lol I tried making corrections last year and somehow managed to make things WORSE! ended up having to get my school's financial aid office involved to help fix everything. If u can, maybe sit down w/ a financial aid person at your daughters school to make sure its all done right..

Just wanted to add that when you're making these corrections, double-check the "Parent 1" and "Parent 2" sections carefully. Since you have custody, you should be listed as Parent 1, and if you're unmarried, you can leave Parent 2 blank. Also, make sure to update the household size to reflect who actually lives in YOUR household, not your ex-husband's. This stuff can really impact the aid calculation, so it's worth taking your time to get it right. Good luck!

UPDATE: I finally got it fixed!! For anyone else with this problem, here's what worked: 1. I used Firefox instead of Safari 2. Cleared all cookies/cache 3. Found the new "Update Financial Information" button on the main application page 4. Had to re-verify my identity with FSA ID 5. THEN I could finally see and fill out the tax information section! Now waiting for the SAI calculation. Thank you everyone for your help - this community saved my sanity!

As someone who just went through this nightmare with my own kid's FAFSA, I feel your pain! The browser switching advice is spot on - I had to abandon Chrome completely. One thing that helped me was using the FAFSA mobile app as a backup to check if my information was actually being saved even when the desktop version wasn't displaying it properly. Sometimes the data was there, just not visible on the review page. Also, if you're still having issues after trying Firefox, consider doing the application during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) when the servers aren't as overloaded. The system seems more stable then. Fingers crossed the "Update Financial Information" button solves it for you!

Hey Grant, I just wanted to reach out because I'm in a somewhat similar situation - my mom is engaged to someone who makes significantly more than she does, and I'm terrified about what this will mean for my financial aid when I start applying to colleges next year. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening about how complex this whole process is. I had no idea that Ivy League schools have their own institutional policies that might be more flexible than federal aid rules. It sounds like you're being really proactive by meeting with your financial aid office - that gives me hope that there might be solutions available that aren't immediately obvious. I'm definitely going to start researching this stuff earlier rather than waiting until it becomes a crisis. Please do update us on how your meeting goes! I think there are probably a lot of students dealing with blended family financial aid issues who could benefit from hearing about your experience.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stress - it's such a difficult position to be in when family changes threaten your educational opportunities. I've been following financial aid policy for years and wanted to add a few thoughts to the excellent advice already given. One thing to emphasize is that Ivy League schools really do have more flexibility than people realize. Their endowments allow them to make exceptions that state schools or less well-funded private colleges simply can't afford. The key is presenting your case clearly and professionally. Also, timing matters here. Since your mom is marrying in June and you'll likely file your 2025-26 FAFSA in late 2024/early 2025, you might have nearly a full academic year under your current aid package before any changes take effect. Use this time strategically - maintain excellent grades, get involved on campus, and build relationships with faculty. Schools are much more willing to work with students who demonstrate they're thriving academically and contributing to campus life. Document everything about your stepfather's unwillingness to contribute. Even a simple email from your mom confirming his position could be helpful evidence in an appeal. The financial aid office needs concrete information to justify any special consideration. You've got this - don't give up on your dreams yet!

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet - the CSS Profile. Many private schools require this in addition to the FAFSA. It's more detailed and looks at assets differently. Some schools that use the CSS Profile have more institutional aid available and consider factors the FAFSA doesn't. If your daughter's top choice requires the CSS Profile, make sure to complete that as well. Additionally, sometimes appealing the financial aid offer can help. Once you receive the package, if it's not what you hoped for, you can write a professional, detailed appeal letter to the financial aid office explaining any special circumstances and requesting additional consideration. This works better at private schools than public ones, generally speaking.

Welcome to the world of college financial aid - it's definitely overwhelming at first! I just went through this process with my oldest last year. Your SAI of 31,422 puts you in what many call the "middle class squeeze" where you won't qualify for much federal aid but the expected contribution still feels like a huge stretch for most families. Here's what helped me get through it: First, remember that the FAFSA results are just the starting point. The real picture won't be clear until you get the actual financial aid package from the school. Second, start researching external scholarships now - even small ones add up. Websites like Fastweb and Scholarships.com can help you find opportunities your daughter might qualify for. Also, don't be afraid to negotiate! Once you have the aid package, if it's not workable, you can always ask the financial aid office to reconsider. Many schools have some flexibility, especially if you can demonstrate changed circumstances or competing offers from similar institutions. You've got this - thousands of families navigate this process every year, and there are usually more options than it initially appears!

I went through the exact same confusion with my daughter's FAFSA this year! It's definitely counterintuitive that they moved parent assets to the student section. One tip that helped us: I created a simple document with all our asset information (account balances, investment values, etc.) beforehand so my daughter could reference it easily during her portion. Also, make sure you're both sitting together when he completes it - some of those asset questions can be tricky to interpret correctly. The whole process feels backwards compared to previous years, but once you know what to expect, it goes smoothly. Good luck getting your SAI!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My daughter hasn't completed her section yet and I was getting so frustrated thinking I missed something obvious. It's really reassuring to read all these responses confirming that the asset questions are now in the student portion. I have to say, this seems like a poor design choice - as parents, we're much more familiar with our own financial information and account balances than our kids are. I'm definitely going to prepare a summary sheet with all our asset information before we sit down together to complete her section. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been incredibly helpful!