Hi Leslie! As a newcomer to this community, I completely understand your panic about those blank sections - I just submitted my FAFSA last week and had the exact same heart-stopping moment when I saw empty fields for family size and assets! I was absolutely convinced I had somehow skipped entire sections and ruined my twin daughters' chances for financial aid. Reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, especially from Amy who works in financial aid, has been such a huge relief to learn that this is totally normal with the new simplified FAFSA system. It's really frustrating that the Department of Education doesn't explain this clearly anywhere - they could save so many parents from sleepless nights with just a simple note that blank sections are expected! The new system apparently pulls most data directly from our tax returns behind the scenes even when it doesn't show up on the summary page. I'm still waiting for my SAI calculation but feeling so much more confident after reading everyone's success stories here. Thank you for posting this question - it's helping so many of us newcomers realize we didn't mess up our applications after all! This community has been such a lifesaver for understanding these confusing FAFSA changes.

Hi Leslie! As a newcomer to this community, I completely understand your panic about those blank sections - I literally went through the exact same terrifying experience just two weeks ago! When I saw my FAFSA summary with completely empty fields for family size and assets, I was absolutely convinced I had somehow destroyed my daughter's financial aid eligibility. I actually spent an entire sleepless night wondering if I had accidentally skipped entire pages of the application! Reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, especially from Amy who works in financial aid, has been such a huge relief to understand that this is completely normal with the redesigned FAFSA system. The new form really does work differently than what we might expect - it pulls most information directly from your tax returns through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool behind the scenes, even when it doesn't display everything on the summary page. I ended up receiving my SAI calculation after about 9 days and everything processed perfectly despite those scary blank sections. It's honestly frustrating that the Department of Education doesn't include even a simple disclaimer on the summary page explaining that blank sections are expected with the simplified form - they could prevent so much unnecessary parent anxiety! But I'm incredibly grateful for supportive communities like this where we can all share our real experiences and help each other through these stressful processes. Based on everyone's success stories here, your application sounds like it's in excellent shape - try not to lose sleep over this like I did!

As someone new to this community and currently navigating the Parent PLUS loan process myself, I just wanted to echo how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a similar boat with divorced parents who both want to contribute, and I was getting completely different answers from my school's financial aid office depending on who I talked to. Reading through all these real experiences has given me so much more confidence about moving forward. A few takeaways that really stood out to me: - Both parents CAN apply separately as long as total doesn't exceed cost of attendance minus other aid - The parent with better credit should probably apply first to secure funding quickly - Each parent will have separate loan servicers and repayment schedules - Getting FSA IDs verified early is crucial to avoid delays - Clear communication between parents about amounts is essential I'm definitely going to have my parents read through this thread before we start our applications. It's amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you hear from people who've actually been through it rather than trying to decode official websites and conflicting advice from different sources. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share detailed experiences - you're helping so many families navigate this confusing process!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my recent experience since I just went through this exact process with my daughter! Both of my ex-wife and I applied for separate Parent PLUS loans even though we've been divorced for 5 years. Here's what actually happened in our case: - I applied for $8,000 and she applied for $9,000 to cover our daughter's $17,000 gap - We both got approved within about 5 business days - Each of us ended up with different loan servicers (I got Nelnet, she got MOHELA) - The school's financial aid office had no issues coordinating both loans The key things that made it smooth for us: 1. We agreed on the amounts via text before either of us started applications 2. We both completed our FSA ID verification about 2 weeks before applying (this was crucial!) 3. I applied on Monday, she applied on Wednesday - close timing helped the school process everything together 4. We both saved screenshots of our confirmation pages One unexpected thing - the financial aid office actually called us both separately to confirm the loan amounts matched what they had on file. So don't be surprised if you get a verification call. Your plan to have your stepdad apply first with better credit is smart. Having that first approval gives you a safety net while deciding if your mom needs to apply for additional funds. You've got this!

I'm new to this community but dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! We also checked yes for the Premium Tax Credit question and our SAI came back at $21,340 for a family income of $96,000 (family of 5). Like everyone else here, this was WAY higher than any old EFC estimates we had calculated. What's really infuriating is that we received about $6,800 in premium tax credits last year because that was the only way we could afford marketplace insurance after my husband's employer stopped offering family coverage. Now we're being punished in the financial aid calculation for trying to keep our family insured! Reading through all these experiences has been both validating and terrifying - it's clear this is affecting a lot of middle-class families who are caught in this impossible situation. @Diego Vargas, I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service because I've also been unable to get through to Federal Student Aid despite multiple attempts. The professional judgment appeal route sounds like it might be our only hope. Thank you to everyone for sharing - it helps to know we're not alone in this mess!

