Just a clarification on the tax year information - for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they'll be using 2024 tax information (not 2023 as someone mentioned above). This is due to the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. So any income your son earns in 2024 would affect the 2025-2026 aid calculation. That said, with the protection allowance of $9,410, working 12 hours weekly at $15/hour should still keep him under or very close to that threshold, meaning minimal impact on his Pell eligibility.

As someone who works in financial aid, I can confirm that the $9,410 protection allowance for student income is accurate for 2025-2026. Your son's projected earnings of around $9,360 annually would fall just under this threshold, so his Pell Grant should remain intact. One thing I'd add is to keep detailed records of his work hours and earnings throughout the year. If he ever gets close to that threshold, he can adjust his schedule accordingly. Also, many campus jobs are flexible with student schedules during finals and busy academic periods, which is a huge advantage over off-campus work. The experience and potential networking opportunities from a campus bookstore job could be invaluable - he'll interact with faculty, staff, and other students regularly. Plus, many campus positions offer perks like textbook discounts or first access to used books, which could save money in other ways!

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm curious which solution actually worked because we had so many issues with the spouse signature thing too.

So glad you got it figured out! This thread is going to be super helpful for other people dealing with the same issue. The FAFSA spouse signature problem seems to trip up so many families, and it's frustrating that the system doesn't make the process clearer. Thanks for updating us on what actually worked - the combination of verifying the email AND using the direct signature link seems to be the key. Hopefully the Department of Education fixes these user experience issues for next year's FAFSA cycle!

UPDATE: I got it working!!! Turns out it was a combination of issues. I turned off my VPN like @casual_user suggested AND used the mobile app instead of the website like @financial_aid_advisor recommended. The mobile app interface is actually way easier to use than the website. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got it working! I'm actually dealing with the exact same issue right now - been stuck on the signature page for days. Going to try the mobile app + turning off my VPN combo that worked for you. Quick question though - did you have to start the whole FAFSA over again on the mobile app, or were you able to pick up where you left off from the signature step?

I used to work in a financial aid office before the new FAFSA system rolled out. This sounds like a combination of issues - the one-time gift being counted as income and possibly some confusion with retirement assets. The good news is both are fixable! Make sure you get everything in writing when you fix it, because sometimes these corrections can revert in the system.

I went through something similar last year and it was incredibly frustrating! In my case, the issue was that my parents accidentally reported their gross income in one section and then also included some of the same income as "untaxed income" in another section. The system basically double-counted about $18,000 of our income, which inflated our SAI by around $7,000. From what you've described with the $20,000 gift for medical expenses, that's almost certainly being treated as regular income rather than a one-time gift. The FAFSA system is notoriously bad at handling these special situations automatically. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet showing exactly what our actual income was versus what the FAFSA was calculating, then highlighting the discrepancies. Both financial aid offices found this really helpful when they submitted the professional judgment requests on my behalf. Also, if you do end up needing to contact FSA directly, try calling right when they open (8 AM EST) - the hold times are usually shorter then. Good luck!

when ur comparing loans make sure ur looking at the APR not just the interest rate. my sallie mae loan said 9.5% interest but the APR was actually like 11% cuz of all the fees they tacked on. didn't realize till after i signed :/

I just went through this exact process 6 months ago and here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: create a spreadsheet to track ALL the details from each lender. Include columns for interest rate, APR, origination fees, monthly payment estimates, deferment options, and any special benefits. Also, don't just apply to one lender at a time - most let you get rate quotes with soft credit pulls that won't hurt your score. I applied to 6 different lenders in one week and was shocked at the range of offers I got (from 6.8% to 12.4% for the same loan amount). One thing that really helped me was calling each lender's customer service line before applying to ask specific questions about their hardship programs and repayment flexibility. The quality of their answers told me a lot about how they'd treat me as a borrower. Given your timeline, I'd start with Credible today to get multiple quotes at once, then dive deeper into the 3-4 best options. With 3 weeks left, you have enough time to be thorough but not enough to procrastinate!