As a newcomer to this community, I have to say this thread is absolutely incredible! The level of expertise and genuine support shared here is amazing. Connor, you've basically received a complete guide to navigating federal aid issues that would normally take someone years to figure out on their own. What really stands out to me is how many people have emphasized that these "missing" checks are often not actually lost in the mail, but stuck in various government systems due to database errors or administrative issues. That's such an important insight that completely changes how you approach solving the problem. The specialized School Services number (1-877-801-0576) that Hiroshi shared seems like a game-changer compared to that main customer service line everyone complains about. Combined with all the other resources mentioned - the Treasury Check Claims database, FSA Ombudsman complaints, CFPB filing options - you now have multiple ways to tackle this from different angles. As someone who's about to navigate financial aid processes for the first time, this whole conversation has been incredibly educational. The emphasis on documentation, knowing exactly what questions to ask, and having your son's FSA ID and other information ready before calling is such practical advice. Connor, I'm really hoping you'll update us on which approach ends up working best for you! This thread has become such a valuable resource that I'm sure will help many other families facing similar situations. Good luck with getting this resolved!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the incredible wealth of knowledge and support that's been shared in this thread! Connor, you've essentially received what amounts to a complete masterclass in navigating federal student aid bureaucracy. What really strikes me is how this conversation has revealed that many "missing" refund checks aren't actually lost in the mail at all - they're often sitting in various government systems due to database errors, address mismatches, or other systematic issues. The specialized resources everyone has shared create such a comprehensive approach: Hiroshi's School Services number (1-877-801-0576), Harper's Treasury Check Claims database, the FSA Ombudsman and CFPB complaint options, and even congressional involvement strategies. As someone who's just starting to learn about financial aid processes, this thread has been incredibly educational. It's clear that having the right contacts and knowing the right questions to ask makes all the difference when dealing with federal agencies. The emphasis throughout on documentation and creating paper trails is invaluable advice. Connor, with the multi-pronged strategy you now have - from Treasury database searches to specialized phone numbers to multiple complaint channels - you're incredibly well-equipped to resolve this efficiently. Please keep us updated on what ultimately works! This thread has become such a valuable resource that will undoubtedly help many other families facing similar challenges. Thank you to everyone who shared their expertise and experiences. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating complex federal systems so much more manageable!

As someone who just went through this process with my twin daughters, I can't stress enough how important it is to formally decline! We had scholarships covering both girls' expenses, but I made the mistake of ignoring the offered loans for one daughter while properly declining for the other. Guess which one had a registration hold placed on her account two weeks before classes started? The financial aid office told me their system flagged her account as having "unresolved aid" even though she never signed any loan documents. It took multiple calls and a trip to campus to sort it out. What really surprised me was how different the declination process was between their two schools - one had a simple online form, the other required a signed paper form submitted in person or by mail. So definitely call ahead to understand your school's specific requirements. Pro tip: If you do decide to accept a partial amount for emergencies as some suggested, make sure you understand the minimum disbursement amounts. Some schools won't process loans under $500, so accepting a tiny "just in case" amount might not even be possible.

This whole thread has been eye-opening! I'm a first-time parent going through this process and honestly had no idea that ignoring offered loans could create such headaches. My son's aid package shows a $4,000 Direct Subsidized Loan that we don't need since his scholarships cover tuition and room/board. After reading all these stories about registration holds and account issues, I'm definitely calling the financial aid office this week to get their specific declination process. It's really helpful hearing from actual financial aid counselors and bursar office staff about why the formal declination matters - the behind-the-scenes explanation about how "offered" status affects account balance calculations makes total sense. One thing I'm curious about - for those who mentioned accepting a partial amount as a safety net, how do you handle that if you never actually need the money? Do you just let it sit in your account accruing interest, or is there a way to return unused portions later in the semester?

I'm dealing with this exact same SSA verification nightmare and honestly finding this thread has been such a relief! I've been stuck for about 6 days now and was starting to think I was somehow entering my own information incorrectly, even though I've triple-checked everything against my Social Security card multiple times. What really confirms this is a widespread system issue is seeing so many people having the identical problem - and the fact that several folks called SSA directly and confirmed their info is correct on that end. It's clearly some kind of technical integration problem between FSA and SSA systems, not anything we're doing wrong. My priority deadline is in just under 3 weeks and I was getting really stressed about potentially missing out on aid over something completely out of my control. But reading all these success stories with Claimyr is giving me hope that there's actually a reliable solution. The fee seems totally reasonable compared to the alternative of possibly missing financial aid deadlines. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and especially to those who came back with updates after getting it resolved! This community has been invaluable for navigating this mess. Going to try the Claimyr route myself - fingers crossed I can get this sorted out soon!

