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I just want to echo what everyone else has said - AGI is definitely what they use for FAFSA calculations. I went through this exact confusion when my son applied two years ago. I kept focusing on our taxable income because it had dropped significantly due to some legitimate business deductions, but the financial aid offices only cared about our AGI which had actually increased. One thing that helped me understand it better was thinking about it this way: the FAFSA is designed to measure your family's actual ability to pay for college based on your total income before you make choices about deductions and tax strategies. Your AGI represents that "real" income level better than your final taxable income after all the write-offs. Since your AGI went up from 2022 to 2023, even with the business write-off helping to keep it lower than it could have been, you probably won't benefit from an appeal. Save your energy for making sure all the other parts of your FAFSA are filled out accurately!
This is such a helpful way to think about it! I was definitely getting too focused on the taxable income number and not understanding that the AGI better reflects our actual ability to pay. Your explanation about FAFSA being designed to look at "real" income before tax strategies really clarifies why they use AGI. I feel much better about not filing an appeal now - it sounds like it would just be wasted effort since my AGI did increase. Thanks for taking the time to explain your experience!
I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly educational! My family is in a similar boat - my husband's business had some significant equipment purchases last year that created deductions, but our overall income still went up. Based on what everyone is saying about AGI being the key factor, it sounds like we shouldn't expect those business deductions to help us much with financial aid since they're already factored into our AGI calculation. One quick question for those who've been through this - when you filled out the FAFSA, did you find any sections particularly confusing or easy to mess up? I want to make sure I don't make any errors that could delay our aid processing. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource!
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Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and dealing with the same Parent PLUS loan confusion for my daughter who will be a returning sophomore. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I was completely panicked about missing deadlines and was about to apply for the Parent PLUS loan without having the aid package first! Reading through everyone's experiences, especially hearing from the financial aid professionals, has really put my mind at ease. The consistent advice to wait for the official aid package makes so much sense, and it's reassuring to know that schools are adjusting their timelines to accommodate the FAFSA delays. I'm planning to call our financial aid office this week based on all the recommendations here. One question I have - for those who've already called their schools, did you find it helpful to ask about estimated tuition increases for next year? I'm trying to get a rough idea of what we might be looking at compared to last year so I can start mentally preparing, even though I know the exact amount will depend on the official aid package. Thank you to everyone who's shared their knowledge and experiences. It's such a relief to know we're not navigating this stressful situation alone!
Welcome to the community! Yes, asking about estimated tuition increases when you call the financial aid office is definitely a smart idea. Most schools publish their tuition rates for the upcoming academic year by late spring, and the financial aid staff should be able to point you to where those numbers are posted or give you a ballpark figure over the phone. From what I've seen in this thread and my own experience, tuition typically increases 3-5% annually, but some schools have been more aggressive with increases lately. Getting that rough estimate will help you mentally prepare, like you said, even though the exact Parent PLUS loan amount will depend on your daughter's complete aid package. When I called my son's financial aid office last week, they were really helpful about walking me through both the estimated costs and their adjusted timeline for aid packages. It sounds like most schools are being very accommodating and understanding about family concerns this year. You're definitely on the right track with your planning - this community has been such a great resource for getting practical advice from people actually going through the same situation!
Welcome to the community! I'm also brand new here and dealing with the exact same situation with my son who's going to be a returning sophomore. Like many others, I was completely overwhelmed by the FAFSA delays and was actually considering applying for the Parent PLUS loan early just to stay ahead of things - thank goodness I found this thread first! The consistent advice from everyone, especially the financial aid professionals, to wait for the official aid package before applying makes perfect sense. It's such a relief to see that schools are being proactive about adjusting their timelines and prioritizing returning students for aid packages. I wanted to add one thing I learned when I called our financial aid office yesterday - they mentioned that they're also sending out email updates to families about their adjusted deadlines and processing timelines. The advisor suggested making sure our contact information is current in their system so we don't miss any important communications about when aid packages will be released. This community has been absolutely invaluable for understanding what felt like an impossible situation just yesterday. Thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences and expertise - it's amazing how much less stressful this all feels when you realize you're not navigating it alone!
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Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I feel a bit better knowing that there's still a chance with my SAI, even if it varies by school. I'm going to: 1. Wait for my initial aid packages 2. Contact financial aid offices directly if Work-Study isn't included 3. Ask about regular campus employment as a backup plan 4. Look into which schools might have larger Work-Study budgets I'll update this thread once I start hearing back from schools in case it helps anyone else with a similar SAI.
