UPDATE: Problem solved! Thanks to everyone's advice, I logged back in and carefully went through every page. Turns out, we HAD completed and signed everything correctly, but there was indeed a final "SUBMIT FAFSA FORM" button on a confirmation page AFTER the signatures that we somehow missed. It wasn't very obvious! Clicked it, got our confirmation and SAI number, and emailed the financial aid offices at her top schools to let them know about the delay. Relief!!! This forum saved us from missing her financial aid deadlines!

So happy to hear you got it resolved! This is exactly why I always tell families to look for that final submit button after signatures - it's such a common stumbling block. The FAFSA interface really needs to be clearer about that final step. Your experience will definitely help other parents who run into the same issue. Wishing your daughter the best with her college applications and financial aid!

random question but does anyone know if stepparents income counts if they're not legally adopted the student? my husband and his ex are arguing about this

Just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this exact same confusion last year! The short answer is NO - only one parent submits the FAFSA. We're married filing jointly too, and I spent way too much time overthinking it. My wife ended up doing ours since she's better with forms. The system will pull info from your joint tax return anyway, so it really doesn't matter which one of you does it. Good luck with the process!

To summarize what everyone's said and clarify a few additional points: 1. Both parents need their own FSA IDs to sign the FAFSA 2. Only ONE FAFSA form is submitted per student 3. For married parents filing jointly, their combined income is reported ONCE 4. You'll indicate "married filing jointly" in the tax filing status section 5. For business income: It's already included in the AGI on your parents' joint tax return, so it will be captured when you enter their tax information The new FAFSA has simplified some things but definitely created confusion in other areas. The key is ensuring you don't double-count any income or assets, which would artificially inflate your SAI and potentially reduce your aid eligibility.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this same process! I was initially confused too, but here's what worked for me: When you get to the parent information section, the FAFSA will ask you to add both parents' basic info (names, SSNs, etc.) but then when it comes to the financial questions, you'll see it's clearly designed for joint filers. The income fields will say things like "parents' combined income" rather than asking for each parent separately. This made it much clearer that I should only enter the amounts once, not twice. Also, pro tip: have your parents' joint tax return handy when filling it out - you can pull the numbers directly from the specific lines the FAFSA references. Good luck!

I work in financial aid, and I strongly recommend requesting an appointment with a financial aid counselor rather than trying to handle this by email. Bring a clear summary document showing: - Previous annual income vs. current projected income - Monthly expenses your family must cover - Timeline of job losses with documentation - Any job search updates or retraining efforts - Special circumstances (medical expenses, other children's educational needs) In-person appeals are often more successful because you can answer questions immediately and demonstrate your understanding of the situation.

I'm a financial aid counselor and want to reassure you that your situation is definitely appealable. The combination of recent job losses and the timing disconnect between your FAFSA data year (2023) and current reality is exactly what professional judgment appeals are designed to address. A few key points to help you prepare: 1. **Asset impact**: With $300K in savings, yes, this will contribute to your SAI even with zero income. However, the professional judgment process can account for your family's need to preserve emergency funds during unemployment. 2. **Documentation timeline**: Start gathering everything NOW - don't wait. Unemployment benefit letters, COBRA election notices, job search records, and a detailed monthly budget showing how long your savings need to last. 3. **Multiple siblings factor**: Definitely mention your younger siblings' future college needs in your appeal. Financial aid offices consider the family's overall educational financial burden. 4. **School-specific policies**: Each institution has different professional judgment policies and available funding. If your first school can't provide adequate relief, consider reaching out to other schools that accepted you. The appeal process takes time, so submit everything as soon as possible. Most schools will provide a preliminary decision within 2-4 weeks if you have complete documentation.

Anyone saying to create a new FSA ID is giving BAD advice if you've submitted FAFSAs in previous years! The system will flag duplicate accounts and potentially delay your application even more. Keep calling FSA support - if you've already filed a complaint, you should get a response within 15 business days. In the meantime, your daughter should definitely contact her school's financial aid office to explain the situation. Most schools have processes in place for FAFSA delays this year.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! My son is a senior and we've been stuck in FAFSA hell for almost a month. What finally worked for me was creating a completely new FSA ID (I know it sounds scary but hear me out). I called the FSA help line at exactly 8 AM Eastern and got through to someone who explained that if your old FSA ID is more than 2-3 years old, the account recovery process is basically broken because of system changes. She walked me through creating a new one and said as long as I use the exact same SSN and personal info, it won't create duplicates. The whole FAFSA took me about 45 minutes once I had working login credentials. Also, definitely have your daughter contact her financial aid office - they've been super understanding about delays this year. Most schools I've talked to are extending their priority deadlines because of all the FAFSA issues. Don't give up! You're so close to getting this done.