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!

Just to add my two cents as someone who literally just went through this - NO, you don't both need to submit applications! We made the same mistake initially and created two accounts thinking we both needed to apply. Only ONE of you submits the actual FAFSA, but like others mentioned, you might both need FSA IDs for verification purposes. We ended up having my spouse do it since they had all our tax documents organized. The process was actually pretty straightforward once we figured out we weren't supposed to duplicate everything!

I'm new to this community but had to join after finding this incredibly helpful thread! I'm currently dealing with the exact same "account already exists" error that Paolo described, and reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and educational. My son completed his student portion back in October, but I've been stuck on this error for over a week now. Based on all the solutions shared here, I'm realizing I probably have multiple issues - I think I may have created an FSA ID last year when we were just exploring the process, AND my son's name has both a hyphen and a middle initial that might not match between sections. The advice about documenting everything and trying to call FSA early in the morning is so practical - I wish I'd known that before my failed attempts this week. I'm also definitely going to reach out to his schools about possible extensions while I work through this. Thank you Paolo for sharing your complete journey from problem to solution, and thanks to everyone else who contributed their experiences and tips. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for other parents dealing with FAFSA technical issues!

Hi everyone! I just joined this community after stumbling across this thread while desperately searching for solutions to my own FAFSA nightmare. I'm dealing with the exact same "account already exists" error for my daughter's application, and reading through Paolo's journey and all the helpful responses has given me so much hope! I've been stuck on this error for about 5 days now, and like many of you, I've tried all the basic troubleshooting - different browsers, clearing cache, etc. Based on what I've learned here, I suspect I might have the duplicate FSA ID issue since I vaguely remember creating one when my daughter was a sophomore "just to get familiar with the system." The advice about checking name formatting differences between student and parent sections is brilliant - my daughter does have a hyphenated last name and I'm now wondering if she entered it differently than I expected. I'm also definitely going to try the early morning calling strategy and look into that Claimyr service if needed. Thank you Paolo for documenting your entire experience so thoroughly, and thanks to everyone else who shared their specific solutions. It's incredible how this community comes together to help each other navigate these frustrating technical issues. I'll definitely report back with what ends up working for me!

New member here and dealing with the exact same FAFSA nightmare! Those grayed-out asset sections had me convinced I was somehow breaking the system. I've been stressing about this for days, wondering if I should abandon the whole thing and start fresh. After reading through all these responses, especially from the financial aid counselor explaining the simplified formula, I feel so much better about just submitting as-is. I had no idea the new FAFSA was designed to automatically skip certain sections based on your tax data - they really should explain this somewhere in the interface! The screenshot advice is brilliant, and I'm definitely not risking the lockout situation that Lauren described. Going to document everything and hit submit before the deadline. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is exactly what I needed to find today!

New member here and experiencing the exact same FAFSA frustration! I've been staring at those grayed-out asset sections for my daughter's application, convinced I was somehow missing a critical step in the process. This thread has been an absolute godsend - especially the financial aid counselor's clear explanation about the simplified formula automatically determining which sections are required based on tax data. It makes total sense now, though I agree they really should include some kind of explanation in the interface itself to prevent all this parent panic! I was definitely leaning toward the "start over" approach until reading about the potential lockout issues. The screenshot documentation advice is so smart too - I'll definitely be capturing everything before I submit. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's incredibly reassuring to know we're all navigating this confusing new system together, and that submitting with grayed-out sections is actually normal and expected. Off to finish the application with much more confidence now!

I'm new here but wanted to chime in as someone who just went through the FAFSA process for the first time this year! You're absolutely right - it's once per academic year, not per semester. I was so confused initially too because the whole system seems designed to be as unclear as possible. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist of what I needed before starting: 2023 tax returns, bank statements, investment records, and making sure both my FSA ID and my daughter's were working. The contributor system they added this year was a nightmare at first, but once I understood that my husband had to create his own FSA ID and complete his section separately, it went much smoother. For the 2025-2026 cycle, I'm planning to have everything organized by mid-September so I can submit the moment it opens in October. After dealing with all the delays and glitches this year, I never want to cut it close again! The peace of mind from submitting early is worth the extra prep time.

As a parent who just went through this process with my son this past year, I can absolutely confirm what everyone else is saying - FAFSA is definitely once per academic year! The confusion with your daughter's roommate's parents is totally understandable though. When I first started this journey, I was constantly second-guessing myself because there's so much conflicting information out there. One thing that really helped me was bookmarking the official Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.gov) as my go-to source instead of relying on random websites that often have outdated information. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they should announce the exact opening date closer to fall, but historically it's been October 1st. Since your daughter's financial aid advisor is out, I'd definitely recommend calling the financial aid office directly. Most schools have multiple counselors who can help with general timeline questions, and they'll know the specific priority deadlines for your daughter's school. Don't feel bad about asking "basic" questions - this stuff is genuinely confusing and they're there to help! Better to ask now than miss something important later.

Just wanted to add another resource that helped me - check if your local American Job Centers offer WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) funding specifically for healthcare training. I got my CNA certification completely covered through this program last year, and they even provided transportation vouchers and childcare assistance during training. The process took about 6 weeks from application to approval, but it was worth the wait since I didn't have to worry about loans or finding FAFSA-eligible schools. You can find your nearest center at careeronestop.org. They also helped me with resume writing and interview prep for hospital positions afterward. The program prioritizes people who are unemployed or underemployed, so if you're currently working part-time or looking for better opportunities, you'd likely qualify!

I went through this exact situation 8 months ago and ended up finding a great solution! I was also looking specifically for hospital work and struggling with the FAFSA requirements. What worked for me was contacting my local workforce development board - they had a partnership with our regional hospital system that I never would have found otherwise. The program was called "Healthcare Career Pathways" and they covered 100% of CNA training costs plus provided job placement assistance specifically for hospital positions. The training was done through the hospital's education department, so we got hands-on experience in the actual hospital environment from day one. I'd recommend calling your workforce development office directly and asking about healthcare partnerships - many of these programs aren't well advertised but they exist because hospitals desperately need CNAs right now. Also, the pay difference between hospital and nursing home work was significant for me - about $3-4 more per hour plus better benefits!