UPDATE: We got it fixed! Had my son change his phone number in his FSA ID profile last night, and this morning I was able to create my own account with my number. Currently working through my portion of his FAFSA now. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got it sorted out! This is definitely one of the most frustrating parts of the FAFSA process - the phone number conflicts seem to trip up so many families. Your experience will probably help other parents who run into the same issue. Hope the rest of your son's financial aid process goes smoothly!

Just to add one more important detail: For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, remember that whoever is providing contributor information (usually a parent) will need to have their own FSA ID fully set up and linked to their own Social Security Number. This is especially important with the new FAFSA simplification changes. While the signature order doesn't impact the processing, having all the proper documentation and FSA IDs ready before you begin will make the process much smoother. Also remember that your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) calculation will be based on this information.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation last year! The signature order truly doesn't matter - I was the contributor for my nephew and I signed first while he was still at school, then he signed a few days later when he had time. What saved us was setting up a shared calendar reminder for the 14-day signature window so we didn't accidentally let it expire. Also, pro tip: after both signatures are complete, you'll get email confirmations to both the student and contributor email addresses, so you'll know for sure when the FAFSA is fully submitted. Good luck with your niece's application!

UPDATE: We got it fixed!!! The problem was exactly what @FinAidPro suggested - my husband's FSA ID email didn't match what my daughter entered in the contributor request. Once we updated his email address in his FSA ID account and waited about an hour, the contributor request suddenly appeared in his dashboard. He was able to complete it right away. For anyone else facing this issue, definitely check that the email addresses match EXACTLY. And thanks to everyone who offered suggestions - this forum was so much more helpful than anything on the official site!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm dealing with a similar issue but my situation is slightly different - my daughter's stepdad (my husband) keeps getting the contributor request emails, but when he clicks the link it just takes him to a generic "getting started" page instead of his actual contributor tasks. Has anyone experienced this variation of the problem? We've tried updating his FSA ID email and clearing cache like others suggested, but still no luck. The deadline stress is real!

Does anyone know if the intrest rates will be higher for 2025-2026? My son graduates next yr and we've already taken out 3 parent plus loans I'm worried the rates will go up again

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!

Update: My daughter's FAFSA was reprocessed overnight and is now showing as complete again! Looks like it was a quick review after all. Thanks for all the helpful advice!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this exact situation last year! My daughter also removed schools from her processed FAFSA after getting advice from friends, and I was terrified we'd ruined everything. The good news is that in most cases, it really is just a quick verification process. One thing I'd recommend doing right now is taking screenshots of her current FAFSA status and the list of schools that are still on there, just for your records. Also, if you have any emails or documents showing her original SAI score, keep those handy. The schools that already received her information before the deletion should still have everything they need to process her aid packages. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking though - I totally understand the stress with payment deadlines looming! Fingers crossed your daughter's review goes as quickly as some of the others mentioned here.