I'm new to this community and just went through this exact same frustrating experience! We also checked yes for the Premium Tax Credit question and our SAI came back at $19,850 for a household income of $91,000 (family of 4). Like everyone else here, this was dramatically higher than what we expected based on old EFC estimates we had done. What's particularly maddening is that we only qualified for the Premium Tax Credit because my employer's family health plan would have cost us over $1,400/month - completely unaffordable on our income. We received about $5,200 in credits last year, and now we're essentially being penalized for trying to keep our family covered with decent healthcare. Reading through all of your experiences has been both relieving and terrifying - at least I know we're not alone, but it's scary how many middle-class families are getting hit by this. @Diego Vargas, I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service because I've also been stuck in phone queue hell with Federal Student Aid. The professional judgment appeal route that several of you have mentioned sounds like it might be our only realistic option for getting some relief from this situation. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it really helps to know we're not the only ones navigating this confusing and seemingly unfair system!

Wow, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! As someone who's 18 and about to file my first FAFSA, I was completely lost on asset reporting. I have a small Roth IRA that I opened last year with money from my retail job, and like so many others here, I was planning to include it as an "investment" until I read through all these responses. The explanation about retirement accounts being considered "unavailable" for current education expenses really clicked for me - it makes perfect sense why they're excluded from federal aid calculations even though they're technically investment vehicles. And seeing multiple financial aid professionals confirm this guidance gives me complete confidence in excluding my Roth IRA. What's blown me away is all the strategic advice about timing and asset allocation. The idea of spending regular savings on qualified education expenses before filing FAFSA is genius, and I love how some people mentioned opening retirement accounts after filing this year to help with next year's aid eligibility. I had no clue there was this much strategy involved in optimizing for financial aid! Nathan, thank you so much for asking this question - you've literally saved me and probably dozens of other students from making a costly mistake. And to everyone who shared their experiences, corrections, and professional expertise: this community is absolutely amazing. I feel like I just got a crash course in FAFSA asset reporting that's more comprehensive than anything I could have found elsewhere. You've all made what seemed like an overwhelming process feel much more manageable!

This entire discussion has been so enlightening! As someone who's 19 and just getting started with FAFSA, I was completely overwhelmed by all the asset reporting requirements. I have a small Roth IRA that I've been contributing to from my campus job earnings, and I was absolutely convinced I needed to report it as an investment. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been like taking a masterclass in FAFSA strategy! The key insight that retirement accounts are considered "unavailable" for current education expenses really helped me understand the logic behind excluding them. And having multiple financial aid professionals confirm this guidance gives me complete peace of mind. What's really impressed me is all the strategic thinking people have shared about timing FAFSA submissions around education expenses and considering how asset allocation affects future aid eligibility. I had no idea there was so much strategy involved in optimizing your financial aid while still maintaining good financial habits. Nathan, thank you for asking such a thoughtful question - you've helped countless students avoid a potentially costly mistake! And to everyone who shared their personal experiences, corrections, and professional expertise: this community is absolutely incredible. You've transformed what felt like an intimidating bureaucratic process into something much more manageable with clear, actionable guidance. I'm bookmarking this thread as my go-to reference for FAFSA renewals. The collective wisdom here is better than any official guide I've found!

As someone completely new to both FAFSA and this community, I cannot thank everyone enough for this incredibly detailed and reassuring discussion! I've been panic-researching retirement account reporting for my daughter's upcoming FAFSA application, and the conflicting information online was making me feel like I was going to accidentally sabotage her financial aid chances. Reading through all these real parent experiences and getting confirmation from an actual financial aid professional has been such a relief. The clear answer that 401(k) and 403(b) accounts are NOT reported as FAFSA assets is exactly what I needed to hear. But honestly, the strategic insights shared here have been even more valuable - the timing tips about asset snapshots, how increasing retirement contributions can help lower AGI, and practical advice like calling your 401(k) provider for official documentation. I'm particularly grateful for the reminder that this process doesn't have to be perfect on the first try and that financial aid offices are used to helping nervous parents. As someone who tends to overthink financial paperwork, knowing I can make corrections if needed takes so much pressure off. This thread has turned what felt like an impossible task into something I actually feel confident about tackling. Thank you to this amazing community for sharing your wisdom and experiences!

As another newcomer to this community who's been wrestling with the same FAFSA retirement account confusion, I want to echo everyone's gratitude for this incredibly comprehensive discussion! I've been going in circles for days trying to get a definitive answer about whether our 401(k) and 403(b) accounts needed to be reported as assets. The confirmation from multiple parents who've successfully completed the process, backed up by the financial aid professional's official verification, has finally given me the confidence that these retirement accounts are definitively NOT reported on FAFSA. What's been equally valuable are all the strategic insights I never would have discovered elsewhere - like timing the asset snapshot, how retirement contributions can actually help by lowering AGI, and practical tips like getting official documentation from your 401(k) provider. I'm especially grateful for the reminder that financial aid offices are experienced with nervous first-time parents and that corrections can be made if needed. As someone who's been losing sleep over potentially messing up my son's financial aid eligibility, this thread has transformed my anxiety into actual confidence about tackling the FAFSA process. This community is truly a lifeline for families navigating this complex system for the first time!