comes up SO often. One thing I always tell families is to think of tax dependency and FAFSA dependency as completely different universes that just happen to use the same word. Tax dependency = IRS rules about who can claim whom for tax benefits. FAFSA dependency = Department of Education rules about whose income counts for financial aid. They're administered by different agencies with different goals and different criteria. Your son will almost certainly be considered a dependent student for FAFSA purposes (unless he meets one of those very specific independence criteria like being 24+, married, veteran, etc.), which means your income gets included regardless of your tax filing strategy. The silver lining is that you now have the flexibility to make the tax decision purely based on what's best for your family's tax situation without worrying about messing up his financial aid!

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my daughter last year, I want to add one more perspective that might help! We also chose not to claim her as a tax dependent for strategic reasons, and I was initially terrified we'd made a huge mistake for her financial aid. What I learned is that while the FAFSA dependency rules are completely separate from tax dependency (as everyone has explained perfectly), it's actually quite common for families to make different choices for tax vs. FAFSA purposes. The financial aid officers we worked with said they see this scenario regularly and it's totally normal. One practical tip: when you're completing the FAFSA, there's a section where you report whether your son was claimed as a tax dependent. Just answer that question accurately based on your actual tax filing, and don't worry about any perceived "mismatch." The system is designed to handle these different scenarios. You're definitely making the right choice to include your income information on his FAFSA regardless of your tax filing decision. Good luck with the application process!

I'm new to this community and just discovered this thread while dealing with the exact same frustrating issue! I've been stuck on the "information doesn't match" error for days and was starting to panic about my application deadline. After reading through all these incredibly helpful solutions, I'm now convinced my mom probably has an old FSA ID from when she helped my cousin with college applications about 6 years ago - something we completely forgot about until I found this thread! It's amazing how this one overlooked detail can cause so much stress when you think you're entering everything correctly. I'm definitely going to have her try the account recovery process first thing tomorrow using any old email addresses she might have used back then. This community is absolutely incredible for providing real, actionable solutions that actually work instead of the generic "contact support" advice you get everywhere else. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - you've transformed what felt like an impossible situation into something totally manageable!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I'm currently dealing with this exact same error and was getting so frustrated until I found all these solutions. My dad helped my older brother with his FAFSA about 4 years ago, so after reading through everyone's experiences, I'm now pretty confident he has an old FSA ID that we completely forgot about. It's crazy how this one overlooked detail can cause so much stress when you think you're doing everything right! I'm going to have him try the account recovery process tonight using any email addresses he might have used back then. This community is amazing for providing real solutions that actually work - thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and made this nightmare feel solvable!

Since your income changed significantly from 2023, make sure you understand how the SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) will be calculated. FAFSA will use your 2023 income, but if your 2024 or 2025 income is substantially lower, document everything carefully. You'll need to wait until after you receive aid offers to appeal, but having documentation ready will help tremendously with the professional judgment reviews.

Just wanted to add another tip - when you do submit the FAFSA in December, make sure to list your daughter's schools in order of preference! The first few schools on the list get priority if there are limited federal funds like work-study or Perkins loans. Also, some state aid programs are first-come-first-served, so submitting early really does matter. Good luck with everything - the financial aid process is overwhelming but you're asking all the right questions!

As someone who just went through this exact situation a few months ago, I can confirm it's totally doable! The "Make FAFSA Corrections" feature is your best friend here. One thing I'd add to all the great advice already shared is to make sure you also check if the school has any state-specific aid programs that might have different deadlines than federal aid. Some states have earlier cutoffs for their grant programs, and you don't want to miss out on free money! Also, if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the steps, many high school guidance counselors and college financial aid offices offer virtual appointments to walk you through the process. Don't be afraid to ask for help - they literally do this every day and want to see you succeed! 🌟

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation - just discovered a scholarship at a school I didn't include on my original FAFSA. Reading through everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease about the correction process. One quick question for those who've been through this: after adding the new school and getting confirmation, how long did it typically take before you could see the school listed in your FAFSA summary? I want to make sure everything processed correctly before I submit my scholarship application. Also, huge thanks to everyone who shared their step-by-step experiences - it's so much less intimidating knowing others have successfully navigated this! 🙏

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo what many others have said - this discussion has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I'm in the early stages of helping my daughter with college planning, and the question of parent liability for student loans has been keeping me up at night. What I find most valuable from all the responses is the clear distinction between eligibility determination and legal responsibility. It makes perfect sense once explained, but the FAFSA process itself doesn't make this clear at all. When you're providing all your financial information and the system is calculating how much your family should contribute, it's natural to assume you're somehow on the hook for the loans. I'm particularly grateful for the practical advice about creating realistic post-graduation budgets and the rule about keeping total debt under expected first-year salary. We definitely need to have more concrete conversations about career prospects and actual starting salaries in her field of interest. The point about federal loans having annual limits that provide natural protection against excessive borrowing is something I hadn't considered either. It's reassuring to know there are built-in safeguards, even if schools might suggest other borrowing options beyond those limits. Thank you @StarSurfer for asking the question that so many of us have, and to all the financial aid professionals and experienced parents who shared their knowledge. This community is exactly what I was hoping to find!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my voice to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm currently starting the FAFSA process with my twin daughters, and the question of parent liability has been causing me significant stress. What's been most enlightening is understanding that there's a clear legal distinction between providing income information for eligibility purposes and actually being responsible for loan repayment. The federal student loans are contracts solely between the student and the government, regardless of whose income qualified them for the aid. I'm especially appreciating all the practical advice about having upfront conversations regarding post-graduation expectations and realistic salary projections. The suggestion to use tools like PayScale and Glassdoor to research actual starting salaries in their fields of interest is something we'll definitely be doing before they commit to any borrowing levels. The information about annual federal loan limits ($5,500-$7,500 depending on year) providing natural protection against excessive debt is also reassuring. It sounds like the real risk comes when families move beyond these limits into Parent PLUS or private loans. One question I have: for families with multiple children in college simultaneously, does this change anything about how federal aid eligibility is calculated or parent liability? With twins starting college the same year, I want to make sure I understand all the implications. Thank you again to everyone who has shared their expertise and experiences!