Asinine change for 2024 FAFSA

[Cortez88]

I’ve done a fair bit of research of this because it is so nonsensical that I couldn’t comprehend it. Those who will have two or more kids in college at the same time are about to get screwed big time.

The “sibling discount” has been eliminated. What does this mean? Well, a students aid package used to be formulated with consideration of whether the kid had a sibling also in college. If college was $100 and the FAFSA filing for kid 1 determined that the family could pay $80, that same determination applied to kid 2. The family could afford $80 whether it was one or two kids.

Starting in 2024, that calculation will be much different. Instead of the family paying $80 for kids 1 and 2 they will pay $80 for kid 1 and $80 for kid 2.

So you may be wondering, if it was determined that family could only afford $80, why does the FAFSA calculation make them pay $160? There isn’t any answer I can find anywhere. This will be crushing to any family who is not extremely wealthy. The rest of us are screwed.

https://blog.massmutual.com/planning/college-fafsa-changes-siblings

 

[Marvin the Martian]

I’ve done a fair bit of research of this because it is so nonsensical that I couldn’t comprehend it. Those who will have two or more kids in college at the same time are about to get screwed big time.

The “sibling deduction” has been eliminated. What does this mean? Well, a students aid package used to be formulated with consideration of whether the kid had a sibling also in college. If college was $100 and the FAFSA filing for kid 1 determined that the family could pay $80, that same determination applied to kid 2. The family could afford $80 whether it was one or two kids.

Starting in 2024, that calculation will be much different. Instead of the family paying $80 for kids 1 and 2 they will pay $80 for kid 1 and $80 for kid 2.

So you may be wondering, if it was determined that family could only afford $80, why does the FAFSA calculation make them pay $160? There isn’t any answer I can find anywhere. This will be crushing to any family who is not extremely wealthy. The rest of us are screwed.

Was it an administrative change at Education, or did Congress change the law?

 

[Cortez88]

I believe it was both. I haven’t figured out exactly who is responsible for cutting the sibling deduction though.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

I believe it was both. I haven’t figured out exactly who is responsible for cutting the sibling deduction though.

It looks like it was a congressional change passed in 2021. The rationale was the old method favored parents whose kids were close together. Parents with kids 5 years apart had the same overall total cost, but wouldn't get the benefit. I agree it is crazy, but we were in that. Our 3rd child was 5 years behind our 2nd, so we didn't get the benefit of having already paid for 2.

It seems there must be a better way of making this more fair.

 

[IU_Hickory]

It looks like it was a congressional change passed in 2021. The rationale was the old method favored parents whose kids were close together. Parents with kids 5 years apart had the same overall total cost, but wouldn't get the benefit. I agree it is crazy, but we were in that. Our 3rd child was 5 years behind our 2nd, so we didn't get the benefit of having already paid for 2.

It seems there must be a better way of making this more fair.

seems like they could have just let the discount apply to families that have kids farther apart.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

seems like they could have just let the discount apply to families that have kids farther apart.

Maybe 1st kid gets no credit for siblings since the government can't know future kids are going to college with 100% certainty. Then kid #2 gets a double credit to offset for them and kid #1. Kid 3 then gets 3 credits.

 

[Ohio Guy]

Maybe 1st kid gets no credit for siblings since the government can't know future kids are going to college with 100% certainty. Then kid #2 gets a double credit to offset for them and kid #1. Kid 3 then gets 3 credits.

You would think that makes sense. I will say, as someone with a son who is currently a college freshman and a daughter who is a high school junior, this SUUUUCCCKKKKS.

 

[Cortez88]

It looks like it was a congressional change passed in 2021. The rationale was the old method favored parents whose kids were close together. Parents with kids 5 years apart had the same overall total cost, but wouldn't get the benefit. I agree it is crazy, but we were in that. Our 3rd child was 5 years behind our 2nd, so we didn't get the benefit of having already paid for 2.

It seems there must be a better way of making this more fair.

