Just wanted to follow up - have you made any progress with your financial aid package? Did any of the suggestions here help?

So glad to hear you got it sorted out! A missing middle initial causing months of delays is exactly the kind of bureaucratic nightmare that makes this process so frustrating. It's crazy how something so small can hold up thousands of dollars in aid. Your story gives me hope that there's probably some tiny detail causing my own delays too. Definitely going to try that direct contact approach and the Claimyr service - thanks for sharing what worked!

One more thing to consider - some schools have priority deadlines for FAFSA submission to qualify for their institutional scholarships. Even though you can add schools anytime before the federal deadline (which is June 30, 2026 for the 2025-2026 academic year), each school might have their own priority dates. I recommend checking the financial aid websites for your additional schools to make sure you haven't missed any important deadlines for maximum aid consideration.

Just wanted to add - when you go to make corrections to add schools, make sure you have the correct school codes ready! You can search for them on the FAFSA website or each school's financial aid page. I made the mistake of adding the wrong code for one school (there were two campuses with similar names) and had to submit another correction to fix it. Also, after you submit the correction, you should get an email confirmation within a few hours. The schools typically receive your updated FAFSA info within 3-5 business days. Good luck with your applications!

btw dont worry too much if ur daughter didnt file. my son had a part time job making like $4k and we just put "will not file" and put his income from W-2. his SAI came back fine and he got his pell grant!

Just went through this exact same situation with my daughter's FAFSA last month! The wording is definitely confusing. Like everyone else has confirmed, "student tax filing status" means YOUR DAUGHTER specifically, not you as parents. Since she made $3,500 (well under the $12,950 threshold), select "Will not file" for her tax status. The FAFSA will ask for her income separately later in the student section - just enter that $3,500 from her W-2. Your parent tax info gets entered in a completely different section. One tip: print out or screenshot each section as you complete it. The new FAFSA sometimes kicks you out and it's helpful to have a record of what you've already entered. Good luck with the rest of the application!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my younger brother. One thing that helped us was having a third party (like a school counselor or family friend) explain to our dad that the FAFSA information is used ONLY to determine eligibility for aid - it doesn't create any legal obligation for him to pay anything. Also, your sister should definitely ask her financial aid office about institutional aid that doesn't require FAFSA. Many community colleges have their own scholarships funded by local businesses or alumni that have completely different application requirements. The financial aid office should have a list of these opportunities. Another option is to see if she qualifies for work-study programs or if the college has any "last dollar" scholarships that cover whatever FAFSA doesn't. Some community colleges are really good about working with students in tough situations if you can get to the right person in the financial aid office. Don't give up - there are usually more options than they initially tell you about!

I'm a financial aid counselor and want to add something crucial that hasn't been mentioned yet - your sister should also look into filing a FAFSA as an "unaccompanied homeless youth." While this might sound extreme, the definition is broader than people think. If she's paying for her own housing (even if living with relatives), supporting herself financially, and your father is refusing to provide support or information, she might qualify. The school's homeless liaison or a counselor would need to verify her status, but this designation makes her automatically independent for FAFSA purposes - no parental information required and she'd qualify for maximum aid including Pell Grants. Another often-overlooked option: some states allow students to establish residency independently of their parents after working full-time for a certain period (usually 12-18 months). If she takes a gap year and works, she might qualify for in-state tuition and state aid without parental involvement. Also, make sure she's applying for EVERY scholarship possible through Fastweb, Scholarships.com, and her college's foundation. Many local Rotary clubs, churches, and community organizations have small scholarships ($500-$2000) that add up and don't require FAFSA completion. The system is frustrating, but there ARE pathways through this!

does anyone know if this SSA verification thing happens every year or is it just because of the new FAFSA changes? never had to deal with this before

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! My family's FAFSA has been stuck at SSA verification for 8 days now. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. It sounds like the hyphen issue is really common - I just realized my daughter has a hyphenated middle name on her birth certificate but her SS card just has the first part. Based on what everyone is saying, I think I need to: 1) Call FSA about the name discrepancy (though good luck getting through!), 2) Contact the schools directly with our submission confirmation, and 3) just keep checking the portal daily since they don't always send notifications. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least we know we're not alone in this mess!