<p>I just came to the same conclusion as Madison . . . the money you earned is going to have to be declared on both FAFSA and your tax return.</p>
<p>Since this all happened in 2012, though, there is no issue of “falsified” returns, since you could not yet have filed a 2012 tax return! If you’ve already filed FAFSA, you’ll just need to amend it once you’ve figured out the tax return.</p>
<p>As for your continued financial aid eligibility . . . yes, the fact that you earned money last year could screw things up, depending on how much you earned. But, take things one step at a time: </p>
<p>(1) Rewrite and submit the appeal letter. </p>
<p>(2) Then figure out your taxes for 2012 and amend your FAFSA accordingly.</p>
<p>(3) Come back to this forum and ask for help if you then have FA eligibility issues due to your earnings. There are some very experienced people here who would be able to advise you.</p>
<p>So, right now, focus on the letter! And take a breath and relax . . . :)</p>