Update: We finally got both parents to create FSA IDs (took forever because dad's email verification was delayed) and completed the FAFSA! Both parents definitely had to provide information and sign. Thanks everyone for your help - would have done it completely wrong without your advice.

Congratulations on getting it all sorted out! This thread is going to be so helpful for other students dealing with the same confusion. I went through something similar last year and it's such a relief once you finally get both parents through the process. The email verification delays are the worst - my mom's took 3 days! For anyone else reading this who might be in the same situation, I'd definitely recommend starting the FSA ID setup process at least a week before you plan to actually fill out the FAFSA. And don't forget to save your login info somewhere safe - you'll need those FSA IDs again if you get selected for verification or need to make corrections later.

This thread is so helpful - I'm going through the exact same verification hell right now! Like everyone else, I have no idea what cash/savings amount I originally entered and the system just keeps rejecting everything I try. It's insane that they redesigned the FAFSA but somehow made it even MORE confusing than before. I'm definitely going to try calling FSA using that Claimyr service that @Amara Okafor and @Mei Chen mentioned. The fact that FSA agents can actually pull up the original submission data gives me hope! My financial aid office keeps telling me they can't help and that I need to contact federal student aid directly, but getting through has been impossible with normal calling. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know this isn't just me being incompetent. The 30% verification rate that @Jamal Harris mentioned explains why so many of us are stuck in this mess. Hopefully the Department of Education fixes these issues soon because this is adding so much unnecessary stress to an already overwhelming process!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been stuck on the same verification issue for over a week now and was starting to panic about my financial aid deadline. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much better - I honestly thought I was doing something wrong or missing some obvious solution. The fact that @Mei Chen got their exact original amount ($3,742.18) by calling FSA gives me real hope! I've been avoiding calling because I assumed they wouldn't have that level of detail, but clearly they do. And multiple people mentioning success with Claimyr makes me think that's definitely worth trying instead of sitting on hold for hours. It's honestly ridiculous that the FAFSA system requires exact matching to the penny but provides zero way for students to access their original submission data. Like @Giovanni Colombo said, it really does feel like they designed this to be as confusing as possible. The 30% verification rate this year is just insane compared to previous years. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions and experiences - this community is way more helpful than the official FAFSA support! I'm going to try calling tomorrow and hopefully join the success stories soon 🤞

I'm a new member here but dealing with a similar FAFSA nightmare! My SAI went from $45k to $180k and I've been panicking for weeks. Reading through all these responses is incredibly helpful - especially seeing that Victoria found her issue was the primary residence misclassification. I'm going to go back through my application tonight and check for that exact same error. It's reassuring (but also frustrating) to know this is happening to so many families. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community is a lifesaver during such a stressful time!

I'm a financial aid counselor and want to emphasize how important it is that you found the primary residence classification error - this is definitely one of the most widespread issues we're seeing with the new FAFSA. A few additional steps I'd recommend while waiting for your correction to process: 1. Contact the Federal Student Aid ombudsman if your correction takes longer than 2 weeks - they can escalate systematic errors like this 2. Ask your daughter's colleges for a "provisional financial aid package" based on your original $79k SAI while the correction is pending 3. For scholarship applications, include both your original SAI screenshot and proof of correction submission - most committees are granting extensions for documented FAFSA errors The good news is that once corrected, your aid eligibility should return to what you originally expected. Many schools are also holding spots in their aid budgets specifically for families affected by these calculation errors, so don't panic about missing out on institutional aid. Document everything and stay persistent with follow-ups!

I'm new to this community and just going through my first FAFSA experience with my oldest son. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea these contributor changes were coming and honestly expected the process to be much more straightforward since my husband and I have always filed jointly. Reading everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring (knowing we're not alone in this confusion) and concerning (realizing how many technical issues people are facing). It's really frustrating that the Department of Education didn't communicate these major changes more clearly to families. We shouldn't have to learn about critical requirements like separate FSA IDs and contributor information through community forums! Based on all the advice shared here, I'm planning to create both FSA IDs this weekend and wait several days for verification before attempting the actual application. I'm also going to make sure we use different email addresses and plan to complete it during off-peak hours to avoid system crashes. Thank you to everyone who has shared their real experiences - it's exactly what first-time FAFSA parents need to hear, even if it's not what we wanted to hear! Here's hoping the process goes more smoothly for those of us just starting out.

I'm new to this community and just starting the FAFSA process for my daughter's freshman year. This entire thread has been such a lifesaver! Like so many others here, my husband and I had no clue about these new contributor requirements - we've been filing jointly for 12 years and assumed FAFSA would work the same way. Reading everyone's experiences has definitely prepared me for what's ahead, though I have to admit it's pretty frustrating that we're all having to figure this out through trial and error rather than getting clear guidance from the Department of Education. The fact that even families who've done FAFSA multiple times are struggling really shows how poorly this transition was handled. I'm taking all the advice here to heart - planning to create both FSA IDs this week with separate email addresses, wait for full verification, and tackle the actual application during off-peak hours with plenty of time before our deadlines. Also definitely going to take screenshots throughout the process! Thank you to everyone who has shared their real experiences here. It's exactly what first-time parents like me need to navigate this new system successfully.

I'm new to this community but unfortunately joining because I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! My son also lost his Pell Grant eligibility for 2025-2026 despite our income only increasing by about $3,500. He's been receiving Pell for his first three years and we're panicking about how to cover his senior year costs. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful but also terrifying to see how widespread this issue is. Like many of you, I used the SAI calculator which showed he'd still qualify, but the actual FAFSA results came back much higher. My son also worked his first summer job last year (about $4,800), and based on what @Zachary Hughes explained about how the new formula treats student income, that probably contributed significantly to pushing us over the threshold. I'm definitely going to call the financial aid office tomorrow to request a professional judgment review and ask about emergency funds. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and advice - it's both comforting to know we're not alone and helpful to have concrete steps to take. I'll update everyone on how the appeal process goes!

I'm also new to this community and dealing with the exact same devastating situation! My daughter lost her Pell Grant eligibility for 2025-2026 even though our family income only increased by about $2,800 from the previous year. She's been receiving Pell for her first two years and we're absolutely panicking about covering her junior year costs. Like so many others here, I used the SAI calculator beforehand and it showed she would still qualify, but then the actual FAFSA results came back significantly higher. My daughter also worked her first part-time job during the school year, earning about $3,200, and based on what I'm reading here about how the new formula treats student income, that might have been enough to push us over the threshold. It's absolutely infuriating that a student working to help pay for college is actually penalized in their financial aid calculations! The whole system seems backwards. I'm definitely going to call her financial aid office first thing Monday morning to request a professional judgment review and ask specifically about emergency funds for students affected by these formula changes. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and providing such detailed advice - it gives me hope that there might be a way to resolve this nightmare. I'll make sure to update everyone on how the appeal process goes!