I'm so deeply sorry for your loss, Ava. What you're going through is incredibly difficult, and it's completely understandable to feel overwhelmed by all this paperwork while grieving. I'm really glad to see you've gotten such helpful advice from this community and that you were able to connect with Federal Student Aid through Claimyr. Having that appointment with the financial aid office next week is a major step forward. Just wanted to add one more suggestion - when you go to that meeting, consider bringing a written summary of your situation (date of husband's passing, your current financial status, etc.) along with all the documents people have mentioned. Sometimes having everything written down can help ensure you don't forget important details during what can be an emotionally difficult conversation. You're doing an amazing job advocating for your daughter during such a challenging time. This community is here for you.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ava. What you're going through is heartbreaking, and trying to navigate financial aid paperwork while grieving is incredibly overwhelming. I'm really encouraged to see all the helpful advice you've received here and that you were able to get through to Federal Student Aid and schedule that appointment with the financial aid office. That's huge progress! Just wanted to add that you might also want to ask the financial aid office about emergency aid funds - many schools have special grants or emergency assistance programs specifically for students whose families have experienced unexpected hardships like the loss of a parent. These are often separate from regular financial aid and could provide additional support for your daughter. You're being such a strong advocate for her during an unimaginably difficult time. This community is rooting for you both.

Yes, including a brief explanation of your methodology would be extremely helpful during verification. I always advise families to create what we call a "verification packet" with: 1. Copies of all W-2s 2. Copy of the tax return 3. Spreadsheet showing the breakdown of each income source 4. Brief narrative explaining your calculation method 5. Any supporting documentation for unusual income splits This approach has helped many of my students sail through verification without delays when they've had complex family situations like yours.

I went through this same situation two years ago with my stepdaughter's FAFSA! What really helped me was creating a simple Excel sheet with three columns: Income Source, Total Amount (from joint return), and Father's Portion. I listed each W-2, then any 1099-INT for bank interest, 1099-DIV for dividends, etc. For the joint items like bank interest, I looked at whose name was primary on each account or split 50/50 if truly joint. The key is being consistent with your method and keeping good records. Also, don't stress too much - if you make a small error, you can always submit corrections later through the FAFSA portal. The important thing is getting it submitted on time!

Hi! I'm completely new to this community and to navigating student loans, but I wanted to reach out because I'm in a very similar situation. My son is also finishing his degree early (computer engineering, graduating this December instead of May), and we have a Parent Plus loan approved for spring that he won't need anymore. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly reassuring! I was initially really worried about penalties or complicated paperwork, but it's clear this is actually a routine situation. The consistent advice about contacting the loan servicer directly seems to be the key - several people mentioned they were able to get everything handled quickly that way. What I found most helpful was the mindset shift from worrying about "doing something wrong" to realizing we're making a smart financial decision by not borrowing money we don't need. That completely changed how I'm approaching this! Based on everyone's advice, I'm planning to call our loan servicer first thing Monday and ask for: 1) immediate hold on spring disbursement, 2) cancellation reference number, 3) timeline for account updates, and 4) email confirmation. Congratulations on your son's early graduation - that's such an achievement! Thank you for starting this discussion. This community seems so supportive for newcomers like me navigating these situations for the first time. Best of luck with your loan servicer call!

Hi! I'm completely new to this community and to dealing with student loans, but I wanted to reach out because I'm in a very similar situation. My daughter is graduating early from her education program this December, and we also have a Parent Plus loan approved for spring semester that she won't need. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I was initially panicked about potential penalties or complicated procedures, but it's clear from all these responses that this is actually a routine process that loan servicers handle regularly. What I'm finding most encouraging is how many people have emphasized that we're making a smart financial decision by not borrowing money we don't need. That really reframes this whole situation from something stressful to something responsible! Based on all the great advice shared here, I'm planning to call our loan servicer tomorrow morning and ask for: 1) an immediate hold on the spring disbursement, 2) a cancellation reference number for my records, 3) a timeline for when I'll see updates in my online account, and 4) email confirmation of the cancellation. Congratulations on your son's early graduation - that's such an amazing accomplishment! Thank you for asking this question and creating such a valuable discussion. This community has been so welcoming to newcomers like me, and I can already tell this will be a great resource. Wishing you the best of luck with your call to the loan servicer!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful to have found this incredibly detailed discussion about the FAFSA changes! My son will be a high school senior next year and we'll be going through this process for the first time. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both educational and honestly a bit overwhelming - I had no idea how complex the financial aid system has become. The explanation about the Student Aid Index replacing the EFC and the increased student asset assessment rate is particularly concerning for our situation. My son has been working part-time and saving diligently for college, but now it sounds like those savings might actually hurt his aid eligibility more than they would have under the old system. That seems so counterintuitive! I'm definitely going to start researching our state's aid programs and building relationships with financial aid offices at his target schools early, based on all the great advice shared here. The Professional Judgment review process also sounds like something every family should know about, especially given how many variables can affect the calculations. Thank you to everyone who has shared their real-world experiences and expertise - this thread has been more informative than any official resource I've found. Good luck with your Professional Judgment review, Fiona! It sounds like you have a solid plan moving forward.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this entire discussion incredibly enlightening! My daughter will be starting her college applications next year, and I had no idea about the significant changes to the FAFSA system. The shift from EFC to SAI and the increase in student asset assessment from 12% to 20% is particularly concerning - it really does seem like the new system penalizes students for saving money, which feels so backwards. Reading about Fiona's situation and everyone's detailed explanations has given me a much better understanding of what we might face. The concept of the "donut hole" income range is eye-opening - it explains why some families I know have had such different aid experiences despite similar circumstances. I'm definitely taking notes on all the proactive strategies mentioned here: timing asset management before FAFSA submission, researching state aid programs, building early relationships with financial aid offices, and understanding the Professional Judgment review process. It's unfortunate that families need to become experts in financial aid strategy just to afford college, but this community is providing invaluable real-world guidance. Fiona, I hope your Professional Judgment review goes well - it sounds like you have excellent documentation and a solid plan. Thank you to everyone sharing their expertise and experiences!

I'm experiencing this exact same issue! My spouse is from New Zealand and doesn't have an SSN, and we've been stuck for over two weeks with the contributor invitation not appearing in their FAFSA account. We've verified everything multiple times - email addresses, names, birthdates - and it's all correct. This thread has been a lifesaver! I had no idea this was such a widespread technical issue. I'm definitely going to call FSA tomorrow using that specific technical issue number "Technical Issue #FSA-2025-03: International Contributor Account Linking Failure" that Chloe mentioned. If that doesn't work, I'll try Claimyr based on Diego's success story. It's incredibly frustrating that such a critical system has these bugs when we're all under deadline pressure. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - knowing there are actual solutions gives me hope we can get this resolved!

I'm so grateful I found this thread! I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare - my husband is from Sweden and doesn't have an SSN, and his contributor invitation has been missing for over three weeks now. We've checked and double-checked everything (email, name, birthdate) and it's all perfect, but nothing shows up in his "My Activity" page. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was starting to think we were completely incompetent! I'm definitely going to try calling FSA tomorrow with that specific technical issue number that Chloe shared. If that doesn't work, I'll give Claimyr a try based on Diego's amazing success story. It's ridiculous that such an important system has these kinds of bugs when we're all stressed about deadlines, but at least now I know there ARE solutions. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice - this community has been a lifesaver!