This is such a heartbreaking situation, and unfortunately I've seen it happen more often than it should. What really gets me is how the manipulative parent probably framed it to the student as "just temporary" or "easier this way" when they knew full well they were violating a court order and sticking their kid with debt. Beyond all the excellent legal advice already given, I'd suggest your friend also consider reaching out to their college's financial aid office to see if they have any emergency assistance programs or can help restructure payment plans while the court case is pending. Some schools have seen enough of these divorced parent situations that they have specific protocols to help students caught in the middle. The most important thing is that your friend understands this manipulation isn't normal parent behavior and they deserve better from both parents.

This situation is absolutely infuriating and sadly way too common. As someone who works in higher education administration, I see these divorced parent schemes all the time. What makes me especially angry is that the manipulative parent probably convinced your friend this was "no big deal" or "just for now" when they knew damn well they were breaking a court order and potentially ruining their kid's financial future. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - your friend should also check if their state has any specific statutes about educational support obligations. Some states have additional protections beyond just the divorce decree that could strengthen their case. Also, the paying parent might want to consider asking the court for attorney's fees as part of the contempt motion since they're having to spend money to enforce something that should have been automatic. The most important thing is acting fast. Courts don't look kindly on parents who use their children as pawns to dodge legal obligations, but timing matters for enforcement actions. Document everything and file that motion immediately!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works with FAFSA applications regularly - you're absolutely doing the right thing by reporting your dad's benefits. The key thing to remember is that the FAFSA is designed to capture your household's true financial picture, and that includes all sources of support. Since you're claiming your dad as a dependent AND he lives in your household, his benefits definitely count. The system actually rewards families in situations like yours because it recognizes you have additional people to support on your income. Don't second-guess yourself - accurate reporting will get your daughter the maximum aid she's entitled to!

I'm new here but dealing with a very similar situation! My mom lives with us and gets SSI, and I was so confused about whether to report it. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning that reporting benefits can actually help rather than hurt aid eligibility. It's reassuring to know that the FAFSA is designed to recognize when families are supporting additional household members. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Thanks everyone for the responses! I feel much better knowing this is normal with the new system. I'll keep an eye out for my daughter's SAI calculation to appear in her account. I appreciate all the helpful information - this community is great!

As someone who just went through this process myself, I can confirm what others have said - the simplified FAFSA really is that quick now! I had the same panic when I completed my son's contributor section in about 15 minutes after expecting it to take forever. The IRS data transfer really does pull most of what they need automatically. One tip though - make sure you save or screenshot the confirmation page after submitting, just for your records. It gives you peace of mind to have that proof of submission while you wait for the SAI to be calculated. The whole streamlined process is actually a huge improvement once you get used to it!

UPDATE: I called two schools this morning and had completely different experiences. First school confirmed they received our SAI data last week and said aid packages should go out in the next 7-10 days. Second school couldn't find any record of receiving our FAFSA data and asked me to call back tomorrow when their system updates. So I guess the answer is...it varies completely! Thanks everyone for your advice. I'll be calling the remaining schools today and checking all their portals.

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm a new parent going through this process for the first time and honestly had no idea what to expect after getting our SAI. Our daughter just got accepted to her dream school but we're still waiting on the financial aid package. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I should be calling them directly instead of just waiting around. Quick question - when you call the financial aid offices, are you speaking to actual counselors or just general staff? I want to make sure I'm getting accurate information about timelines. Also, has anyone had luck getting fee waivers for application deposits while waiting for aid packages? We're in that awkward spot where we want to secure her spot but can't afford multiple deposits if the aid doesn't come through.

I work in a college financial aid office, and I can confirm what others have said. The FAFSA website ONLY shows that you've applied and your student's SAI (Student Aid Index). It will never show the actual aid awards - those come from each individual school. What you should see in the FAFSA portal: - Confirmation that the FAFSA was processed - Your student's SAI calculation - Which schools received the FAFSA data What you'll only see in the school's portal: - Actual grant amounts (Pell, SEOG, state grants) - Loan offers (Direct loans, PLUS loans) - Institutional scholarships - Work-study eligibility BTW - make sure your daughter checks if she needs to complete entrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) if she's accepting federal loans. These are required before loan funds can disburse and are also completed on studentaid.gov.

As a parent who just went through this process with my own kid, I totally understand the panic! The whole system is so confusing when you're doing it for the first time. Just to echo what everyone else said - you're completely fine as long as the school portal shows everything correctly. One thing I learned the hard way is to screenshot or print out that acceptance page from the school portal, especially if there are any deadlines for accepting specific aid components. Some schools have different deadlines for different types of aid, and having that documentation saved me when I had questions later. Also make sure to save any confirmation emails from when she accepted the aid package! The FAFSA site really should explain this better somewhere prominent. Would save so many parents from unnecessary stress!