So glad you got it resolved! This happens more often than people realize. Once the schools get the updated FAFSA information, make sure to follow up with their financial aid offices directly to request updated award letters. Sometimes they don't automatically regenerate offers. And remember - if your financial situation has changed at all since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can also submit a special circumstances appeal for additional consideration.

What a relief that you got it sorted out! This is such a perfect example of why the FAFSA system needs better communication - they should notify families immediately when there are flags or issues instead of leaving everyone in the dark. Your story will definitely help other families who might be dealing with the same mysterious denials. Make sure to keep copies of all the documentation you submitted in case this identity mix-up ever pops up again in future years. And yes, definitely follow up with each school individually once they receive the updated info - some are faster than others at regenerating award packages.

That's excellent! This is exactly why I always encourage families to appeal. Many people don't realize that financial aid offices have discretionary funds specifically for situations like this. The formula changes this year created unique hardships that many institutions are willing to address with supplemental aid. One additional tip for others reading this thread: if your income for 2023 (which you reported on the 2025-2026 FAFSA) was unusually high compared to your current situation, you can also request professional judgment for income adjustments.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this thread incredibly eye-opening and concerning. I'm currently helping my younger sister navigate her college applications for next year, and reading about these FAFSA formula changes has me worried about what we might face. Our family situation is similar - middle income with potentially two students in college simultaneously. It sounds like we need to prepare for the possibility that our financial aid might be significantly less than what online calculators based on the old EFC formula suggest. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and especially to those who provided concrete steps for appeals. I'm bookmarking this thread to reference when we get our aid packages. It's frustrating that families are having to fight for fair treatment, but I'm glad there are options available and that some of you have had success with the appeal process. @Jamal Carter - congratulations on getting that additional funding! Your persistence really paid off and gives the rest of us hope.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother, and I'm glad to see you've received such thorough guidance from this community. As someone who works in financial aid, I want to emphasize one important point that hasn't been fully addressed: when you complete the professional judgment review request, make sure to specifically ask the financial aid office about their "loss of parent" policies. Many schools have established procedures for students who lose a parent during or after the FAFSA base year, and some automatically review these cases for additional institutional aid beyond federal programs. The key is being proactive about requesting this review rather than waiting for the school to identify your situation. Also, if your brother will be attending college in fall 2025, consider reaching out to the financial aid office soon after submitting the FAFSA rather than waiting for it to be fully processed. They can often begin the professional judgment review process early, which helps avoid delays in your aid package. You're handling this incredibly well under very difficult circumstances.

I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Paige. It's clear you're being an amazing advocate for your brother during such a difficult time. Reading through all the excellent advice shared here, I wanted to add one more practical tip that might help streamline the process. When you prepare that documentation packet (death certificate, divorce decree, etc.), consider creating a simple one-page summary sheet that includes: - Timeline of key events (mom's custodial status during 2023, date of death, FAFSA filing date) - Brief explanation of financial changes since her passing - List of all supporting documents included This summary can help financial aid officers quickly understand your situation and may reduce back-and-forth requests for clarification. Many offices appreciate having the full picture laid out clearly, especially for complex cases like yours. You've received fantastic guidance from this community, and it sounds like you have all the right steps mapped out. Your brother is lucky to have you looking out for him during this challenging process.

Also worth noting: make sure your son lists both you and your husband separately as contributors if you file taxes separately or if you're not married. If you file jointly, only one of you needs to complete the contributor section. Another tip: all of you should save your work frequently - the system can time out unexpectedly.

New to this whole process but wanted to share what I learned after going through it with my oldest daughter last week. The sequence everyone mentioned is correct, but here's something I wish someone had told me: make sure to have your FSA ID ready BEFORE your kid submits their portion. I didn't realize I needed to create my own studentaid.gov account ahead of time, so when I got the contributor email, I had to go through the whole FSA ID creation process which delayed things by a few days (they have to verify your identity). If you create your FSA ID now, you'll be ready to go as soon as you get that contributor invitation!

Don't worry, you're definitely not alone in this! I just went through the exact same thing with my son's FAFSA a few months ago. We caught an error in our tax information about two weeks after submitting and I was absolutely panicking about deadlines too. The good news is that corrections really don't take as long as they used to - ours processed in about 8 business days. What really helped was keeping a list of all his target schools and their financial aid office phone numbers. I called each one to let them know a correction was pending, and every single office was super understanding and said it happens all the time. One thing I wish someone had told me - keep checking your email! When our correction finally went through, I got an email notification before the website even updated. Also, if your daughter has created her own StudentAid.gov account, make sure she's checking her messages there too since sometimes notifications go to the student account instead of the parent. You're being so proactive about this, and that's exactly what you should be doing. Your daughter is lucky to have a parent who's staying on top of everything!

I'm going through something very similar right now! My daughter and I submitted her FAFSA about two weeks ago, but we just realized we accidentally entered my spouse's income twice (once as wages and once as other income). I submitted the correction three days ago and have been checking the portal obsessively with no updates yet. Reading through all these responses is giving me so much relief - especially knowing that the original submission date is what counts for deadlines! I had no idea about contacting the schools directly either. That's brilliant advice that I'm definitely going to follow tomorrow. @Zoe Gonzalez - thank you for that detailed breakdown about the SAI recalculation timeline. As a financial aid counselor, do you know if duplicate income entries like ours typically result in significant changes to the aid calculation? We're worried we might have inflated our income substantially and want to prepare for how this might affect her aid packages. This community is amazing - I was feeling so alone and stressed about this whole process, but seeing how common these correction issues are and how helpful everyone is being makes me feel so much better. Thank you all for sharing your experiences!