This entire thread is like a masterclass in how to handle FAFSA emergencies! I'm a parent helping my daughter navigate the financial aid process and this kind of detailed walkthrough is pure gold. The progression from initial panic to systematic problem-solving to successful resolution really shows the power of community support. I'm definitely saving the contact info for that ID Resolution Center and the Claimyr service tip - seems like those could be lifesavers for any family dealing with FSA phone queues. It's also really encouraging to see that what initially looked like identity theft turned out to be just a clerical error. Sometimes the scariest problems have the simplest explanations!

this just happened to me but I was able to recover it by using my driver license and changing the email address and phone number.

Hey everyone! I just wanted to jump in with a quick update - I successfully added the school to my FAFSA this morning and it was actually much easier than I expected! Following the advice here, I logged into studentaid.gov, went to "Make FAFSA Corrections," and added the new school code. The whole process took about 10 minutes including double-checking the federal school code. I also took a screenshot of the confirmation page like someone suggested. Already called the school's financial aid office and they confirmed they should receive my info within 3-5 business days. They also mentioned I'll need to submit the CSS Profile by next Friday for full scholarship consideration, so I'm tackling that next. Thank you all SO much for the help and advice - this community is amazing! 🙏

Congratulations on getting it sorted out! 🎉 Your success story is really reassuring for anyone else who might be in a similar situation. It's great that you took the proactive step of calling the financial aid office right away - that's exactly what I would recommend. The CSS Profile deadline is definitely important to keep in mind, especially for private schools and merit scholarships. Make sure to gather all your tax documents beforehand since the CSS Profile requires more detailed financial information than the FAFSA. You're clearly staying on top of everything, so I'm sure the scholarship application will go well! Thanks for sharing your positive experience - it really helps other students see that this process doesn't have to be overwhelming.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare - your situation really hits home for me because I went through something very similar with Sallie Mae a few years ago. The constant harassment calls and watching your balance grow despite making payments is absolutely soul-crushing. One thing that really helped me was getting connected with the National Consumer Law Center - they have free resources specifically about private student loan rights that most people don't know about. They also maintain a list of attorneys who specialize in predatory lending cases and often do free consultations. Another approach that worked for me was sending Sallie Mae a "qualified written request" under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) - yes, it applies to some student loans too! This forces them to provide a detailed accounting of every payment, fee, and interest charge. When I did this, I discovered they had been misapplying payments and charging unauthorized fees for years. The most important thing I learned is that Sallie Mae counts on borrowers not knowing their rights. Once you start pushing back with proper documentation and legal knowledge, they often become much more willing to negotiate. You've already shown incredible courage by reaching out here - that's honestly the hardest step. Keep fighting and don't let them convince you that endless payments on a growing balance is your only option. You deserve better than this predatory treatment.

I'm new to this community and your situation really resonates with me - I've been dealing with similar issues with private student loans, though not with Sallie Mae specifically. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational about options I never knew existed. One thing I wanted to add that might help - have you looked into whether your state has any specific private student loan borrower protections? Some states like Illinois, Connecticut, and Washington have passed legislation that gives borrowers additional rights when dealing with private loan servicers, including caps on collection fees and requirements for clearer communication about payment allocation. Also, I noticed several people mentioned the importance of getting everything in writing, and I can't stress this enough. When I was dealing with my private loan servicer, they would promise things over the phone that never materialized. Now I follow up every phone conversation with an email summarizing what was discussed and asking for written confirmation. It's amazing how much more cooperative they become when they know there's a paper trail. The fact that so many people here have successfully negotiated settlements or found ways to fight back against these predatory practices gives me hope for all of us dealing with this nightmare. You're definitely not alone, and the strength it took to share your story here shows you have what it takes to fight this battle. Wishing you the best as you explore all these options!

