Is There an Alternative For Getting the Incapacitated Parent's Signature On the FAFSA?

No. According to guidance NASFAA has received from the U.S. Department of Education (ED), starting in 2024-25 there are no acceptable alternatives to a parent's signature on the FAFSA. This is due to the sensitivity of federal tax information (FTI) and the requirement to have the parent contributor's signature and consent on the FAFSA to access that FTI through the IRS, as well as for the student to qualify for Title IV federal student aid.

This means a power of attorney (POA) is not acceptable, regardless of the situation. It also means a high school counselor or a financial aid administrator (FAA) can no longer sign the FAFSA on behalf of the parent.

According to ED, the inability to get a parent's signature could be the basis of a dependency override using professional judgment (PJ) if the FAA feels it is warranted and can document it on a case-by-case basis.

P&P Builder: NASFAA’s Policies & Procedures (P&P) Builder guides you step-by-step through the creation of a centralized, accessible policies and procedures manual. This is included in the cost of NASFAA Value Plus membership. There is an additional cost for other membership levels.