2024-2025 Changes: Family Size & Number in College

By Rick Cox

This blog focuses on upcoming changes and reminders to family size and number in college for the 2024-2025 award year.

Family size for U.S. tax filers will be obtained from IRS tax information through FADDX (Future Act Direct Data Exchange). Tax filers are able to update family size if the current household size is different from what was reflected on the prior, prior year tax return. For non-filers and those who file a tax return with a tax authority other than the U.S. IRS, family size will need to be manually entered.

Beginning in the 2024-2025 award year, there will be some changes to who counts in family size. The family size reported should be the number that would be included on a U.S. tax return if the return was filed as of the date the FAFSA is completed. Unborn children are no longer included in the family size. Additionally, dependents (children or other dependents) must live with the student (or parent, if dependent) to be counted in family size. However, an independent student’s children and a dependent student’s siblings may still be counted if they live apart because of enrollment in college.

We’ve outlined who is included in family size:

For an independent student, include:

• Student
• Spouse (if applicable)
• Student’s dependent children if they live with the student,* receive more than half their support from the student and will continue to receive more than half their support from the student during the award year
• Other persons if they live with the student, receive more than half their support from the student and will continue to receive more than half their support from the student during the award year

For dependent students, include:

• Student
• Student’s parent(s)
• Student’s siblings if they live with the student’s parents,* receive more than half their support from the student’s parents and will continue to receive more than half their support from the student’s parents during the award year
• Other persons if they live with the student’s parents, receive more than half their support from the student’s parents and will continue to receive more than half their support from the student’s parents during the award year.

* As indicated above, an independent student’s dependent children and a dependent student’s siblings may still be included in the household if they live apart because of college enrollment.

Number in College

The number in college will not be used in calculating the SAI. Up through the 2023-2024 award year, this was used in the EFC calculation. We will continue to see this question on the FAFSA because the Department of Education is still required to collect this information. However, beginning in the 2024-2025 award year, this will no longer be used in the formula.

Rick Cox is Global’s Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance