2025-2026 FAFSA takes less time than expected - any catch I'm missing?

ya same expereince here! took like 8 min total for my son. the new form is waaaaay shorter. dont think ur missing anything, they just cut out a ton of the old questions.

This is exactly what the Department of Education intended with the FAFSA Simplification Act. The 2025-2026 form eliminated approximately 80% of the questions from the original version, dropping from 108 questions to about 36 for most applicants. A few things to verify: 1. Make sure all contributors (parents for dependent students) linked their IRS data correctly 2. Confirm your daughter answered the dependency questions accurately 3. Check that any assets not pulled from tax returns (like 529 plans) were reported If all those are done correctly, you're probably fine! The higher SAI might be because the simplified formula weighs certain factors differently than the old EFC calculation.

U THINK ITS EASY NOW JUST WAIT!!!! verification is where they get u. My daughter did hers in 10 min last yr and we spent 3 MONTHS in verification hell. They kept asking for the same W-2s over and over. The easy part is a TRAP!!!

I finished mine in like 7 minutes for my junior and we got our SAI the next day! No issues at all. I think they finally fixed the system after last year's disaster launch. Don't stress!

The new simplified FAFSA is functioning as designed, but there are a few things to watch for: 1. The fast processing time is normal for the 2025-2026 cycle. They've streamlined the backend significantly. 2. About the higher SAI - the formula changed substantially. Many middle-income families are seeing higher SAI numbers because the new formula has different income protection allowances and asset treatment methods. 3. To minimize verification risk, I recommend logging back in once more to review the confirmation page. Specifically check that: - All parental contributors (if applicable) show as properly linked - All household members are counted correctly - Any special circumstances are properly documented Verification selection is partly random, but clean applications with properly linked IRS data are less likely to be flagged.

For schools that use both FAFSA and CSS Profile, the impact is more complex. The CSS Profile already collected more detailed financial information, so those schools were already making more nuanced aid decisions. Two important considerations for your situation: 1. If your daughter's school is CSS Profile school, they may rely less on the FAFSA SAI and more on their institutional methodology. Many are adjusting their formulas to account for the FAFSA changes. 2. For comparing to last year, as a rough approximation: - If your SAI increased by less than 20% over last year's EFC, you might not see dramatic changes in aid - If it increased by more than 20%, you might want to contact the financial aid office to discuss your concerns Many schools are still figuring out how to adapt their institutional aid to the new FAFSA formula, so being proactive with the financial aid office could help.

I'm freaking out because I completed ours in like 8 minutes but it's been 3 days and we still don't have an SAI!!! Did yours show up right away?? The status just says "processing" but no timeline or explanation! Should I call someone? Who do I even call?? Is this normal now???

UPDATE: We got our final SAI this morning and I just want to thank everyone for calming my nerves! I was definitely being paranoid after last year's disaster. Our final number is slightly different from the estimate (a bit lower actually, which is great). The simplified form really is working as designed. For anyone else coming from last year's nightmare experience - yes, it really is supposed to be this easy now!