Glad you got it figured out! I went through the same confusion last year. One thing I learned the hard way - make sure to check the loan disbursement schedule with your school's bursar office too. Sometimes even after the Parent PLUS loan is approved, there can be delays in when the funds actually hit your student account. My school had specific disbursement dates that were different from when FSA approved the loan. Also, keep all the paperwork from both applications organized - you'll need it for tax purposes later since the IRS treats each semester's loan separately for the American Opportunity Tax Credit calculations.

Just wanted to add another perspective from someone who's been through this multiple times with different schools. Some schools have their own internal deadlines for Parent PLUS applications that are earlier than the federal deadlines, so definitely confirm those dates with your financial aid office. Also, if your mom gets denied for any reason on the spring application (even though she was approved for fall), you as the student become eligible for additional unsubsidized Direct Loans - I think it's an extra $4,000-5,000 depending on your year in school. This happened to a friend of mine when her parent's credit situation changed between semesters. It's not ideal since student loans have different terms than Parent PLUS, but it can be a backup option if needed. Good luck with the application process!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my recent experience since I just went through this exact same situation last week! The confusion between what the FAFSA automated system says versus what schools are requiring is absolutely maddening. I can confirm that YES, both married parents filing jointly now need separate FSA IDs and must complete individual contributor sections for 2025-2026. This is a new requirement that wasn't in place for previous years, which explains why the automated phone messages are contradicting what financial aid offices are saying. For your email issue, here's what worked for me: I used the "forgot password" option to recover the existing FSA ID that was tied to my email address. Once I got back in, I updated ALL the personal information (name, SSN, date of birth, etc.) to reflect MY details instead of my spouse's from last year. Then my spouse created a completely new FSA ID using a different email address. The key is being very careful about updating the existing account to match the correct parent's information - don't just change the password and leave your spouse's personal details in there, or you'll run into verification issues later. I know it's frustrating that this "simplified" FAFSA has actually made things more complicated, but once you get both parent sections completed, the process does move forward normally. Hang in there!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful I found this thread! I'm currently stuck in the exact same FAFSA parent contributor nightmare for my son's 2025-2026 application. Like so many others here, I was completely confused by the contradictory information - the automated FAFSA phone system kept telling me only one parent needed to complete forms for married filing jointly, but our college's financial aid office insisted both parents need separate FSA IDs. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly enlightening and honestly more helpful than any official FAFSA resource I've found. It's clear that this is a widespread issue affecting thousands of families, not just isolated confusion on my part. I'm planning to follow the step-by-step approach that several people have outlined: recover my existing FSA ID account using the password reset, update all the personal information to reflect MY details instead of my husband's from last year, and have him create a completely new FSA ID with a different email address. One question for those who've successfully navigated this process - did you encounter any delays or verification issues when updating the existing account's personal information? I want to make sure I have all necessary documents ready (Social Security card, tax returns, etc.) before starting this weekend. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and practical solutions. This community support is invaluable during such a stressful process!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with something similar but slightly different - my mom and stepdad have been together for 10+ years and live together but never officially got married. My stepdad has been supporting me financially though, so I'm wondering if I should include his information too even though he's not my biological parent? The FAFSA wording about "step-parents" is confusing when they're not legally married. Has anyone navigated this situation?

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I just went through something very similar! My parents have been together for years but aren't married either. What really helped me was calling my school's financial aid office directly - they were so much more helpful than trying to navigate the FAFSA website alone. They confirmed that since your parents live together, you definitely need both of their information even though they're not married. The zero income thing for your mom is totally normal and shouldn't cause any major issues. Also, if you do get selected for verification (which honestly isn't that scary), just make sure you have copies of both parents' tax returns ready to go. The whole process seems overwhelming at first but once you understand the rules it makes more sense!

Just want to echo what everyone else has said about being thorough and honest with reporting all income sources! I went through this same process last year with my veteran husband's disability and SSDI. One thing that really helped me was printing out the FAFSA completion guide specifically for military families from the Federal Student Aid website before I started - it has examples of exactly where each type of benefit gets reported. Also, since you mentioned being a stay-at-home mom, make sure you still include your Social Security number and demographic information even though you don't have income. The system needs both parents' basic info to process the application correctly. One last tip - if you run into technical issues while entering the military benefit information (which happens more often than it should), try using a different browser or clearing your cache. The FAFSA system can be finicky with complex income situations, but persistence pays off. You're doing great by asking these questions upfront rather than guessing!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm in a somewhat similar situation with navigating FAFSA complexities, though not military-related, and reading through all these detailed responses has taught me so much about the importance of thorough documentation and understanding the nuances of different income reporting categories. What really stands out to me is how supportive everyone has been in sharing their specific experiences - both the mistakes to avoid and the strategies that worked. The practical tips about organizing documentation beforehand, using military-specific resources, and reaching out to school veterans' services offices are golden nuggets of advice that I'm sure will help many families beyond just the original poster. It's clear that the FAFSA process can be particularly challenging for military families with unique income situations, but this thread proves that with the right information and community support, it's definitely manageable. Thank you all for creating such a comprehensive resource for anyone facing similar challenges!

I went through this exact same panic last year! My heart was racing for days thinking I'd committed some kind of federal crime. Here's what I learned: this mistake is SO common that financial aid offices have streamlined processes just for fixing it. I called my daughter's school first thing Monday morning, explained the situation, and they had me come in with our tax documents that same week. The correction was submitted within 2 business days and processed in about a week. Much faster than trying to reach FSA directly! The financial aid counselor told me they see this error multiple times every application cycle, especially from parents rushing to meet deadlines. She said as long as you correct it promptly (which you're doing), there are zero legal concerns. One thing I wish I'd known - even though we didn't qualify for need-based aid either, having the correct FAFSA on file actually helped with some merit scholarships that required "complete financial aid applications." So definitely worth fixing even if you don't expect federal aid! You're being a great parent by taking care of this quickly. Your daughter is lucky to have someone so thorough looking out for her college finances!

I'm a financial aid officer and want to reassure you - this is absolutely NOT fraud and we see this error constantly! Parents rushing to meet deadlines accidentally check that box all the time. Here's the fastest way to fix it: Contact your daughter's financial aid office directly rather than trying to reach FSA by phone. We can submit corrections much more efficiently than going through the federal helpline. You'll need: - Your daughter's FSA ID - The Save Key from your original application - Your 2023 tax documents - A brief written statement explaining it was an accidental selection Most schools can process this correction within 3-5 business days. Don't worry about merit scholarships being affected - once corrected, your FAFSA will be complete and accurate for all aid consideration. The key is acting quickly (which you are!) and working with professionals who handle these corrections daily. You're doing everything right by addressing this promptly!