Hey Hugo! As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been to follow! Your situation really highlights something I think a lot of students face but don't always know how to handle. What's been most reassuring to me as someone also navigating FAFSA complications is seeing how consistently everyone has emphasized that you're absolutely doing the right thing by switching to your dad's information since you've been living with him for the past year. This isn't a loophole or gaming the system - it's literally what federal regulations require when your living situation changes. I love all the practical advice that's been shared here about gathering documentation proactively, having your dad's FSA ID ready, and even reaching out to your school's financial aid office ahead of time to explain your circumstances. The fact that you never actually received disbursed aid using your mom's information definitely simplifies things too. This thread has really opened my eyes to how common these family situations are and how manageable they can be when you approach them honestly and come prepared. Thanks for asking such an important question that's clearly helping multiple people understand these tricky FAFSA scenarios. Best of luck with your submission and starting college this semester!

Hey Hugo! Welcome to the community! As a newcomer here, I've been following this incredible thread and I'm amazed by how much valuable advice you've received. Your situation really shows how FAFSA can get complicated when families don't fit the typical mold, but it's clear you're handling it exactly right. What stands out most to me is how everyone consistently emphasized that switching to your dad's information isn't optional since you've been living with him for the past year - it's what federal regulations actually require. I love all the proactive strategies people have shared, especially gathering documentation ahead of time and calling your financial aid office to give them context about your situation. The fact that you never received disbursed aid before definitely makes this cleaner too. This thread has been such an eye-opener for me about how common these family complications are and how supportive this community is in helping people navigate them correctly. You've clearly got a solid plan now - good luck with your FAFSA submission and starting college this semester!

As a newcomer to this community, I just have to say this thread has been an absolute lifesaver! I was literally up at 3 AM last night having the exact same panic attack as the original poster - completely convinced I was doomed because I thought I needed my 2024 taxes filed to submit my FAFSA. The "prior-prior year" explanation has been such a game-changer! I had no idea that the 2025-2026 FAFSA uses 2023 tax information instead of the most recent year. It makes so much sense from a practical standpoint - eliminates that impossible rush to file current taxes just to meet financial aid deadlines. What I really love about this community is how everyone shares their genuine experiences, from those middle-of-the-night panic sessions to the moment of relief when everything clicks. Reading through all these stories made me realize I'm definitely not alone in finding this process confusing initially. The mix of personal experiences and professional insight from the financial aid office worker creates such a well-rounded understanding that you just can't get from official websites. The practical tips about having documents organized and being able to make corrections later are exactly what I needed to hear. I went from feeling like my financial aid chances were completely ruined to actually feeling confident about starting my application this week. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences - this community is exactly what stressed students like us need!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have stumbled across this thread! I was literally having the same exact panic - thinking I needed my 2024 taxes done for my FAFSA and spiraling because I haven't even started them yet with my deadline approaching. The "prior-prior year" explanation is such a relief! It actually makes perfect sense that they'd use 2023 tax data to give everyone adequate time instead of creating this impossible crunch. I already have my 2023 return filed, so I can move forward with confidence. What really stands out to me is how supportive everyone is here - from sharing those relatable 2 AM panic moments to getting professional insights from someone who actually works in financial aid. It's exactly the kind of real-world guidance that official websites don't provide. The practical tips about document organization and being able to make corrections later are game-changers for overthinkers like me. I went from feeling completely behind and stressed to actually excited to tackle my FAFSA application. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise - this community is exactly what I needed to find during this overwhelming process!

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!