This thread has been incredibly helpful - I'm dealing with the exact same SSA verification nightmare! Been stuck for about a week now and was starting to think I was losing my mind checking my info over and over again. Like everyone else, I've verified my SSN, DOB, and name spelling against my Social Security card multiple times - everything is 100% correct but FAFSA keeps rejecting it. The fact that so many people are experiencing this identical issue really confirms it's a widespread system problem, not user error. My priority deadline is coming up in just over 2 weeks and I was getting really panicked about potentially missing out on financial aid over a technical glitch that's completely out of my control. But seeing all these success stories with Claimyr is giving me hope that there's actually a reliable solution. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr approach based on everyone's positive experiences here. The fee seems totally worth it compared to sitting on hold for hours or potentially missing deadlines. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community support has been a lifesaver for navigating this mess! Will update once I get it resolved. Fingers crossed! 🤞

I'm a new member here and just went through this exact same experience! I submitted my 2025-26 FAFSA yesterday and had that identical moment of panic when I couldn't find the document upload section anywhere. After hearing so many stories about the complexity of uploading tax documents in previous years, it felt almost too simple to just complete the application and submit without any file uploads. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it's clear that the automatic IRS data sharing is working as designed and we didn't miss anything important! The new process definitely feels strange when you're expecting the traditional upload requirements, but it sounds like it should eliminate so many of the frustrations from the old system with unreadable documents and multiple resubmissions. I made sure to consent to the IRS data access during my application, and since my tax situation is straightforward (just standard W-2 income from my work-study job), I'm cautiously optimistic that processing will go smoothly. Now I'm in that anxious waiting period, checking my StudentAid.gov account daily for my SAI to appear! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - it's such a comfort to know we're all learning this new streamlined system together and that the missing upload section is completely normal now. Fingers crossed the 1-3 week processing timeline works out for everyone!

I'm a new member here and just went through this exact same experience! I submitted my 2025-26 FAFSA a few days ago and had that identical moment of confusion when I couldn't find the document upload section. After years of hearing about how complicated the FAFSA process was with all the tax document uploads, it felt almost anticlimactic to just complete the application and submit without any file attachments. Reading through everyone's responses here has been so helpful and reassuring. It's amazing how literally every single person seems to have had that same panic moment about the missing uploads! The automatic IRS data sharing definitely feels strange at first when you're expecting the traditional process, but it sounds like it should solve so many of the issues from previous years with document rejections and resubmissions. I made sure to consent to the IRS data access during my application, and my tax situation is pretty straightforward (just basic income from my campus work-study job), so I'm optimistically hoping everything will process without any hiccups. Now I'm in that nerve-wracking waiting phase, checking my StudentAid.gov account probably more times per day than I'd like to admit! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and insights here - it's such a relief to know we're all navigating this new streamlined system together and that the missing upload section is completely normal. Here's hoping the promised 1-3 week processing timeline holds true for all of us recent submitters!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences! I'm a US citizen living in France with my French husband, and our daughter is a junior in high school, so we're right in the thick of college planning. Reading through everyone's stories has been both sobering and encouraging. What strikes me most is how everyone emphasizes that the initial FAFSA calculation isn't the end of the story - there's real hope through professional judgment appeals. I'm definitely going to start gathering documentation now: our separate tax returns, bank statements, a letter from my husband about not contributing to education costs, and cost of living comparisons between France and potential US college locations. The tip about calling schools proactively to gauge their experience with international families is genius. I'd rather invest time upfront to identify schools that are more likely to be understanding than waste energy on institutions that aren't equipped to handle our situation. One question for those who've been through this - did any of you find it helpful to work with educational consultants who specialize in international family situations, or were you able to navigate the professional judgment process entirely on your own? I'm wondering if it's worth investing in professional help given how complex this all seems, or if the financial aid offices are generally equipped to walk families through the appeals process once you have your documentation in order. Thanks again for creating such a comprehensive resource - this community support is exactly what international families need!

As someone who just went through this exact process as a US citizen living in South Korea with my Korean husband, I can't emphasize enough how helpful this thread would have been a year ago! Everything everyone has said is spot-on - yes, you must report your spouse's income regardless of citizenship, but don't panic because professional judgment can make a huge difference. A few additional tips from my recent experience: 1) Keep detailed records of ALL your interactions with financial aid offices - dates, names, what was discussed. Some schools took months to respond and I had to follow up multiple times. 2) When explaining cost of living differences, I found it helpful to use specific examples (like rent costs, grocery prices, etc.) rather than just general statistics. 3) Consider the timing of when you submit appeals - I had better luck reaching financial aid officers in late spring/early summer when they weren't swamped with initial applications. Also, don't be discouraged if some schools say no initially. I appealed to 6 schools and got meaningful adjustments from 4 of them. The two that didn't adjust were actually schools I thought would be more understanding, so you really never know until you try. The whole process was stressful but absolutely worth it - we saved thousands per year in out-of-pocket costs. One last thing - if your daughter is considering schools with large international populations or study abroad programs, definitely prioritize those. They tend to have more experience with complex family financial situations and seemed much more willing to work with us.