Also, OP, when parents own businesses, the income can be looked at differently than someone on a W-2. Some income is deferred. There can be assets and there can be losses as well. You should speak to someone like a CPA who is also familiar with Financial aid. Some of the info on CC is good too. Many people fill out the wrong data when they own a business ( a good example is claiming the income of the business as the income number rather than the wages a parent takes). You need to know how to fill it out. I have heard from friends with businesses that the estimate isn’t usually very accurate.