Marv I get that, but I would not have cared if the kids were further apart. It sucks, but we can afford one at a time. Double that? Man that’s going to be a serious ball breaker.

 

[mcmurtry66]

I believe it was both. I haven’t figured out exactly who is responsible for cutting the sibling deduction though.

It looks like it was a congressional change passed in 2021. The rationale was the old method favored parents whose kids were close together. Parents with kids 5 years apart had the same overall total cost, but wouldn't get the benefit. I agree it is crazy, but we were in that. Our 3rd child was 5 years behind our 2nd, so we didn't get the benefit of having already paid for 2.

It seems there must be a better way of making this more fair.

Or let the kids fill out their own FAFSA maybe. Instead of having to be 24

 

[Marvin the Martian]

You would think that makes sense. I will say, as someone with a son who is currently a college freshman and a daughter who is a high school junior, this SUUUUCCCKKKKS.

Marv I get that, but I would not have cared if the kids were further apart. It sucks, but we can afford one at a time. Double that? Man that’s going to be a serious ball breaker.

I get it is a problem, we had 2 in at the same time, followed by the youngest. The eldest wiped out a lot of our savings, the middle had some PLUS loans, with the 3rd we had lots of PLUS loans. For us the cumulative was the problem. But if my income was more so that I could pay in real time, the simultaneous costs would have been the problem.

We do need to lower ed costs across the board. That is where the problem lies first.

 

[hookyIU1990]

I currently have a buddy who has four kids in school and another who is a junior in HS. I wonder if he is aware of this. I probably won't text him until Monday so he can enjoy his weekend.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

It looks like it was a congressional change passed in 2021. The rationale was the old method favored parents whose kids were close together. Parents with kids 5 years apart had the same overall total cost, but wouldn't get the benefit. I agree it is crazy, but we were in that. Our 3rd child was 5 years behind our 2nd, so we didn't get the benefit of having already paid for 2.

It seems there must be a better way of making this more fair.

much of the world has figured this out.

the entire rest of the industrialized world has figured out healthcare.

the US can't have nice things because of conservatives. (both Pub and Dem).

California used to offer free college to in state residents until Reagan became governor.

that dude was a one man black plague on the nation.

 

[TomEric4756]

I’ve done a fair bit of research of this because it is so nonsensical that I couldn’t comprehend it. Those who will have two or more kids in college at the same time are about to get screwed big time.

The “sibling discount” has been eliminated. What does this mean? Well, a students aid package used to be formulated with consideration of whether the kid had a sibling also in college. If college was $100 and the FAFSA filing for kid 1 determined that the family could pay $80, that same determination applied to kid 2. The family could afford $80 whether it was one or two kids.

Starting in 2024, that calculation will be much different. Instead of the family paying $80 for kids 1 and 2 they will pay $80 for kid 1 and $80 for kid 2.

So you may be wondering, if it was determined that family could only afford $80, why does the FAFSA calculation make them pay $160? There isn’t any answer I can find anywhere. This will be crushing to any family who is not extremely wealthy. The rest of us are screwed.

https://blog.massmutual.com/planning/college-fafsa-changes-siblings

I detested filling those forms out … not sure I could find the patience to do it now. Fortunately… I’m done with that.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

It looks like it was a congressional change passed in 2021. The rationale was the old method favored parents whose kids were close together. Parents with kids 5 years apart had the same overall total cost, but wouldn't get the benefit. I agree it is crazy, but we were in that. Our 3rd child was 5 years behind our 2nd, so we didn't get the benefit of having already paid for 2.

It seems there must be a better way of making this more fair.

Why should I pay for your children's education?

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Why should I pay for your children's education?

I am very confident I have never asked you to.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

I am very confident I have never asked you to.

T.A.X. SUBSIDIES.....

 

[Marvin the Martian]

T.A.X. SUBSIDIES.....

So you personally own all tax monies? Good to know. But for many years, we the people have chosen to support education.

 

[outside shooter]

I had one year where THREE KIDS were in college at the same time, Columbia, Cornell, and UCF. No more. FAFSAs do suck.