As someone completely new to this community and the FAFSA process in general, I cannot express how grateful I am to have stumbled across this thread! I've been banging my head against the wall for the past few days trying to figure out why my FAFSA application keeps showing "No" for dependents when I clearly have a child I support. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a relief - I was starting to think I was just completely incompetent at filling out forms! The mobile app solution that worked for @4d137c0c837a, @4872b70225b9, and so many others here gives me real hope that there's actually a way to fix this mess. I'm definitely going to try the mobile app approach tomorrow, and I'm taking all the documentation advice to heart. It's mind-blowing that a federal form would work so differently between the website and mobile app, but at this point I'll try anything that actually works. This community has been like finding an oasis in the desert of FAFSA frustration. Thank you all for sharing your solutions and making this feel less like an impossible puzzle. I'll report back on whether the mobile app works for me too - fingers crossed! 🤞

As another newcomer who just discovered this amazing community while frantically searching for FAFSA solutions, I wanted to add my voice to thank everyone for this incredibly helpful thread! I've been wrestling with the exact same dependent recognition issue for my son's application - that dreaded greyed-out "No" has been haunting me for days despite clearly indicating I have a dependent child. What's been so valuable about this discussion is not just the practical solutions (the mobile app workaround sounds like exactly what I need to try), but also the reassurance that this isn't user error - it's a legitimate system bug affecting thousands of families. Reading @fd25f15df928's professional perspective about schools being prepared to handle these issues has been particularly calming. I'm planning to try the mobile app approach that worked so well for @4d137c0c837a, @4872b70225b9, and others, making sure to start completely fresh and document everything with screenshots as everyone has advised. It's honestly ridiculous that we need these kinds of workarounds for a federal form, but I'm just grateful this community exists to share real solutions! This thread should definitely be featured somehow - the collective troubleshooting wisdom here is going to help so many parents who are still discovering these issues. Thanks for creating such a supportive space for navigating this FAFSA nightmare!

Welcome to the community! I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now with my daughter's Parent PLUS loan application. I've been stuck in that email verification loop for about a week and was starting to think I was losing my mind! Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a relief - I had no idea this was such a widespread issue. The duplicate FSA ID problem makes so much sense now. I helped my older daughter with her FAFSA three years ago and I bet that's causing conflicts in the system. @profile1 thank you for sharing your update about getting it resolved - knowing that the agent could fix both the security lock AND email verification issues in just 5 minutes gives me hope! I'm definitely going to try contacting FSA directly first before attempting to create a new account. This thread is a lifesaver for stressed parents dealing with these technical issues!

Welcome to the community! I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now - been locked out of my FSA account for about 2 weeks trying to apply for a Parent PLUS loan for my son. The endless email verification loop is absolutely maddening! After reading through all these experiences, I'm starting to think I might have the duplicate FSA ID issue too since I helped my older daughter with her FAFSA back in 2018. It's incredible how many parents are running into this same problem - you'd think by now FSA would have figured out how to handle families with multiple children without breaking their system. @profile1 your success story gives me so much hope! The fact that the agent was able to identify and fix both the security lock and email verification issues in just 5 minutes is amazing. I'm definitely going to try the agent route first thing tomorrow morning. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread is exactly what I needed to see to know I'm not alone in this frustrating situation!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone who's been dealing with FAFSA verification issues myself, seeing this evolution from @Liam McGuire's initial frustration to a comprehensive troubleshooting resource is amazing. The Microsoft Edge browser solution seems to be the clear winner here - it's worked for so many people that it should definitely be the first thing anyone tries. But I also appreciate all the additional fixes people have shared: VPN disconnection, credential clearing, network switching, timing strategies, etc. It really shows how authentication issues can have multiple root causes. What stands out most to me is how supportive this community is. Instead of just commiserating about FAFSA problems, everyone jumped in with practical solutions and documented what actually worked for them. And seeing professionals like @Malia Ponder engage with these real-world insights gives me hope that student experiences might influence official support resources. For anyone still struggling: try Edge first, then work through the other suggestions systematically. And definitely document your attempts with screenshots - several people mentioned how helpful that was when requesting deadline extensions from their schools. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this such a valuable resource! 🙏

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been having the exact same verification code issue since yesterday and was starting to panic about my deadline next week. Reading through all these solutions has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I love how this discussion evolved from @Liam McGuire's initial problem into such a comprehensive troubleshooting guide. The Microsoft Edge browser solution seems to be the clear winner based on all the success stories here - I'm definitely going to try that first since it's worked for so many people. What really impresses me about this community is how everyone jumped in with different solutions instead of just complaining about the FAFSA system. From browser switching to VPN issues to credential clearing, you've all created an amazing resource that's probably going to help tons of students dealing with this same frustration. The documentation tip from @Malia Ponder and others is also really smart - I never would have thought to screenshot my failed attempts, but that could be crucial for getting a deadline extension if the technical fixes don't work. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. This is exactly why I love being part of this community - we actually help each other solve problems instead of just venting about them! 🙏

Update: My daughter's FAFSA was reprocessed overnight and is now showing as complete again! Looks like it was a quick review after all. Thanks for all the helpful advice!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this exact situation last year! My daughter also removed schools from her processed FAFSA after getting advice from friends, and I was terrified we'd ruined everything. The good news is that in most cases, it really is just a quick verification process. One thing I'd recommend doing right now is taking screenshots of her current FAFSA status and the list of schools that are still on there, just for your records. Also, if you have any emails or documents showing her original SAI score, keep those handy. The schools that already received her information before the deletion should still have everything they need to process her aid packages. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking though - I totally understand the stress with payment deadlines looming! Fingers crossed your daughter's review goes as quickly as some of the others mentioned here.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to chime in because I just went through something very similar with my stepson last year. He inherited about $35,000 from his biological father, and we were completely lost on how to handle it for FAFSA purposes. What I learned (the hard way) is that you absolutely must report it as your son's asset - there's no getting around that. But here's what helped us navigate the situation: we scheduled a consultation with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in college funding strategies. It cost us about $300, but it was worth every penny because they helped us understand not just the FAFSA implications, but also how to strategically plan for all four years of college. One thing they pointed out that I hadn't considered is that while the inheritance will impact his first year of aid, if he uses those funds for college expenses, the asset balance will decrease each year, which means the FAFSA impact decreases too. So it's not like you're stuck with the same penalty for all four years. Also, don't forget to look into merit-based scholarships that aren't need-based. With an inheritance like this, your son might not qualify for as much need-based aid, but merit scholarships don't care about assets - just grades, test scores, and achievements. Hang in there - this community has been incredibly helpful for me, and it sounds like you're getting great advice here!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add my voice to thank everyone for such detailed and helpful responses! I'm in a somewhat similar situation with my daughter who recently received a settlement from an accident that happened when she was a minor, and reading through all these comments has been incredibly educational. What really stands out to me is how everyone emphasizes honesty and transparency in the FAFSA process - it's clear that trying to "game the system" can backfire badly. The breakdown of the actual math (especially the asset protection allowance that @Liv Park mentioned) really helps put this in perspective. Knowing that it's not the full inheritance amount being assessed, but rather the amount above $7,600 at the 20% rate, makes the financial impact feel much more manageable. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about reaching out to financial aid offices directly and exploring merit-based scholarships as well. It's encouraging to see that while this does complicate the financial aid picture, it doesn't necessarily close all doors. The suggestion about consulting with a college funding specialist also sounds like a wise investment. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where families can get real, practical guidance on these complex situations!