Something else to consider - Spring enrollment sometimes has different/fewer scholarship opportunities than Fall. Some institutional scholarships are only awarded to students starting in the Fall semester. Has your daughter considered waiting until Fall 2025 instead? She might qualify for more aid packages that way.

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your state has any specific FAFSA deadlines that are earlier than the federal ones. Some states award aid on a first-come, first-served basis and can run out of funding surprisingly early in the cycle. Also, since you mentioned this is your first time with FAFSA, make sure you're using the official site (studentaid.gov) - there are a lot of scam sites that charge fees for something that should be completely free. The whole process can definitely feel overwhelming at first, but you're asking all the right questions!

One more tip - when you're communicating with financial aid offices, be very specific about the dollar amount difference. For example, "Our 2023 income was $85,000, but $14,000 was temporary COVID hazard pay. Our projected 2024 income is $71,000." This specificity helps financial aid officers process your appeal more efficiently. Also, start this process early! Many schools have deadlines for special circumstance appeals, and they can run out of institutional funds if you wait until late in the cycle.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this process recently. When my daughter applied for the 2024-25 school year, we had a similar situation with my spouse's temporary pandemic-related income boost in 2022. A few things that really helped us: 1. Create a simple one-page summary document showing the income comparison (2023 vs projected 2024) that you can attach to each school's appeal 2. Keep copies of EVERYTHING - pay stubs, employer letters, tax forms. Some schools asked for additional documentation weeks later 3. Don't be discouraged if one school denies your appeal - each has different policies and available funds We ended up getting adjustments from 3 out of 5 schools she applied to, which made a huge difference in her final aid packages. The key is being organized and persistent. Good luck!

Update: FINALLY saw movement! Our application from March 17th just updated today with a processed date of March 25th. So there's a roughly 8-day processing time happening right now. Check your portals everyone!

Just wanted to add my experience - submitted March 19th and still stuck in processing. This thread is actually making me feel better knowing it's not just us! I've been refreshing the portal obsessively every day. My son has to commit to his college by May 1st and we really need to know what financial aid he's getting. Going to try contacting the schools directly like some of you suggested. Thanks for sharing all this info - at least now I know we're not alone in this mess!

One final note - make sure your son completes his contributor information promptly. All contributors must submit their information before the FAFSA can be processed. If he delays, it will hold up your daughter's entire financial aid package. The school's priority deadlines for financial aid are important - missing them can mean less aid for your daughter.

Just went through this exact situation last month! Had the same confusion with my 20-year-old who works but lives at home. Here's what I learned: if you're providing free housing, you're almost certainly providing more than 50% support even if he pays for other things. Housing costs are usually the biggest expense when you calculate fair market rent value. I ended up including my son (household size 4 in your case) and yes, he had to provide his tax info as a contributor. It was awkward but necessary. Don't risk verification by trying to exclude him if you truly provide majority support - the delays aren't worth it!

One additional consideration: the timing of asset reallocation matters. The 2025-2026 FAFSA (which would likely be when your student transfers to a university) will use your family's financial information from 2023 tax year. So any strategic financial moves should ideally be completed before the relevant tax year. Also, don't overlook merit aid opportunities. Many universities offer specific transfer student scholarships that are based on academic performance rather than financial need. By maintaining a high GPA at community college, your student could qualify for significant merit-based funds that aren't affected by your asset positioning. One final note: The Asset Protection Allowance has been dramatically reduced in recent years, so strategic asset positioning is more important than ever for middle-income families.

Great strategy! I'm in a similar boat with my son who's halfway through CC right now. One thing that's worked well for us is splitting our savings between maxing out my Roth IRA contributions and paying extra toward our mortgage principal. The Roth gives us flexibility since we can withdraw contributions penalty-free for education if needed, plus it doesn't count on FAFSA. Also wanted to mention - check if your state has any special college savings incentives beyond 529s. Some states have programs that offer tax benefits for certain types of education savings that might work better for your timeline. And definitely start researching transfer agreements between your local CC and target universities early - some have guaranteed admission programs if your daughter meets certain GPA requirements, which could save you stress later! The community college route is such a smart financial move. You're setting your daughter up for success without the crushing debt load.