Welcome to the FAFSA community! As someone who just went through this process with my oldest, I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped us navigate the timeline smoothly: 1. **Set up your FSA ID early** - Like Mei mentioned, both parent and student need separate FSA IDs. Do this NOW rather than waiting until December. 2. **Gather your tax documents ahead of time** - The 2025-2026 FAFSA will use your 2023 tax return. Have it ready along with bank statements and investment records. 3. **Create a "FAFSA folder"** - Keep all financial documents in one place. Trust me, you'll reference them multiple times throughout the process. 4. **Mark your calendar for October** - Start preparing documents in October so you're ready to submit the FAFSA the moment it opens on December 1st. The summer session question is really important - definitely call the school's financial aid office ASAP as policies vary widely between institutions. Some treat summer as part of the previous academic year, others as part of the upcoming year. You're asking all the right questions early, which puts you ahead of many families. Your daughter is lucky to have such a proactive parent! Congratulations again on her acceptance!

Welcome to the financial aid journey! I just went through this exact process with my daughter who started last fall, so I completely understand the overwhelming feeling. Everyone here has given you fantastic advice, but I wanted to add one thing that really helped us stay organized - create a shared Google Doc or spreadsheet with all your important dates and deadlines. Include columns for: FAFSA deadline (Dec 1), school-specific scholarship deadlines, state aid deadlines (these vary by state!), and any school financial aid priority dates. Some schools have priority FAFSA deadlines as early as February 1st for maximum aid consideration, even though the federal deadline is later. Also, don't forget to check your state's financial aid programs! Many states have their own grants and scholarships with separate applications and earlier deadlines. Your state's higher education website should have all this info. One last tip: if your daughter is considering multiple schools, you'll need to list them all on the FAFSA (you can list up to 10). Each school will receive the results and create their own financial aid package, which can vary significantly between institutions. You're doing great by starting early - that's honestly half the battle! The first year is definitely the most confusing, but it becomes much more routine after that.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Just to make sure I'm totally clear: 1. Income = 2023 tax year (for 2025-2026 FAFSA) 2. Assets = Current values as of today 3. Rental property = Current market value minus remaining mortgage 4. Retirement accounts = NOT included 5. Primary home = NOT included I think I've got it now. Going to work on getting my asset documentation together so I can submit an accurate application.

One more tip that might help - if you're unsure about the exact current value of assets like your rental property, it's better to use a reasonable estimate based on recent comparable sales or property tax assessments rather than delay your application. You can always provide documentation during verification if needed. The key is being consistent and honest about your reporting method. Also, don't forget that if you have any business or farm assets, there are special rules for those too depending on the size of the business. Good luck with your application!

UPDATE: Success! I finally got both applications completed and submitted! For anyone still struggling, here's what worked for me: 1. I used the Claimyr service mentioned above to speak with an actual FAFSA representative who documented our case 2. Applied the patch fix that was suggested (clearing cache, waiting 30 min, etc.) 3. Completed the form at 5:30am when server traffic was minimal The representative also told me they're prioritizing applications that have documented technical issues, so hopefully our SAI calculations won't be too delayed. Thank you all for your help and suggestions! This community saved my sanity.

I'm so glad to see there's finally some good news in this thread! As a parent who went through this nightmare last year with my oldest, I can't stress enough how important it is to document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of error messages, save email confirmations, and keep notes of who you spoke with and when. One thing I learned the hard way - even after you successfully submit, keep checking your student aid report (SAR) regularly. The system glitches can sometimes cause processing delays or require additional verification steps that aren't clearly communicated. My daughter's aid package was delayed by 6 weeks because we didn't realize additional documents were needed due to a processing error. Also, for families with multiple kids applying - consider staggering your submissions by a few days if possible. The system seems to handle single applications better than when you're trying to manage multiple at once. Wishing everyone patience and success with this frustrating process!

Just to clarify something important: your financial aid award isn't automatic after receiving your SAI. Each school creates their own unique financial aid package based on: 1. Your SAI score 2. The school's total cost of attendance 3. Available funding at that specific institution 4. Their particular awarding policies With a -1500 SAI, you'll likely qualify for the maximum Pell Grant ($7,395 for the 2025-2026 award year), but institutional aid, work-study, and loans will vary by school. Once you've verified your FAFSA is complete and the school has your information, ask about their typical notification timeline and if they need additional documentation from you specifically.

Hey! I went through this exact same situation last year and totally understand the confusion. Your -1500 SAI is fantastic and definitely means you'll qualify for substantial aid! One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to also check if your school has any priority deadlines for institutional aid that you might be approaching. Some schools have separate deadlines for their own scholarships and grants even after you've submitted your FAFSA. Also, while you're waiting to hear back, it might be worth looking into your state's financial aid programs too. Many states have their own grant programs for residents that use your FAFSA info but require separate applications. Good luck with everything - with that SAI score, you should be in really good shape once everything gets processed! The waiting is definitely the hardest part but it sounds like you're on the right track.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this process with three kids over the past few years. The new FAFSA system is definitely better for parents with multiple students, but one thing that caught me off guard was timing. Even though you only fill out your parent section once, I recommend waiting until BOTH kids have completed their student sections before you do yours. I made the mistake of completing my contributor section right after my first child invited me, and then when my second child tried to add me weeks later, there was some glitch in the system that required me to contact student aid support. The representative told me it's more reliable when all the students add the parent contributor around the same time. Also, make sure you save copies of everything - the new system sometimes has display issues where completed sections appear blank even though they're actually saved. Having screenshots gave me peace of mind!

As a parent who just completed this process for my college junior and high school senior, I can confirm the new system works much better! One additional tip I haven't seen mentioned - if you're using a tax preparer or accountant, give them a heads up that you'll need your tax information earlier than usual for FAFSA purposes. We usually don't get our taxes done until late March, but both kids' schools had FAFSA deadlines in early March. I had to get our tax documents organized much earlier this year to meet the deadlines. Also, if you have any complex financial situations (like owning a business or rental property), it's worth reviewing the FAFSA questions ahead of time so you're not scrambling to figure out what information you need when you're actually filling it out.