Sounds like a great plan! One more tip: when you contact financial aid offices, try to meet with someone in person or via video call if possible. It's much harder for them to say no to a face than it is to an email. Good luck!
Just wanted to add some perspective from someone who's been through this process! My SAI was actually 11,800 last year (so even higher than yours) and I ended up getting Work-Study at 3 out of 7 schools I applied to. The key thing I learned is that timing really matters - not just when you submit your FAFSA, but also how quickly you respond to your financial aid offers. Some schools have a "summer melt" where students decline their Work-Study awards, creating openings for waitlisted students. I got my Work-Study offer in July after being initially denied! Also, smaller private schools definitely seem more flexible with their cutoffs than big state schools. Don't lose hope - your SAI of 11,366 is definitely still in the running at many colleges.
This is really encouraging to hear from someone who had an even higher SAI! The July timing thing is super helpful to know - I hadn't thought about students declining their awards creating new openings. Did you have to actively follow up with schools over the summer, or did they reach out to you once spots opened up? I'm definitely going to focus more on the smaller private schools on my list based on what you and others have said.
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anyone else notice that sometimes the schools dont get the fafsa info even when u add them?? we added 2 schools for my son in january and when we called in march they said they never got his fafsa!! had to resubmit the whole correction again. so frustrating
That can happen if there's a processing issue or if the correction wasn't properly submitted (missing signature, etc.). Always a good practice to follow up with schools about 7-10 days after making FAFSA corrections to confirm they received the information. You can also check the status on studentaid.gov to see if your correction was successfully processed.
As someone who just went through this process with my own child, I wanted to add that you should also check your email (including spam folder) for confirmation messages after making corrections. When we added schools to my daughter's FAFSA last month, we received email confirmations within 24 hours that the corrections were submitted successfully. These emails also included a summary of which schools would be receiving her FAFSA data, which gave me peace of mind. If you don't receive a confirmation email within a day or two, that might indicate there was an issue with the submission process.
Luis Johnson
I'm in a similar boat as a single parent trying to figure out FAFSA for my kid! One thing I wanted to mention that I don't think anyone brought up yet is the simplified needs test. With your income around $63k and being divorced/single parent, you might qualify for this which could actually exclude your assets from the SAI calculation entirely if you filed certain tax forms or received means-tested benefits. Also, definitely look into whether your daughter qualifies as an independent student for any reason - sometimes there are circumstances that aren't immediately obvious. And if she's planning to take summer classes, make sure you understand how that affects her aid eligibility since community colleges often have different summer aid policies. One last tip from my research - some community colleges have "completion grants" for students who are close to finishing their degree but running short on funds. Even though your daughter is just starting, it's good to know these exist for later if needed!
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Nora Bennett
•This is really helpful information! I hadn't heard about the simplified needs test before - that sounds like it could be really beneficial for our situation. Do you know what specific tax forms or benefits would qualify someone for that test? I'm definitely going to research this more. The summer classes point is interesting too. My daughter is planning to take some summer courses to stay on track, so I'll make sure to understand how that might affect her aid. And the completion grants are good to know about for the future - it's reassuring to know there are safety nets available if we need them later in her program. Thanks for mentioning all these details that others hadn't covered yet! This community has been so informative in helping me understand all the different aspects of financial aid I never knew existed.
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Ava Thompson
Hi! I'm new to this community but wanted to chime in since I just went through something very similar with my younger brother. One thing that really helped us was connecting with the college's financial aid office BEFORE submitting the FAFSA to ask about their specific policies for divorced parents. Some schools have additional documentation they prefer to have on file, and getting ahead of that saved us from delays later. Also, I'd recommend checking if your state has any special programs for community college students - ours had a "last dollar" scholarship that covered whatever wasn't paid by federal grants, which was a game-changer. And don't forget to have your daughter apply for work-study positions early since those fill up fast at community colleges! Your situation with being the custodial parent and your ex being on disability should definitely work in your favor for the SAI calculation. Best of luck with the process!
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Lucas Adams
•Thanks for the great advice about connecting with the financial aid office beforehand! That's such a smart proactive step that I hadn't thought of. I'm definitely going to call them this week to ask about their specific requirements for divorced parents so we can get all the documentation ready ahead of time. The "last dollar" scholarship program sounds amazing - I'll definitely research whether our state has anything similar. It's incredible how many different aid programs exist that I'm just learning about through this discussion. And good point about applying for work-study positions early - I'll make sure my daughter gets on that as soon as applications open. This community has been so helpful in preparing me for this process. I feel much more confident now about navigating FAFSA and maximizing her aid opportunities!
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