As someone who just went through this process last year with my daughter, I wanted to share a few additional tips that really helped us avoid verification delays: 1. **Bank statement highlighting** - I went through my bank statements and used a highlighter to mark every expense related to my daughter, then scanned those highlighted statements. Made it super easy for reviewers to see the pattern of support at a glance. 2. **Create a "support comparison chart"** - I made a simple two-column chart showing "Mom's expenses" vs "Dad's expenses" by category (housing, food, transportation, medical, etc.). Having that visual comparison really drove home the 65/35 split in support. 3. **Don't forget about health insurance!** - If you carry your daughter on your health insurance plan, that's often a significant monthly expense that counts toward support. I was paying $180/month to add her to my plan, which added up to over $2,000 annually. The documentation process seems overwhelming at first, but once you get into a rhythm of tracking everything, it becomes second nature. And honestly, having all this organized has helped me budget better overall - I had no idea I was spending so much on various support items until I started tracking them systematically. You're being proactive by starting this documentation now, which puts you in a much better position than most parents who wait until they're selected for verification. Good luck with the process!

Coming into this conversation as someone who's been helping families navigate FAFSA verification for several years, I want to emphasize how refreshing it is to see such thorough preparation! You're absolutely doing the right things by starting your documentation now. One additional tip I'd add: consider creating a simple timeline document showing major life events that support your case. For example: "August 2024 - daughter moved in with me for school year, staying weekdays," "September 2024 - added daughter to my car insurance," "October 2024 - enrolled daughter in my health insurance plan," etc. This timeline approach helps verification reviewers quickly understand the context of your support arrangement, especially in complex custody situations. It also serves as a nice supplement to your expense tracking spreadsheet. Also, since you mentioned your daughter is at community college - don't forget to document any educational expenses you're covering beyond tuition (textbooks, supplies, technology, transportation to/from school). These often get overlooked but can add up to substantial amounts over a year. The collaborative approach you and your ex are taking is really going to pay off if verification happens. Having both parents on the same page about the facts makes the whole process much smoother for everyone involved, including your daughter who won't have to stress about her aid being delayed due to documentation disputes.

I just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this exact same situation! I made the retirement account mistake on my CSS Profile last year and was absolutely panicking about the $40K+ difference it created. One thing that really helped me was when I called schools, I led with "I need to correct a data entry error that significantly inflates my family's available assets." This immediately got their attention and they understood the urgency. Also, I discovered that a few schools actually have dedicated CSS correction specialists who handle these types of issues specifically during peak season (January-March). When you call, it's worth asking if they have someone who specializes in CSS Profile corrections - they tend to process these much faster than general financial aid staff. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for most schools to fully recalculate my aid packages, but the difference in aid offers was incredible - literally thousands more in grants at several schools. Totally worth the stress and phone calls! Don't give up - this is absolutely fixable and schools deal with it all the time. You're being smart by tackling it right away!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm currently dealing with a very similar CSS Profile mistake where I accidentally reported my mom's 457(b) retirement plan as a regular investment account, creating about a $42,000 difference in our reported assets. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea this was such a common error! Based on all the fantastic advice shared here, I'm planning to: 1. Create a detailed one-page correction summary with specific CSS question numbers 2. Gather clear documentation showing the 457(b) account type 3. Start calling schools tomorrow using the phrase "retirement account misclassification" 4. Follow up with emails through secure portals when available 5. Track everything in a spreadsheet with contact info and follow-up dates One quick question - for those who successfully got this corrected, did you find that smaller private schools were faster to process corrections than larger state schools? I'm applying to a mix and wondering if I should prioritize certain types of schools first. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and advice - this thread has transformed what felt like a disaster into a manageable situation with a clear action plan!

I'm so grateful to have found this thread! We're dealing with the exact same situation - two kids in college next year and the financial aid packages are absolutely crushing. Our EFC was manageable with one child, but now with the new SAI system expecting us to pay nearly $60k total for both kids, I honestly don't know how we're going to make this work. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea about the "sibling squeeze" term or that the new FAFSA calculations work so differently from the old system. The specific language to use when calling financial aid offices, the tips about emergency funds through dean of students offices, and the professional judgment review process - this is all information I never would have found anywhere else. What really resonates with me is how many families here have worked hard to be financially responsible, saved for college, and now feel like we're being penalized for it. The system seems completely disconnected from the reality of what middle-income families can actually afford. I'm going to start putting together that detailed budget breakdown and documentation that several people mentioned, and I'll be calling both schools next week using the professional terminology shared here. Thank you all for turning what felt like an impossible situation into something with actual actionable steps. This community support means everything when facing such a stressful financial challenge!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening for me as someone who will likely face this exact situation in a few years with my twins who are currently high school sophomores. Reading about the "sibling squeeze" and how dramatically the new FAFSA SAI calculations differ from the old EFC system is both terrifying and valuable information that I never would have known otherwise. What strikes me most is how many families here have been financially responsible - saving, planning, maintaining steady incomes - yet are now facing impossible choices because the system assumes they can somehow double their college contributions overnight. The disconnect between what FAFSA thinks families can afford versus actual financial reality is staggering. I'm taking detailed notes on all the strategies shared here: the specific language for financial aid appeals, the documentation approaches, the emergency fund options through dean of students offices, and the importance of persistence. For families like @Oscar Murphy and others currently navigating this crisis, thank you for sharing your experiences so openly. Your struggles are helping future families prepare and advocate more effectively. One question for those who've been through appeals - have you found that starting the conversation with "our family's financial situation has changed significantly with multiple students" helps frame the discussion better than focusing on the FAFSA calculation errors? I'm trying to understand the most effective approach before my twins reach college age.

