Just wanted to follow up - were you able to fix your tax information corrections? A key thing to remember is that the new FAFSA uses federal tax information directly from the IRS through the Data Retrieval Tool. If you used that successfully, you shouldn't be getting tax correction notices unless there's a mismatch with other information you provided.

So glad you got it figured out! That's exactly the kind of issue that trips up so many families - those gateway questions are super important but not always clearly labeled. For anyone else reading this, I'd also recommend keeping screenshots of your completed FAFSA sections before submitting, just in case you need to reference what you entered later. The correction process becomes much easier when you can see exactly what might have changed between submissions. Congrats on getting through the maze!

Just wanted to update - I got through to Nelnet today in ONLY 35 minutes! Called at 4:15pm Eastern. Seems like their wait times might be improving a bit. The rep told me they just added a bunch of new staff to handle call volume. Hope this helps!

I feel your pain! I had a similar nightmare with Nelnet last month trying to sort out my IDR recertification after my income changed. What finally worked for me was using their secure message system through the online portal instead of calling. I know it's not as immediate as a phone call, but I got a detailed response within 48 hours that actually answered all my consolidation questions. You can find it under "Contact Us" when you log into your account. For urgent payment issues, they do prioritize those messages. Might be worth trying while you're also attempting the callback service @Zara mentioned - sounds like that could be a game changer once it's live!

anyone know if the SAI calculation changed again this year?? my cousin got way less aid with almost the same family income and idk why

Don't panic! I was in a similar situation last year - completely overwhelmed by my parents' self-employment income reporting and missed several priority deadlines. I finally submitted in late March and still received a decent aid package. Not as much as I might have gotten if I'd filed earlier, but definitely not nothing! A few tips from my experience: - The self-employment stuff is tricky but manageable. Have your dad's Schedule C ready and don't overthink it - Some schools do have rolling aid programs even after priority deadlines - Federal aid is definitely still available as others mentioned The worst thing you can do is keep waiting. I spent weeks stressing about it being "too late" when I should have just filled it out. Get it done this week!

That's great news that two schools are being accommodating! Just wanted to add for anyone else in this situation - make sure to keep documentation of all your communications with the schools about deadline extensions. I learned this the hard way when one school's financial aid office didn't have a record of the verbal extension they gave me over the phone. Having emails saved me from missing out on a scholarship. Also, some schools have separate priority deadlines for need-based aid vs merit scholarships, so double-check those dates too since they might be different from the general FAFSA deadline.

As someone who just went through this maze with my own kid, I can't stress enough how important it is to be proactive with school communications! Each financial aid office really does handle these situations differently. A few tips from our experience: When you call schools, ask to speak specifically with a financial aid counselor (not just the front desk) and get their direct email/extension. Some schools have online portals where you can submit documentation about your situation too. Also, don't forget to check if any of your daughter's schools have their own institutional aid forms that don't require FAFSA completion - these can sometimes bridge the gap for scholarships while you're waiting. The CSS Profile schools especially might have separate processes. Good luck with everything! The new FAFSA system definitely has a learning curve but it sounds like you're handling it well by being proactive with the schools.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm deeply grateful to have found this discussion during such a challenging time. I'm also a single parent navigating FAFSA after losing my husband, and my daughter is starting college applications soon. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about the significant difference between parent and student asset assessment rates until seeing it explained so clearly here. Like many others, we put her life insurance proceeds into an account in her name, thinking we were doing the right thing, but now I understand how this could impact her aid eligibility at that 20% rate. It's heartbreaking that families who've already suffered such tremendous loss face these additional financial complexities when trying to help our children access education. The practical advice shared here about professional judgment requests, the Claimyr service, and proper documentation is invaluable information I never would have found through official channels. Thank you to everyone, especially the financial aid advisor, for creating such a supportive and informative space. Knowing we're not alone in facing these challenges while grieving makes such a difference during this overwhelming process.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful to have found this incredibly informative discussion right when I need it most. I'm also a single parent facing the FAFSA process after losing my spouse two years ago, and my son is applying to colleges for next fall. Like so many others who have shared here, I had absolutely no understanding of how differently parent versus student assets are assessed - the 20% rate for student assets compared to around 5.64% for parent assets is a crucial distinction that seems buried in the complexity of the system. We also received life insurance proceeds that went into an account in his name, and he receives Social Security survivor benefits. Reading everyone's experiences has been both heartbreaking (knowing so many families face these same challenges) and incredibly educational. The detailed explanation from the financial aid advisor about reporting life insurance as assets versus Social Security as untaxed income has clarified so much confusion I had. I'm definitely going to look into the professional judgment process and try the Claimyr service to actually reach someone at FSA. It's deeply frustrating that families who have already endured such loss face additional financial hurdles in accessing education, but I'm so grateful for this community's knowledge and support during what feels like an impossible process to navigate alone.