So sadly, this is my situation. Child is a college freshman this year, only qualified for Stafford loans for this year. As I complete FAFSA for soph year (2019-20) I know I’ll use 2017 tax forms. Is there anything additional I need to complete or note during this process since my 2017 taxes were married filing jointly but husband passed away this year (2018) and I’m going from a married household with one student to a widow? Thanks in advance for any guidance.
You will most likely be unable to use the IRS data retrieval tool, because you are now single, but I’m assuming you filed a joint return. This will also be an issue for the following year, as you are still considered married for 2018, and entitled to file a joint return for 2018 as well. If you can’t use the retrieval tool, you will need to provide a tax transcript if you’re picked for verification. I would contact your child’s financial aid office, as they will be able to guide you appropriately.
When you complete the FAFSA, you will use only your income on the form…not your husband’s. You will need to have those w2 forms so you know how much to subtract from your joint return numbers.
I’m sorry for your loss.
@CTScoutmom thank you. Wasn’t aware I can’t use the IRS retrieval tool in this situation?!? Why would that be? The 2017 IRS data would be correct.
The 2017 tax return was filed jointly…right? This would have your husband’s earnings included, right. You do NOT include his earnings on the FAFSA when you file…as he is no longer alive.
So…what is on your 2017 tax return was accurate THEN…but you don’t report your husband’s earnings at all…or taxes paid on the 2019-2020 FAFSA.
That is why you can’t use the data retrieval tool.
@thumper1 thank you for your reply and condolences. Yes, our 2017 taxes were filed jointly. Perhaps once I dive into the forms this year there will be a place to indicate my new status and they will prompt me to remove my husband’s data…I guess I shall see!
When you do your FAFSA, you will indicate that you are widowed. I don’t believe you will get any prompt at all to do anything…but if you read the directions for each line, they state what you should include, I believe.
So…don’t look for a prompt that says “don’t include your husband’s Income”. You won’t be seeing that.
You will include only YOUR income from 2017 because you are the only parent who will be listed on the FAFSA form.
I am sorry for your loss.
You will need to redo your tax return as if you were single with just your income. That is how the aid officer would do it if verifying your documents. Use the income & taxes paid that you come up with for your FAFSA. You definitely can’t use the data retrieval. Don’t worry about verification … if you are selected for verification, you will just provide your documents. You might be asked to provide a tax transcript & W-2’s for all income that was on the tax return. Then again, you may not be selected for verification & may not be asked to provide deny documentation.
You can also apply for a Change in Circumstances for THIS year, and she might get more aid, have her loans converted to subsidized, etc. Go to the FA page on the college website and there should be a form for consideration of a change such as a job loss, a death, an illness.
@kelsmom thanks. Ugh we use an accountant. What a pain to have to get them done again, a cost I’d like to avoid. Enough to deal with handling grief and other life and financial changes. I’ll try to review and see if I can manage myself, just worried I’m not at my sharpest right now mentally 
@twoinanddone thank you. An initial discussion with bursars office indicated no change would occur for this year.
I would try to do it yourself, @Meant2B . I have to do it in my job (financial aid director) - if I can do it, you can. You are just separating out income, so it’s usually not that difficult. Go to this link: https://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1819FSAHbkAVGCh4.pdf and look at “Using a joint return to figure individual AGI and taxes paid.”
Don’t take the Bursar’s Office’s word for it. They are generally not knowledgeable about special circumstances for aid.
You do NOT have to go to an accountant to “redo”your 2017 taxes. Those WERE accurate when submitted. Leave your actual taxes from 2017 alone.
What you DO need to do is ONLY include your income, and taxes paid on the FAFSA form. You need to subtract out what was your husband’s portion of these amounts.
If you have the 2017 W2 forms for yourself, and your husband, this should not be hard to do. Just take YOUR part and enter it. You do this by subtracting his.
@kelsmom…right?
Thanks @kelsmom and @thumper1. The PDF is helpful.
I do understand I am NOT filing my 2017 taxes again but just need to update certain values for my own purposes to complete the FAFSA forms. 
It always sounds more intimidating that it really is!
@kelsmom you’ve been very helpful here, thank you. I took a bit of a breather from forms,it’s been an overwhelming few months. Targeting FAFSA completion in early November.
Can you advise if life insurance needs to be recorded on the FAFSA, if so, where?!? Thank you in advance!
If you have the life insurance proceeds in a bank account, then you would report it as ‘cash in accounts’ or however it is held (CD, in 529, mutual funds). If you haven’t collected the proceeds yet, you wouldn’t report them until you receive them (in 2019?)