just wondering but where abroad do u live that pays 190k? asking for a friend lol

As someone who went through a similar FAFSA correction process last year, I want to emphasize that you're doing the right thing by fixing this immediately. The key is documentation - when you contact the universities, ask them to email you confirmation that they've received your correction notice and that it won't affect admission status. Also, when you call Federal Student Aid, get a case number for your correction request. This creates a paper trail showing you acted in good faith to fix the error. The process can take 2-3 weeks to fully update across all systems, so don't panic if you don't see immediate changes. Your daughter's merit scholarship eligibility should remain intact since those are typically based on academic credentials, not financial need.

I'm a newcomer here but dealing with the exact same issue! My daughter is 17 and didn't file taxes in 2022 (she was 15 and only earned about $800 babysitting). Her FAFSA got rejected for the same reason yesterday. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the signed statement option or services like Claimyr to get through to FSA. Ana, thank you so much for posting your successful resolution steps! I'm going to try your approach with uploading the parent statement first, then using Claimyr to reach an agent. It's absolutely ridiculous that this is even an issue - the system should recognize that minors with minimal income don't file taxes. Fingers crossed I can get this sorted out as quickly as you did. This community has been a lifesaver!

New member here and unfortunately joining the club of parents dealing with this exact nightmare! My 17-year-old son's FAFSA was just rejected yesterday for the same reason - he didn't file taxes in 2022 when he was 15 and only made about $600 from a part-time job at a local store. I'm so grateful I found this thread because I was completely lost on what to do next. Ana, your step-by-step solution is incredibly helpful! I'm going to try the combination approach of uploading a signed parent statement confirming he wasn't required to file, then using Claimyr to reach an FSA agent. It's absolutely mind-boggling that the system assumes every student filed taxes regardless of age or income level. This should be a simple checkbox fix, not a bureaucratic maze that takes weeks to resolve. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's given me hope that this can actually be fixed relatively quickly once you know the right steps to take!

my roomate thought she didnt get any $ cuz she was looking at fafsa site but actually had full package waiting at her school portal for like 2 months lol. she almost took out private loans for no reason

Just wanted to add that timing varies a lot by school! Some release awards as early as December/January, while others don't send them until April or even May. I'd also recommend downloading any award letters you find since some schools only keep them available for a limited time in your portal. And if you're comparing offers between schools, make sure you're looking at the net cost (total cost minus grants/scholarships) rather than just the total aid amount - sometimes a bigger aid package doesn't actually mean less out-of-pocket expense!

UPDATE: Correction has been submitted! Listed myself, my mom, and my sister (3 total). Thanks everyone for the help and quick responses. I'll update again once I see if the correction went through properly.

Good catch on fixing this so quickly! Just wanted to add that you should keep an eye on your SAR (Student Aid Report) once the correction processes - it will show your updated family size and new SAI calculation. Also, don't worry too much about the timing - most schools are still processing FAFSAs from the new cycle, so your correction shouldn't cause major delays if you stay on top of it. The key thing is you caught it early and took action right away!

One more important tip: After your FAFSA is processed, many schools will also require the CSS Profile for institutional aid (scholarships and grants from the college itself). The CSS Profile is separate from FAFSA and administered through College Board. Check if any of your schools require this additional application!

Hey Amara! Just wanted to add that you should also check if your schools have their own financial aid portals where you need to create accounts. Most colleges will email you instructions for accessing these portals, but sometimes those emails get buried or go to spam. I'd recommend proactively visiting each school's financial aid website and looking for "create student account" or "check aid status" links. This way you can monitor your aid package status directly with each school rather than waiting for them to contact you. Also, some schools have earlier deadlines for submitting additional documents even after your FAFSA is processed, so getting into those portals ASAP is super important!