So glad you got this sorted out! Just wanted to add - when comparing financial aid packages, make sure you're looking at the net price (total cost minus all aid) rather than just the aid amounts. Sometimes a more expensive school ends up being cheaper after aid. Also, keep an eye out for renewable scholarship requirements - some merit aid has GPA requirements to maintain eligibility all four years. Your daughter sounds like she's worked hard, so I'm sure she'll have great options!

Don't feel embarrassed at all! The FAFSA process is incredibly confusing and you're definitely not the first parent to mix up numbers on those forms. An SAI of 9,834 is actually in a pretty good sweet spot - not so low that you're struggling financially, but low enough that your daughter should qualify for meaningful aid. I'd also recommend having her apply for outside scholarships if she hasn't already - sites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com have tons of options, and even small $500-1000 scholarships can really add up. Best of luck with the aid packages!

Update: Thanks everyone for the great advice! Mom filled out the FAFSA last night as an independent student, and it was actually way easier than she expected. The application automatically skipped all the parent sections after she entered her age and that she's not married. She made sure to include me in her household size since she claims me as a dependent. Now fingers crossed for a good aid package!

Congratulations to your mom on going back to school! That's really exciting. Just wanted to add one more tip - since she's returning after 20 years in the workforce, she should also check if her school has any special programs or scholarships specifically for adult learners or non-traditional students. Many colleges have these programs with additional financial support that goes beyond federal aid. Also, some states have grants specifically for adults returning to complete their degrees. It's worth asking the financial aid office about these opportunities!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to find this thread! I'm currently going through the exact same situation with my son's FAFSA showing an SAI that seems impossibly high for our income level. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice here has been incredibly reassuring - especially seeing @Morita Montoya's update about finding those major errors and getting things corrected. I'm now motivated to go back through our FAFSA line by line to look for similar mistakes. The retirement account confusion seems to be a really common issue based on what I'm reading here. It's also helpful to know that financial aid officers at colleges are used to dealing with these situations and can be supportive. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - it's making what felt like an impossible situation seem much more manageable!

Welcome to the community! As someone who went through this exact nightmare last year, I can tell you that an SAI of 73K for a $125K household income with two kids is almost certainly wrong. The most common culprits I've seen (and experienced myself) are: 1. Retirement accounts accidentally listed as regular investments - this alone can add 20-40K to your SAI 2. Home equity or refinancing proceeds reported incorrectly 3. Business assets valued wrong if you own any part of a business The good news is that corrections can be made relatively quickly online, and I've seen SAIs drop by 30-50K after fixing these types of errors. Don't wait - log into your FAFSA account tonight and go through each section carefully. Also reach out to your daughter's preferred schools' financial aid offices immediately to explain the situation while you're working on corrections. You're not alone in this - so many families deal with initial FAFSA errors. Stay hopeful and keep us updated on how the corrections go!

As a grandparent who went through this process last year with my granddaughter, I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped us navigate everything smoothly: 1. Consider creating a shared Google doc or folder with your grandson and his parents where you can all track deadlines, required documents, and school-specific aid requirements. Each college can have different deadlines for their own aid forms beyond just the FAFSA. 2. If your grandson is applying to multiple schools, help him create a spreadsheet to compare aid packages when they come in. The "net price" (total cost minus all grants and scholarships) is what really matters, not just the sticker price. 3. Don't forget about state aid programs! Many states have their own grant programs with earlier deadlines than federal aid. In our state, we almost missed out on $2,000 in state grants because we didn't know about the separate deadline. 4. If you want to help but are worried about affecting his aid eligibility, you could also consider paying for things like textbooks, laptop, or dorm supplies directly to the vendors rather than giving cash. The whole process seemed overwhelming at first, but breaking it down into smaller steps really helped. Your grandson is lucky to have such a supportive grandparent looking out for him!

As someone who just went through this process with my own grandchild, I want to echo what others have said about starting early and staying organized. One thing that really helped us was attending a financial aid workshop at the local high school - many schools offer these for families in the spring. The counselor explained everything in plain English and even helped us understand the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Also, don't be afraid to call the financial aid offices at the colleges your grandson is considering! I was intimidated at first, but the staff were actually very helpful in explaining their specific policies and deadlines. Some schools even have grandparent information sessions. One mistake we made was assuming we understood everything from online research. Having that face-to-face conversation with a real person made all the difference. Your grandson is so fortunate to have you advocating for him - that support means more than you know!

I'm going through something very similar right now! My ex also wants to claim our daughter for taxes this year even though she's lived with me 85% of the time. What I learned from talking to my daughter's college financial aid office is that you need to keep good records showing your son lived with you most of the time - things like school enrollment records, medical appointments, etc. The financial aid counselor told me that sometimes schools will ask for documentation if there's any question about which parent should complete the FAFSA, especially if the parents have different income levels. Since your income is lower, it's definitely in your son's best interest for you to be the one completing the FAFSA rather than your ex. I'd suggest reaching out to your son's college financial aid office proactively to let them know about the situation. They can put a note in his file and give you official guidance you can share with your ex if needed.

I'm so glad you posted about this - I've been stressing about the exact same thing with my ex! Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful. It's such a relief to know that tax dependency and FAFSA responsibility are separate things. What really struck me is how many people emphasized keeping good documentation about where your son lives. I'm going to start gathering things like school records, doctor visits, etc. just in case. Also, the suggestion about having your son fill out the FAFSA himself while you provide your information seems like a great way to avoid any potential conflicts. Thank you for asking this question - you've helped more people than just yourself! I hope everything works out smoothly for your son's financial aid.