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anyone else notice how the dependency verification questions changed this year? my son is definitely independent (he's 24 and files his own taxes) but the system kept rejecting his status. had to answer the special circumstances questions to get it to accept his status.
This is a really important point. The 2025-2026 FAFSA made subtle changes to dependency questions. Even being 24 doesn't automatically qualify as independent anymore - they look at the tax filing status from the previous year too. The special circumstances section is much more important now for borderline cases.
UPDATE: We finally got through it!!! Combination of things worked: 1. Used Chrome in incognito mode 2. Entered all tax info manually (no IRS tool) 3. Fixed our mortgage amount (current balance) 4. Logged in at 5:30am when the site was faster And we got our official SAI calculation! So much relief. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. For anyone else struggling - don't give up, and try early morning hours when the site seems to work better.
That's fantastic! Glad to hear you got it working. The 5:30am timing is definitely a pro tip for others. When you have a moment, what was your daughter's SAI compared to what you expected? Many people are finding the new formula quite different from the old EFC calculation.
One additional option no one's mentioned - if all else fails with the financial aid office, your daughter could consider taking a gap semester and starting in January instead of August. By then your divorce would be finalized and you could file the FAFSA with just your information as the custodial parent. Not ideal, but better than missing out entirely or taking on excessive loans.
That's something we may have to consider, but I'm really worried about her athletic scholarship if she defers. I'll ask the coach if that's even possible. Thanks for suggesting this backup plan, though - it's good to think through all options.
Have you looked into CSS Profile schools? Some private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA, and it has a non-custodial parent waiver process that's more flexible than FAFSA's rules. If any of the schools she's considering use CSS Profile, you might have better luck getting an exception there.
Her school does use the CSS Profile! I didn't realize they had different rules. I'll definitely look into the non-custodial parent waiver process. Thank you so much for this suggestion!
Just want to give you some hope - my daughter submitted in January too and randomly got her SAI yesterday with no emails or anything beforehand. The system just updated. Maybe check your account again?
UPDATE: I called FSA this morning using that Claimyr service I mentioned, and the agent was super helpful. Turns out my application was complete but stuck in a processing queue. She manually pushed it through and said my SAI should appear within 3-5 business days! So relieved I didn't wait any longer to call.
Figures that you have to PAY someone just to get the government to do their job! This whole FAFSA system is a JOKE.
does anyone know if adding more schools will change my SAI?? i'm worried that making ANY corrections might mess up my current number which is pretty low
Adding schools won't affect your SAI calculation. Your Student Aid Index is based solely on your financial information and family circumstances, not which schools you select. You can add up to 20 schools total, and it won't impact your aid eligibility at all.
GalacticGuardian
also don't forget to check ur email spam folder daily!! my daughters aid notification went to spam and we almost missed a deadline to accept it!!
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Zainab Ahmed
To answer your question about estimating aid from the SAI - it's complicated. Each school uses the SAI differently based on their funding formulas. Some schools meet 100% of demonstrated need, others only a portion. You can use each school's Net Price Calculator (required on every college website) to get a rough estimate. Just know that these calculators vary in accuracy. If you're trying to plan your budget, I'd recommend assuming the worst case (minimal aid) until you get official offers. Many families are shocked by how different the actual offers can be from school to school, even with the same SAI.
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Amara Eze
•That makes sense. We'll definitely use those Net Price Calculators! I'm hoping for some decent aid packages since we're pretty middle-class and my daughter has strong grades. Fingers crossed that at least a few of these schools come through with something affordable.
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