GREAT now i have a new problem - after fixing the SSN issue our SAI calculation is $7,000 higher than it was before!! anyone else have their numbers change after fixing glitches??? this is going to destroy my kids financial aid package

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating glitch! I went through something similar last month when my daughter's FAFSA got messed up after a correction. The disappearing SSN issue seems to be affecting a lot of families this year. From what I've seen in our local parent group, the re-invite method that Ryan and others mentioned has the highest success rate. Definitely try that before starting over completely - you'll save yourself hours of re-entering information. One thing to watch out for: make sure your daughter uses the exact same email address when re-inviting you, and don't click on any old invitation links in your email. Only use the newest one. Also, I found it helpful to wait about 30 minutes between when she sent the re-invite and when I accepted it - seems to give the system time to process properly. Hope this gets resolved quickly for you! The priority deadlines make this so much more stressful than it needs to be.

Update on my situation for those having similar problems - I finally got through using that Claimyr service I mentioned, and the FSA agent told me this is happening to a LOT of people right now. They're aware of the issue but don't have a system-wide fix yet, so they have to address cases individually. The agent had to basically reset a portion of my application so I could add my spouse properly. Just wanted to share in case others are still struggling with this!

So glad to see you got it resolved! This thread has been incredibly helpful - I'm dealing with a similar issue where I can't add my parent's information as a contributor. The "check back later" error has been driving me crazy for days. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service based on everyone's recommendations here. It's reassuring to know that FSA agents can actually fix this with a manual override. Fingers crossed I can get through to someone soon before my deadline!

One more important thing: the timing of aid disbursement. Most schools don't disburse funds until AFTER classes begin (often 1-2 weeks into the term). So your sister should plan ahead for how she'll handle any upfront expenses before her aid refund arrives. Some bookstores allow students to charge against pending financial aid, and some schools offer book vouchers or emergency short-term loans specifically for this reason. She should contact her school's financial aid office soon to understand what options they provide for students waiting on disbursements.

Just wanted to add that your sister should also look into renting textbooks instead of buying them! Sites like Chegg, VitalSource, and even Amazon have rental options that can save hundreds of dollars per semester. Some of my textbooks would have cost $300+ to buy new but only cost $50-80 to rent for the semester. Also, many professors put textbooks on reserve at the library, so she might be able to access them there for free if she's okay with studying in the library. And definitely check if there are free PDF versions available through her school's library database before spending money! Between textbook rentals and a reasonably priced laptop, she might find that her regular financial aid covers everything without needing to take out additional loans.

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this thread has been. My spouse and I are going through the exact same situation with our small catering business, and I was completely lost on the FAFSA reporting requirements. The discussion about the elimination of the small business exclusion was a real eye-opener - I had no idea about these recent changes! It's honestly frustrating how poorly these major updates were communicated to families. I really appreciate everyone who shared their experiences and especially those who clarified the current rules. For anyone else reading this thread, it definitely seems like the key takeaway is to verify everything with the official FSA website and current year instructions, since the rules have changed so much recently. The 50/50 ownership split approach makes sense for our situation too. Thanks to this community for providing such valuable real-world guidance on navigating these complex requirements!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and facing the exact same challenge with my wife regarding our jointly-owned consulting firm. After reading through this entire discussion, I'm really grateful for all the insights shared here, especially the critical clarification about the elimination of the small business exclusion starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA. Like many others, I was initially confused by the conflicting information but now understand we need to report our business net worth split 50/50 between us as co-owners. It's honestly shocking how poorly these major FAFSA changes were communicated to small business families - I had no idea about this significant policy shift until reading Heather and Oscar's posts! For anyone else just joining this conversation, definitely verify everything with the current official FSA guidance at studentaid.gov since the rules have changed dramatically. Thanks to this community for providing such valuable real-world guidance on navigating these complex requirements. It's reassuring to know we're not alone in dealing with these challenges!

does anybody know if scholarships count?? my daughter got a $2000 scholarship from her dads work but we havent gotten the money yet. do we have to tell fafsa about that??

Hey Ryan! I just went through this exact same process with my daughter last month, so I totally get the overwhelm. A few quick tips to add to what others have shared: 1. Have your daughter gather her documents first - her 2023 W-2, bank statements, and SSN card. This makes the process much smoother. 2. The good news is that with her 2023 income being around $6,500 (based on your comment above), that's entirely under the $7,600 income protection allowance, so her wages won't impact your SAI at all! 3. Her $3,400 in the bank will be assessed at 20%, so about $680 would be factored into the calculation - not terrible in the grand scheme of things. 4. One thing that helped us: we did a "practice run" where my daughter logged into the FSA website and just browsed around to get familiar with it before actually starting the application. Made her feel more confident. The whole process took us about 2 hours total (including both our sections), and honestly the hardest part was just getting started. You've got this! The fact that you're asking these questions shows you're being thoughtful about it.