The 2025-2026 FAFSA will ask you to use your 2023 tax return (the one you filed in 2024 to report income). However, it will also ask you for your CURRENT marital status (on the day of filling out your form). Your or your parents' marital status may have changed.
If you recently got divorced: If you filed a joint tax return for 2023 but are no longer married when you're filling out the FAFSA, you'll need to separate out your former spouse's tax form information and only answer the financial questions about yourself. In other words:
Marital status: Divorced
Tax filing status: Married filing jointly
Adjusted Gross Income: This is difficult to separate, as you'll likely need to look at your tax form worksheets to calculate it for yourself. If you really can't figure it out, just subtract out your income/earnings.
Income taxes: Calculate what your taxes would have been for only your income
Benefits / Deductions: Only claim ones that were relevant to you (not your ex-spouse)
If you recently got married: If you filed a single person (Single / Head of Household) tax return for 2023 but are now married when you're filling out the FAFSA®, you'll need to add in your new spouse's tax form information, so that you answer the financial questions about your joint household. In other words:
Marital status: Married or remarried
Tax filing status: Single / Head of Household (or other similar)
Adjusted Gross Income, Income taxes, etc.: add together your number and your spouse's number
Benefits/ Deductions: Make sure you include any that either of you received. If you both received a certain benefit or deduction, add together the amounts.
If one person passed away: If you filed as a married couple (Married Filing Jointly) in 2023, but then one person passed away, leaving the other person widowed, then you'll need to manually subtract out the passed spouse from the 2023 finances, and only answer the questions in relation to the surviving spouse. In other words:
Marital status: Widowed
Tax filing status: Married filing jointly
Adjusted Gross Income: This is difficult to separate, as you'll likely need to look at your tax form worksheets to calculate it for yourself. If you really can't figure it out, just subtract out the passed spouse's income/earnings.
Income taxes: Calculate what your taxes would have been for only the surviving spouse's income
Benefits / Deductions: Only claim ones that were relevant to the surviving spouse (not the one who passed away)
Note that in all these cases, your reported numbers will be different from what the IRS has on file for your family, so (unfortunately) it is likely that your FAFSA® will be flagged for verification.
If your marital status changes after filling out the FAFSA®, then you'll need to make a correction on the FAFSA® and then follow the instructions above.
Alternatively, you can submit an appeal letter to your college. During that process, the college will likely issue a "professional judgment" and make changes to your FAFSA® for you.