I'm experiencing this exact same issue and it's driving me absolutely insane! My family's AGI is around $54k and we qualify for reduced lunch, so we should definitely be eligible for the simplified needs test. But just like everyone else here, I'm stuck in this nightmare loop where I get asset error messages even though the system never asked me about assets initially. I've tried the correction process five times now and it's the same story every time - identical screens, no asset questions appear, I submit, and then boom - same error messages about missing asset information. It's like the system is actively working against families who need financial aid the most. Thank you so much @Diego Vargas for that crucial update about the Department of Education acknowledging this as a known issue and schools being able to override these errors. That gives me some hope! I'm definitely calling the financial aid offices at my son's target schools first thing tomorrow morning. This whole FAFSA rollout has been such a disaster. I can't believe they launched a system this broken when so many families are depending on it for their children's education. The stress and anxiety this is causing during an already overwhelming college application process is just unacceptable.

I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating issue! My family's AGI is around $49k and we qualify for free lunch, so we should definitely be covered under the simplified needs test. But I'm experiencing the identical problem everyone else is describing - getting asset error messages even though the system never showed me any asset questions to begin with. I've been stuck in this correction loop for about two weeks now. Every time I try to fix the "errors," it takes me through the same exact screens, never shows any new asset questions, and then gives me the same error messages when I submit. It's absolutely maddening! After reading through all these responses, I feel so much better knowing this is a widespread system bug and not something I'm doing wrong. @Diego Vargas, thank you for that incredibly helpful update about the Department of Education acknowledging this issue and schools being able to override these errors. That's the first bit of hope I've had in this whole ordeal. I'm definitely going to call the financial aid offices at my daughter's schools tomorrow morning. It's frustrating that we have to work around the system like this, but I'm just grateful there seems to be a path forward. This whole FAFSA rollout has been such a nightmare for families who are already stressed about college costs. Hopefully they get this fixed soon so other families don't have to go through this!

I'm another parent just starting this journey and this entire discussion has been a lifesaver! My daughter is also a senior and I was completely lost about the FSA ID requirements. Reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize I'm not the only one who found the official government explanations confusing. The consensus seems clear - we both need separate FSA IDs, start the process 2-3 weeks early, have daughter create hers first, then I create mine with different contact info, and make sure all tax documents are finalized before starting. I particularly appreciate the warnings about scam websites and the tip about testing login credentials beforehand. It's so reassuring to have this roadmap from parents who've actually been through it! Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and making this feel much less intimidating.

I'm also a first-time FAFSA parent and this thread has been absolutely incredible! My son will be starting college in the fall and I was so confused about whether we needed one FSA ID or two. Reading through all these responses has completely cleared that up - we definitely both need separate accounts with different email addresses. What I found most reassuring is hearing from so many parents who went through the exact same confusion I'm experiencing. The step-by-step breakdown everyone has provided is so much clearer than anything I found on the official websites. I'm planning to follow the timeline advice - have my son create his FSA ID first, then I'll create mine a few days later, and we'll start the actual FAFSA process at least 2-3 weeks before any deadlines. The tip about having finalized tax documents ready before starting is huge too. Thank you all for making this feel so much less overwhelming!

one more thing - tell her to make sure her son has his OWN FSA ID not using hers!! my daughter got all messed up cuz we didnt know this and tried to use my email for everything

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm in a similar situation with my sister who's been navigating FAFSA as a single mom. Reading through everyone's experiences and the official guidance has really clarified things. One question I haven't seen addressed - if the custodial parent (like your cousin) has joint legal custody but primary physical custody, does that change anything for FAFSA purposes? My sister has a similar arrangement where she has her daughter most of the time but they technically share legal decision-making. Also, I noticed someone mentioned keeping documentation ready for verification. Has anyone had experience with what specific documents they might request during that process?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a transfer student starting my senior year and was completely confused about whether I needed to redo entrance counseling since I completed it at my previous school three years ago. Reading through everyone's experiences really drives home the point that you have to check with your specific school rather than just relying on federal guidelines. It's frustrating that there isn't more standardization across institutions, but I guess it makes sense that schools with higher default rates would want additional safeguards. I'm definitely going to call my new school's financial aid office this week to get clarity on their policies before my aid disburses. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find in official FAQs!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who's dealt with this exact situation! I'm a junior now and went through the same confusion last year. My school also requires annual entrance counseling even though I'd already done it as a freshman. At first I was really annoyed about having to "waste time" redoing something I'd already completed, but honestly, it ended up being more valuable than I expected. Interest rates had changed since my freshman year, and there were new repayment options I hadn't heard about before. Plus, I actually understood the material better the second time around since I wasn't completely overwhelmed like I was during my first semester. It only took about 15 minutes to complete since I was already familiar with most of the content. My advice would be to just go ahead and complete whatever your school's checklist requires - it's really not worth risking a delay in your loan disbursement over something that takes such a short amount of time!

YES!!! happens to me all the time. try using a different browser, that fixed it for me. chrome seems to work better than safari for the studentaid site.

I'm in the exact same situation! Submitted mine on January 18th and still stuck in review. This is so stressful with all the scholarship deadlines approaching. I've been checking my status obsessively every day hoping something will change. It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this but also concerning that so many of us are experiencing these delays. Really hoping the system catches up soon because I can't afford to miss out on aid opportunities due to processing delays that are completely out of our control.