Professional Judgments
In the event unusual situations or circumstances impact your federal student aid eligibility, federal regulations give a financial aid administrator discretion, or “professional judgment,” to make adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA form that impact your SAI, or Student Aid Index. This measure gives us a more accurate assessment of your family's ability to contribute to the cost of education.
These Professional Judgment requests must be approved by the Professional Judgment Committee and are conducted on a case-by-case basis.
Please Note: Not all Professional Judgment requests will result in a change to a student’s financial aid package. The decision of the Financial Aid office is final, and cannot be appealed to the Department of Education.
Professional Judgment Process
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Submit a Professional Judgment Request
The first step of the process is to determine if you should submit a Professional Judgment request.
Important Note: The Department of Education plans to allow schools to make adjustments available to schools beginning by the end of June. ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox cannot finalize any professional judgment results until that time.
Examples of What Cannot be Considered in a Professional Judgment
- High debt-to-income ratios
- Parent’s refusal to contribute to education
- Credit card debt
Professional Judgment Request Forms
There may be multiple kinds of situations within this category. This may include job loss (at least 3 months must have elapsed prior to making any determination of current income), job change that results in lower pay, or retirement of a parent.
REQUIRED Documentation
The following are examples of the kind of required documentation depending on what type of reduction of income you experienced, when it occurred, and which academic year you are applying. The form below will instruct you which documents are required.
Job Loss
- 2023 or 2024 tax return
- 2023 or 2024 W2(s) for both parents or student
- Proof you are no longer working at your previous employer (letter from or to employer/final paystub/etc.)
- Any current income received (unemployment, paystubs, pension, retirement, social security, work for other spouse) covering at least 60 days for both parents or student
Retirement
- 2023 or 2024 tax return
- 2023 or 2024 W2(s) for both parents or student
- Proof of retirement
- Any current income received (pension, retirement, social security, work for other spouse) covering at least 30 days for both parents or student
Other documentation showing the reason and amount of change of income may be required. This may include but is not limited to documents such as other income or benefits received, termination notice, letter of resignation, attestation of reason for leaving employment, etc.
To be considered, the total net price of all additional students in college, excluding the student for which the Professional Judgment is being made, must meet or exceed 10% of the family’s AGI.
To determine net price, the following calculation will be used: Net Price = Cost of Attendance – Gift Aid.
REQUIRED Documentation
These are the documents you will be required to submit with the request form:
- Financial Aid Offer Letter for the same year the ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox student is enrolled and seeking a Professional Judgment
- FAFSA Submission Summary for each student for the same year the ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox student is enrolled and seeking a Professional Judgment
There may be multiple kinds of situations within this category.
Payments Reflected on the FAFSA Year Tax Return
- To be considered, the one-time payment must have been received in 2023 for the 2025–2026 school year, or in 2022 for the 2024–2025 school year.
- Examples include but are not limited to IRA rollovers, retirement withdrawal, bonus received, sale of property, inheritance received, etc.
Payments Reflected in Cash/Savings/Investment Net Worth
- To be considered, the one-time payment must have been reported as cash/savings/investment net worth on the FAFSA.
- Examples include but are not limited to inheritance received, sale of property, cash remaining from bonus received, etc.
REQUIRED Documentation
These are the documents you will be required to submit with the request form:
- Documentation showing one-time income source as well as documentation showing that the funds are not accessible or are no longer available, as applicable.
To be considered, students must be legally married after they have already completed the FAFSA.
REQUIRED Documentation
These are the documents you will be required to submit with the request form:
- A copy of signed marriage license
- Students and their spouse must submit as applicable:
- Signed 1040 tax returns with Schedules 1, 2, and 3
- W2(s)
- Verification of Non-Filing
To be considered, the total net price of all students in private elementary through high school must meet or exceed 10% of the family’s AGI in 2023 or 2024 for the 2025–2026 school year, or in 2022 or 2023 for the 2024–2025 school year.
The student in private education must be a sibling of the ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox student and enrolled for the same academic year as their sibling.
REQUIRED Documentation
These are the documents you will be required to submit with the request form:
- Families must submit a tuition statement on school letterhead (or an email directly from the school) stating the names of the enrolled students and tuition due for the academic year, including any scholarships and discounts, for the same year the ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox student is enrolled and seeking a Professional Judgment.
To be considered, the out-of-pocket medical expenses must exceed 11% of FAFSA Income Protection Allowance. The FAFSA already takes into consideration some medical expenses.
- For the 2024-2025 academic year, expenses must be reported on the 2022 or 2023 IRS 1040 Schedule A form.
- For the 2025-2026 academic year, expenses must be reported on the 2024 or 2025 IRS 1040 Schedule A form OR be paid out-of-pocket in 2024, 2025, or the previous 12 months. Complete the to determine eligibility before applying for the professional judgment request.
REQUIRED Documentation
These are the documents you will be required to submit with the request form:
2025–2026 School Year- 2023 Schedule A
OR - 2024 Schedule A and signed 1040 including Schedules 1, 2, 3, and form 8863 if used
OR - Proof of out-of-pocket medical expenses not paid by insurance, reimbursed by a third party, or using FSA/HSA funds. This may include but is not limited to: receipts, bank statements, medical provider account statements.
- 2022 Schedule A
OR - 2023 Schedule A and signed 1040 including Schedules 1, 2, 3, and form 8863 if used
REQUIRED Documentation
These are the documents you will be required to submit with the request form:
Divorce
- Court documentation showing divorce date OR a letter from lawyer showing that divorce is in progress
- For the 2025-2026 school year: 2023 W2 for FAFSA parent of the student
- For the 2024-2025 school year: 2022 W2 for FAFSA parent of the student
Separation
- Documentation of legal separation OR utility bills at separate addresses in each spouse’s name
- For the 2025-2026 school year: 2023 W2 for FAFSA parent of the student
- For the 2024-2025 school year: 2022 W2 for FAFSA parent of the student
- Copy of Death Certificate OR memorial program OR obituary
- For the 2025-2026 school year: 2023 W2 for FAFSA parent of the student
- For the 2024-2025 school year: 2022 W2 for FAFSA parent of the student
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Complete Verification (if selected)
If you are selected for Verification, you are required to complete the Verification before the Financial Aid office can complete the Professional Judgment. Please check your task tile to find out which documents are required to complete Verification. -
Wait for Review of Your Request
After reviewing the request, your Financial Aid Counselor will reach out regarding the decision of the Professional Judgment. Please allow up to two weeks for the review process. Sometimes the committee will need more information or additional documents to get a better understanding of the situation.