I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! My ex and I have been alternating who claims our twin daughters for taxes, and I was panicking about how this would affect their FAFSA applications next year. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring. It's so helpful to see multiple people confirm that the tax dependency doesn't matter at all for FAFSA - I was convinced I'd somehow mess this up and hurt their chances at financial aid. The income difference in our case is even more dramatic (I make $38K, he makes $95K), so knowing that only my income will count for FAFSA purposes is huge. I'm definitely going to start gathering those verification documents everyone mentioned, just to be prepared. Thank you Logan for asking this question - you probably helped way more people than just yourself!

I'm a high school guidance counselor and see this situation frequently! Just wanted to emphasize something that might ease your stress - the FAFSA form actually has built-in logic that helps guide you through these decisions. When you get to the parent information section, it will ask directly "Which parent did the student live with more during the past 12 months?" and then route you accordingly. The system doesn't even ask about tax dependency because it's not relevant for federal aid calculations. One practical tip: since you mentioned your daughter lives with you 80% of the time, keep a simple calendar or record showing this if you don't already. While FAFSA rarely audits custody claims, having documentation of overnight stays can be helpful if questions arise later. Your situation is actually very common - I'd estimate about 30% of my divorced parent families alternate tax claims while maintaining clear physical custody arrangements. The fact that your income is lower will definitely benefit your daughter's aid package. Don't second-guess yourself - you're absolutely the correct parent to complete the FAFSA!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if your SAI seems way off from what you expected (either much higher or lower than online calculators predicted), don't just assume it's correct! There were quite a few errors in the early batches of SAI calculations this year due to bugs in the new system. You can request a review if something looks wrong, and it's worth double-checking your FAFSA data against your tax returns to make sure everything transferred over correctly. I know someone whose parent's income got duplicated somehow and their SAI was completely wrong as a result. It took a few weeks to fix, but it made a huge difference in their aid eligibility. Also, keep in mind that your SAI might look scary high, but remember it's not the amount you'll actually pay - it's just an index number schools use in their calculations. A high SAI doesn't automatically mean you won't get any aid, especially at well-funded private schools with large endowments.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone currently going through this - submitted my FAFSA on March 20th and got my SAI back on March 30th (so about 7 business days). However, I made the mistake of not updating my email preferences in my FSA account beforehand, so I almost missed the notification that my SAI was ready! If you haven't already, definitely go into your studentaid.gov account settings and make sure you're signed up for email notifications. Also check that your email address is correct - I know it sounds basic, but with all the stress it's easy to overlook simple things like that. The waiting is definitely anxiety-inducing, but from what I'm seeing in my friend group, most people are getting their SAI within 5-10 business days right now. The real variable seems to be how quickly individual schools process their aid packages after that. Some of my friends heard back from certain schools within a week of their SAI being calculated, while others are still waiting 3+ weeks later. Good luck with everything - you're definitely not alone in this stressful waiting game!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have discovered this incredibly detailed discussion! I'm a disabled veteran receiving VA disability compensation, and my daughter will be starting her college applications soon. Like so many others here, I was completely lost about how to navigate the FAFSA without traditional tax returns. This thread has been absolutely transformative - learning about the "Will Not File" option, understanding that VA benefits should be categorized as untaxed income, and discovering the nuances of SAI calculations has changed everything for me. The practical advice about gathering VA award letters early, proactively requesting IRS non-filing verification, and having backup resources like Claimyr ready has given me a concrete action plan. I'm also relieved to know about professional judgment reviews as an option if our circumstances don't fit the standard formulas. What strikes me most is how this community understands that military families face unique challenges that aren't addressed in typical financial aid guidance. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and creating such a supportive environment - you've transformed what felt like an impossible obstacle into a manageable process with clear steps forward!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly thankful to have found this comprehensive thread! I'm a disabled veteran receiving VA disability benefits, and my son will be applying for college financial aid next year. Like so many others here, I was completely overwhelmed trying to figure out how to handle the FAFSA process without filing tax returns. This discussion has been absolutely life-changing - learning about the "Will Not File" option, understanding how VA disability should be reported as untaxed income, and getting clarity on the SAI calculation differences has made everything so much clearer. The practical advice about gathering VA award letters early, requesting IRS non-filing verification proactively, and having backup resources ready has given me a solid game plan. I'm also grateful to learn about professional judgment reviews and school-specific veteran programs that could really help our family. What started as complete confusion about navigating an impossible system has turned into confidence with clear next steps, all thanks to everyone's willingness to share their real experiences. This community is exactly what military families need when dealing with financial aid complexities that the standard guidance simply doesn't cover adequately. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative space!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and this thread has been so educational! My son is a high school senior who will be starting college in the fall, and I'm already thinking about potential summer course scenarios for next year. One question I have after reading all these responses - when you update the FAFSA to add a new school, does that trigger any kind of review or delay in processing aid at his primary school? I'm worried about accidentally messing up his main financial aid package by making changes to add a summer school. Also, are there any fees associated with adding schools to the FAFSA or updating it? I want to make sure I understand all the potential costs and complications before we get to that point next year.

This thread is incredibly thorough and helpful! As someone who works in higher education finance, I'd like to add one more important consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet. When your son takes summer courses at the in-state school, make sure to understand how this affects his enrollment status and dependency classification for the FOLLOWING academic year's FAFSA. If he's considered enrolled at multiple institutions during the summer, it could potentially impact how his 2025-2026 FAFSA is processed. Also, keep detailed records of all summer coursework and aid received - you'll need this information when filling out next year's FAFSA. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool won't capture institutional aid or work-study earnings from summer terms, so you'll need to report these manually. It's a small detail but can save headaches during next year's application process!

So glad you got it sorted out! Your post actually helped me too - I'm dealing with the exact same situation with my son's FAFSA right now. I was also panicking about clicking that contributor invitation email. Reading through all these responses gave me the confidence to go ahead and complete my section. It's crazy how much they've changed the process, but at least we're all figuring it out together!

Just went through this exact same thing last week! I was so worried about messing up my daughter's application that I let that email sit for 3 days before finally clicking it. The new FAFSA system definitely requires both parents to complete their own sections now, even if you file jointly. Once I actually did it, it was much simpler than I expected - the system guides you through everything step by step. Don't let fear hold you back like I did - your daughter's application can't be processed until you complete your part!