I'm dealing with this exact same issue! My son's FAFSA has been stuck with the signature error for 3 weeks now. I called the FSA hotline and they told me it's a "known system issue" affecting thousands of applications. The rep said they're working on a batch fix, but couldn't give me a timeline. In the meantime, she suggested I contact each school directly with our confirmation number and explain the situation. Most schools are apparently creating exception lists for students affected by this bug. It's so stressful when you've done everything right and the system just fails you!

This signature glitch is such a nightmare! I'm a parent who went through something similar last month. Here's what finally worked for me: I cleared my browser cache completely, logged out of my FSA ID, then logged back in using a different browser (switched from Chrome to Firefox). Sometimes the signature button becomes ungreyed when you access it from a fresh browser session. If that doesn't work, definitely try the contributor removal/re-adding suggestion someone mentioned above - that actually fixed it for my neighbor. Also, when you do call FSA, ask specifically for the "FAFSA Technical Support" department rather than general customer service. They seem to understand the signature issues better and can escalate faster. Hang in there - this system is a mess this year but most people are eventually getting it resolved!

I'm new here and dealing with a similar contributor situation! My wife started our daughter's FAFSA but I handle all our tax stuff. From reading all these responses, it sounds like switching contributors is pretty straightforward through the "Manage Contributors" section in the dashboard. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been super helpful! Also good to know about using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to avoid accuracy issues.

Hi everyone! I'm also new to this community and going through the FAFSA process for the first time with my daughter. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea you could switch contributors so easily! I was stressed about who should be the primary contributor since my spouse and I both work but handle different parts of our finances. It's reassuring to know that as long as we're in the same household and the information is accurate, it doesn't really matter who completes it. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips about using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and making changes before submitting!

After you create the new application, you might still need to contact FSA support if the system is stuck in its ways. The new SAI calculation really tries to maintain parent consistency year over year, which is great for intact families but creates these exact issues for divorced parents. When you speak with an agent, specifically ask for a "parent contributor reset" or "parent association update" for the 2025-2026 FAFSA form. That's the technical term they'll understand immediately. Also, after this is resolved, your son should qualify for his full financial aid package as normal. This parent switching won't impact his SAI calculation negatively as long as accurate information is provided.

I went through this exact same situation last year when my ex-husband stopped cooperating with the FAFSA process. What worked for me was having my daughter start completely fresh with a new application and being very specific about custody arrangements in the dependency questions. The key is making sure your son answers that he lives with YOU more than 50% of the time (if that's accurate). The system should then prompt for your information instead of trying to link to your ex-husband's previous participation. If you do need to call FSA, I found that calling right when they open at 8 AM Eastern gave me the shortest wait time. Have your son's FSA ID ready and explain that you need to switch the parent contributor due to changed circumstances. They were actually pretty understanding once I got through to someone. Good luck - I know how stressful this whole process can be, especially when you're trying to help your child and running into these technical roadblocks!

Welcome to the community, Ivanna! I'm glad this thread has been helpful for you. Regarding your question about expense documentation - it really varies by school. Some schools only want proof of the income change (like termination letters, reduced hour documentation, pay stubs showing the difference), while others do ask for detailed monthly expense breakdowns. From what I've seen, most schools start with just the income change documentation and then might ask for expense reports if they need more clarity on your family's financial situation. I'd recommend starting with gathering proof of your mom's hour reduction (official letter from employer, comparison of old vs new pay stubs) and then being prepared to provide expense documentation if they request it. The fact that you're thinking ahead and gathering documents before contacting the aid office puts you in a great position. That proactive approach will definitely help speed up the process once you submit your appeal. Good luck with everything!

I'm going through something similar right now! My dad's small business basically collapsed in January (way after we filed our taxes), and our SAI came back ridiculously high too. I started the professional judgment process at my school about 3 weeks ago and it's been a rollercoaster. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - when you call the financial aid office, ask them to email you a checklist of exactly what documents they need. Every person I talked to seemed to want something slightly different, and I ended up submitting way more paperwork than necessary at first. Getting that official list saved me so much time and confusion. Also, if your school has a student financial services website, check if they have the PJ forms available for download. Mine did, but it was buried like 5 pages deep and not easy to find. Having the forms filled out ahead of time when I called made the whole conversation much more productive. The waiting is the worst part honestly, but reading everyone's success stories here gives me hope that it'll work out. Fingers crossed for both of us!

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I feel much better knowing this is just normal timing and not a glitch in the system. I'll wait until November to check again for the 2025-2026 option and focus on getting our financial documents organized in the meantime. I appreciate all your insights!

Just wanted to chime in as another parent going through this process! I'm planning ahead for my twin daughters who will be juniors next year, and I was having the same confusion about the 2025-2026 option not being available. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there was such a specific timeline for when these applications open. I'm definitely going to use this time to get organized with all our financial documents and check our credit reports like Amara suggested. It's reassuring to know that being "early" is actually a good thing, even if it means waiting a few more months!