FAFSA and SSDI (disability)

Paying for College
1

<p>My daughter has enrolled in college starting next fall, so we are looking at filling out the FAFSA paperwork in a few months.
I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and am currently receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).</p>

<p>A few questions…
Do I report the SDDI I receive on the FAFSA forms?
Do I report the disability benefit income that my kids receive on the FAFSA forms?
How will my receiving SSDI affect the financial aid?</p>

<p>Thank you for any input or advice.</p>

2

<p>Are these all nontaxable benefits? </p>

<p>I really shouldn’t give any info because I am not as familiar and don’t want to confuse.( ok since you have no answer yet, it is confusing, the untaxed income section says to include disability benefits, but then it says don’t include SS payments ) But this guide may help you fill the FAFSA.
<a href=“https://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2013-14-completing-fafsa.pdf”>https://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2013-14-completing-fafsa.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here is a previous answer similar to your question. @kelsmom work(ed) in financial aid
<a href=“My parents receive Social Security Disability and I have some questions. - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1445848-my-parents-receive-social-security-disability-and-i-have-some-questions.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Another related
<a href=“how do i report social security disability on fafsa? - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/881126-how-do-i-report-social-security-disability-on-fafsa.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Aid depends on income and assets. To see what your federal eligibility is, run the FAFSA4caster, that will tell you if you get the basic entitlements of Pell Grant. All students who fill FAFSA get the Direct Loan if they want. That’s it. A college may have the ability to give you a bit of SEOG or work/study. Some states give aid, some don’t. Many colleges give need aid or merit aid, some don’t.</p>

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<p>SSDI is not reported on the FAFSA. Other forms of disability income are reported, but SSDI is not. Should you be selected for verification, you may be asked to detail all forms of income, and all SSDI would be reported there. However, it still would not be counted as income for FAFSA purposes - it is simply used as documentation of how the family was able to live on the reported income.</p>

<p>I am sorry to hear about your illness, and I wish you the best. If you were working part of 2014 and received income that you will no longer receive due to your illness, and if your EFC is not 0, you will want to talk to the aid office about a professional judgement review of income — but if the EFC is 0, there is no need to do that (it wouldn’t make any difference in that case).</p>