Regarding the two separate applications: Yes, you'll need to address each one separately. For 2023-24, you're limited to the Special Circumstances review through each school. For 2024-25, you can both submit a correction AND request Special Circumstances review. For timeline expectations: Special Circumstances reviews typically take 2-4 weeks to process, depending on the school's workload. Some schools won't finalize any aid package until they complete this review, while others might issue an initial package and then revise it. I'd recommend calling each school's financial aid office to understand their specific process and timelines. Regarding contribution expectations: With your $28,000 income and the new Student Aid Index formula, your contribution would likely drop significantly - potentially to $0-3,000 range depending on your other assets and family size.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - the divorce/FAFSA situation is incredibly stressful! I went through something similar when my divorce was finalized mid-academic year. A few practical tips from my experience: 1. **Priority order**: Start with your son's top choice schools first when contacting financial aid offices. Some schools are much more generous with professional judgment adjustments than others. 2. **Documentation prep**: Get multiple copies of everything ready - divorce decree, recent pay stubs, bank statements, and a letter from your ex's attorney or court documentation showing no support obligations. Having everything organized will speed up the process. 3. **Business account reporting**: Unfortunately yes, you do need to report those business accounts. I learned this the hard way too. The FAFSA considers any accounts in your name as your assets, regardless of their business purpose. 4. **Timeline management**: Don't wait for the FAFSA corrections to process before submitting special circumstances forms to schools. Do both simultaneously to avoid delays. The good news is that with your actual income of $28K, your contribution should drop dramatically once the adjustments are made. Hang in there - it's fixable, just takes some persistence!

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. I just spent some time going through the FAFSA preview and now see the section about "unmarried and both parents living together." It seems clear that I should complete the form since I provide more of her financial support, but we'll need to include both our financial information. I'm a bit disappointed that our unique living arrangement might result in less aid, but at least I understand how to proceed now. I'll start gathering our financial documents and will use Claimyr if I run into issues and need to speak with FSA directly.

I just wanted to add that you should also consider reaching out to your daughter's prospective colleges' financial aid offices directly once you submit the FAFSA. Many schools have experienced financial aid counselors who have dealt with complex family situations like yours before. They might be able to provide school-specific guidance or even consider professional judgment adjustments to your aid package based on your unique circumstances. Some schools are more flexible than others when it comes to unusual living arrangements, so it's worth having that conversation early in the process. Good luck with everything!

Hey, I'm new here but dealing with the exact same situation right now! Been waiting 8 days so far for my FSA ID identity verification to process and I'm getting really anxious about missing deadlines. Reading through all these responses is actually super reassuring - sounds like 2-3 weeks is pretty normal even though it's stressful. I had no idea about the phone submission option or temporary FSA ID, so thank you everyone for sharing that info! Definitely going to call tomorrow and also reach out to my school's financial aid office. It's crazy how many people go through this same nightmare but at least we're not alone in it!

New to this community but unfortunately not new to FSA ID verification hell! Currently on day 9 of waiting and honestly finding this thread has been a lifesaver. I had no clue about the phone submission option - that's brilliant! Also really appreciate everyone sharing their actual wait times because the FSA website just says "7-10 business days" which clearly isn't the full story. Quick question for those who've been through this: when you called that 1-800-433-3243 number, were you able to get through easily or did you have to wait on hold forever? I'm planning to call tomorrow morning but want to set realistic expectations. Also considering trying that Claimyr service that @Isabel Vega mentioned if the regular line is too backed up. This whole process is so stressful but at least we're all suffering together! 😅

Hey, did any of these solutions work for you? I'm helping another parent who's stuck with the same issue and would love to know what finally fixed it for you.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now with my son's FAFSA account! It's so frustrating that the website doesn't give any clear error messages. Reading through all these solutions is super helpful - I had no idea about the browser extension conflicts or the existing account possibility. Going to try the Chrome + hotspot + simple password combination first. Has anyone found that certain times of day work better than others? I'm wondering if server load during peak hours might be making the problem worse.

As someone who just went through this process with my twin daughters, I can confirm this is completely normal! The simplified FAFSA is actually a huge improvement once you get used to it. We had around $8k in savings that I was stressing about reporting, but like everyone said, it's not required anymore. Both girls got their SAI calculations back quickly and we're already seeing aid offers from their colleges. The whole process took maybe 30 minutes compared to the 2+ hours it used to take with all those asset questions. Just make sure your tax info is accurate since that's what they're really focusing on now!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now with my son's FAFSA! I kept refreshing the page thinking it was a technical glitch when I couldn't find anywhere to enter our $15k in savings. Reading through all these responses is such a relief - I was literally about to call the financial aid office at his top choice school to ask if they needed a separate form for asset information. It's wild how much the system has changed! Does anyone know if this simplified approach actually helps most families get more aid, or does it vary a lot depending on your specific financial situation?