Schools are INCREDIBLY slow this year because of the new FAFSA system!!!!! My niece is in the same boat - some schools already sent packages, others are saying it could be APRIL before they finalize!!!! It's ridiculous how they expect students to make decisions by May 1 when they might not get financial info until a few weeks before!!!!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this thread incredibly helpful! My son is a junior and we're just starting to learn about the FAFSA process. Reading about everyone's experiences with the delays and the need to check multiple portals is eye-opening. I had no idea about the CSS Profile requirement for some schools - that's definitely something we'll need to research early. One question: for those who have been through this before, what's the earliest you can submit FAFSA for the following academic year? I want to make sure we get ahead of any potential delays when it's our turn next year.

Just wanted to add that timing really matters here! The FAFSA uses a "snapshot" of assets on the day you file, so even if your friend's son had $10K in January but spent $8K on legitimate college expenses by March and then files in March, only the remaining $2K would count. Also, don't forget about sibling assets if there are other kids in the family - each student's assets are assessed separately at that 20% rate. We learned this the hard way when our twins both had graduation money sitting in their accounts. The silver lining is that once they start college and use that money for tuition/expenses, it won't be there for subsequent FAFSA renewals!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Student Aid Index (SAI) protection allowance changes. With the 2024-25 FAFSA updates, they eliminated the student income protection allowance but kept the harsh 20% assessment rate on student assets. This makes having money in the student's name even more painful than before! Your friend should also know that if her son receives any scholarships that exceed tuition/fees/books, that "excess" scholarship money could be considered taxable income AND might count as student income on next year's FAFSA. It's like a double whammy. The whole system really does seem designed to discourage kids from saving, which sends such a backwards message about financial responsibility. If they do move the money to parent accounts, make sure it's done as a legitimate transfer for educational purposes, not as a "gift" which could have other tax implications if it's over certain thresholds.

To summarize for anyone with a similar situation: 1. For FAFSA purposes, the parent who should complete the form is determined by where the student lived most during the past 12 months 2. If the student lived more than 50% with one parent, that parent completes the FAFSA 3. The other parent's income is irrelevant if they don't live in the same household 4. Who claims the student on taxes doesn't affect which parent completes the FAFSA 5. Having documentation ready (school records, medical records showing address) is wise in case of verification 6. For the new 2024-2025 FAFSA, you'll be determining the "contributor" parent using these same residency rules

Just wanted to add one more reassuring point - I work at a college financial aid office and see this exact situation frequently. When a student has lived primarily with one parent for years (like your daughter has with you), it's actually one of the clearest FAFSA scenarios we deal with. You're absolutely doing the right thing by using your information as the contributor parent. One tip: when you complete the FAFSA, there's a section where you can provide additional context about your family's circumstances. Consider briefly noting that your daughter's other parent is not involved in her education or living situation. This can be helpful context if your application gets selected for verification. Also, make sure your daughter applies to schools that meet full demonstrated need if possible - with your income level, she could qualify for significant need-based aid at many institutions.

I'm so grateful to have found this discussion! My family is dealing with the exact same IRS processing nightmare - we filed our taxes in January and it's now been over 4 months of "still processing" with zero communication from the IRS. I was absolutely panicking that this would somehow disqualify us from financial aid or cause major delays for my son's college applications. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. The consistent message seems to be: don't let IRS delays derail your FAFSA timeline. I'm particularly grateful for the professional insight from those who work in financial aid offices - knowing that this situation is routine and that there are established procedures to handle it makes me feel so much better. I'm going to follow the advice here and attempt the IRS Data Retrieval Tool tomorrow, with manual entry as backup if needed. It's clear that meeting financial aid deadlines is far more important than waiting for the IRS to get their act together. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and helping anxious parents like me navigate this stressful process!

Welcome to everyone who's dealing with this frustrating IRS processing delay! I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to this exact problem. We filed our 2023 taxes in late February and have been stuck in processing limbo ever since - no letters, no explanations, just the dreaded "still processing" message every time we check. Reading through this entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly such a relief! I had no idea how common this issue was or that the FAFSA system was designed to handle these delays. I was genuinely worried that somehow our delayed return would make us look unreliable to financial aid offices or cause problems with my daughter's aid package. The professional insights from those working in financial aid offices have been particularly valuable - knowing that they see this situation constantly and have established procedures to deal with it takes so much pressure off. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here: try the IRS Data Retrieval Tool first thing Monday morning, then manual entry if needed, and focus on meeting our financial aid deadlines rather than waiting for the IRS to catch up. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice. It's amazing how much stress this community has helped alleviate for families like ours who are navigating this process for the first time!

Just went through this process with my oldest last year! One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - keep digital copies of ALL your tax documents and financial records organized by year. When you're filling out the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll need your 2023 tax info (they use prior-prior year taxes), and having everything organized makes the process SO much faster. Also, if your family's financial situation changes significantly (job loss, medical expenses, etc.) after submitting the FAFSA, contact your son's financial aid office directly about "professional judgment" or special circumstances appeals. Many schools can adjust aid packages based on changed circumstances that the FAFSA doesn't capture. Good luck with your first college journey - it gets easier once you know the routine!

As someone who just went through this with my daughter, I can confirm everything others have said - you absolutely need to file a new FAFSA every single year! The confusion is totally understandable though, especially with all the changes they made to the system this year. One thing I'd add is to make sure you understand your son's school's specific summer policy BEFORE he registers for summer classes. Some schools treat summer as part of the previous academic year's aid, others count it toward the next year. This can really impact his aid eligibility and loan limits, so definitely get this clarified with his financial aid office before making summer plans. Also, start gathering your 2023 tax documents now if you haven't already - you'll need them for the 2025-2026 FAFSA when it opens in October. Having everything ready to go makes the process much smoother! The first year is definitely the hardest because everything is new. By next year you'll feel like a pro at this! Hang in there!