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to add my voice to say how incredibly helpful this discussion has been! I'm in almost the exact same situation - we moved about 6 weeks ago and I've been absolutely paralyzed about whether to update our address on my son's FAFSA. Like so many others here, I got caught up reading horror stories online about simple changes causing massive delays. What's been so reassuring is hearing from actual people who've successfully navigated this, especially the professional insight from @Megan D'Acosta about how routine these updates really are. It completely shifted my thinking from "avoid all changes" to "keep accurate information." The step-by-step approach everyone has outlined (FSA ID first, then FAFSA immediately after) gives me a clear action plan. I think what struck me most was realizing that having incorrect contact information could actually create bigger problems than updating it. If they need to reach us about something time-sensitive and can't because they have the wrong address, that could be far worse than any potential verification issues. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences - it's exactly what I needed to move forward with confidence!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for such an incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I'm currently facing the exact same dilemma - we moved about 5 weeks ago and I've been staring at that FAFSA update screen, absolutely terrified to make any changes to our address information. Reading through all these real experiences has been such a relief, especially the professional insight from @Megan D'Acosta about how routine address updates actually are in financial aid administration. It completely changed my perspective from trying to avoid all changes to understanding that maintaining accurate information is actually the safer and more responsible approach. What really resonated with me was realizing I was so focused on horror stories that I wasn't considering the very real risks of having outdated contact information on file. The consistent step-by-step advice everyone has shared (update FSA ID first, then FAFSA immediately after in the same session, keep detailed records) gives me a concrete action plan instead of just sitting here paralyzed with anxiety. It's amazing how hearing from people who've actually navigated this exact situation successfully can transform fear into confidence. This supportive community environment is exactly what I needed to move forward with updating our information correctly. Thank you all for sharing your genuine experiences and helping newcomers like me find the clarity to take the right action!

As someone who just went through this exact issue with my daughter's FAFSA last month, I want to emphasize how important it is to persist with finding this question! The TEACH Grant really is worth up to $4,000 per year, but there's a catch - recipients have to commit to teaching in a high-need field at a low-income school for 4 years after graduation, or the grant converts to an unsubsidized loan with interest calculated from the original disbursement date. For anyone still troubleshooting this disappearing question issue, here's what worked for us after trying everything mentioned in this thread: 1. Make sure your son's major is listed as something very specific like "Elementary Education," "Secondary Education - Mathematics," etc. rather than just "Education" or "Undecided" 2. Ensure ALL the schools on his list have accredited teacher preparation programs 3. Try accessing the FAFSA during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) when the servers are less congested If you absolutely cannot get the question to appear and need to submit by your deadline, don't stress! You can definitely add this information through corrections later. Just make sure to do it within the first few weeks after submission so schools can consider it for their aid packages. The TEACH Grant has specific deadlines that vary by school, so you'll want to contact the financial aid offices directly to confirm their timelines.

I'm a current college student who went through the TEACH Grant application process last year, and I want to add a few practical tips that might help! First, if you're still having trouble finding the teaching certification question, try logging in from a completely different device (like a tablet or different computer) rather than just switching browsers. Sometimes the FAFSA system seems to "remember" incomplete sessions and gets stuck in loops. Second, when the question does appear, make sure to read it carefully - it asks specifically about pursuing teacher certification/licensure, not just majoring in education. Some education majors don't actually pursue certification (like those going into educational administration or curriculum design), so the system is trying to identify students who will actually become classroom teachers. Lastly, I learned the hard way that even after you answer yes to the teaching certification question, you'll need to complete additional TEACH Grant paperwork through your school's financial aid office. The FAFSA question just flags you as potentially eligible - there's a whole separate application process with agreements to sign about the service commitment. Hope this helps, and don't give up! That $4,000 per year really does make a difference, especially for education majors who often have lower starting salaries after graduation.