As someone new to this whole financial aid process, I can't tell you how much this thread has helped calm my nerves! We're sitting on about $40K in savings with a household income of $82K, and I was absolutely convinced that our responsible saving over the years was going to completely destroy my son's chances for financial aid. The breakdown of the actual FAFSA calculation - showing it's only 5.64% of assets after the Asset Protection Allowance - is such a relief. I was literally imagining they'd expect us to empty our entire savings account! Knowing we're looking at roughly $1,600-1,800 annual impact instead makes this feel so much more manageable. What's really opened my eyes is the strategic approach everyone's discussing around merit aid. My son has decent stats (3.75 GPA, 1390 SAT) and we've been so fixated on the FAFSA formula that I hadn't really considered targeting schools where he'd be competitive for merit scholarships. The idea of researching schools where he'd be in the top 25% of applicants makes total sense. I'm definitely going to start running those net price calculators this weekend and look into the Common Data Sets that several people mentioned. It sounds like the research and school selection strategy is far more impactful than worrying about asset manipulation. Thank you to everyone who shared real numbers and experiences - this practical guidance is exactly what families like ours need to hear!

As another parent new to this process, I want to echo everyone's gratitude for this incredibly helpful thread! We have $48K saved with a $76K income, and I was having sleepless nights thinking our years of careful saving would completely eliminate my daughter's aid eligibility. The actual math showing ~5.64% of assets after the Asset Protection Allowance is such a revelation - we're looking at roughly $2,100 annual impact rather than the catastrophic scenario I'd imagined. While that's still significant money for our family, it's absolutely manageable compared to what I feared. My daughter has strong academics (3.85 GPA, 1440 SAT), and reading about the merit aid strategy has completely shifted our approach. Instead of trying to figure out ways to hide our savings, we're now focusing on researching schools where she'd be in the top tier of applicants for merit scholarships. I spent yesterday running net price calculators for several schools on her list, and the results were eye-opening! Some private colleges that seemed financially impossible based on sticker price actually came back with very reasonable net costs. A few even projected total aid packages that would make them cheaper than our state flagship. This thread has transformed our entire mindset from panic to strategic planning. Thank you to everyone who shared real experiences and numbers - it's exactly the practical guidance families like ours desperately need!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since I just went through almost the exact same situation a couple months ago. I was separated for 2.5 years without formal legal documents and had been filing "married filing separately" with two kids. What really made the difference for me was being proactive about contacting my school's financial aid office before even attempting to submit the FAFSA. They walked me through their specific "professional judgment" process and gave me a checklist of documentation they'd need. The key documents that helped my case were: - 2+ years of "married filing separately" tax returns - Lease agreements and utility bills showing different addresses - Bank statements proving completely separate finances - School records showing me as sole emergency contact for kids - A detailed written timeline of the separation My financial aid counselor explained that while I technically had to mark "married" on the FAFSA initially, they had procedures for cases where spouse information is impossible to obtain. The whole process took about 4 weeks from my initial meeting to final approval. Miguel, your 2-year track record of separate living and tax filing should definitely work in your favor! Don't get discouraged if the first counselor you meet with isn't immediately helpful - sometimes it takes finding the right person who's familiar with these edge cases. The system is complicated, but there are definitely pathways through it. Hope your Thursday meeting goes smoothly - looking forward to hearing how it turns out!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my experience since I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. I was separated for almost 3 years without legal papers and also filing "married filing separately" with kids. One thing that really helped my case that I haven't seen mentioned yet is including documentation of any changes you made to beneficiaries on insurance policies, retirement accounts, or other financial accounts. When I separated from my ex, I changed all my beneficiaries from him to my children, and my financial aid counselor said this was additional evidence of our intent to live completely separate financial lives. Also, if you have any text messages, emails, or other communication that shows discussions about living separately or dividing responsibilities for the kids, save those too. I know it sounds weird to include personal communications, but my counselor said it helped demonstrate that this wasn't just a temporary separation but a genuine dissolution of the marriage relationship. Miguel, your documentation sounds really solid with 2 years of separate tax filings and addresses. The fact that you're claiming the kids as dependents and have been the primary caregiver should definitely strengthen your case. Good luck with your Thursday meeting - this thread has been so helpful for all of us dealing with this frustrating situation!