Just wanted to jump in as another newcomer who was completely lost about this whole SAI situation! Reading through all these responses has been SO helpful - I had no idea the SAI number doesn't actually show up on the main FAFSA website. That seems like such a weird design choice? Like, it's my information but I can't see it unless I go somewhere else entirely. I'm still waiting for my FAFSA to show as "processed" (going on week 5 now), but at least now I know what to expect and where to look once it finally goes through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for those of us trying to figure out this confusing system!

I'm brand new to the FAFSA process and this thread has been incredibly educational! I had absolutely no clue that the SAI wouldn't show up on StudentAid.gov even after processing - that seems like such a basic piece of information that should be visible to the student. Reading everyone's experiences makes me realize this confusion is totally normal and not just me being clueless. I haven't even submitted my FAFSA yet (still gathering all the documents), but now I know to expect this weird disconnect between "processed" status and actually being able to see my SAI number. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and solutions - I'll definitely bookmark this thread for when I inevitably run into the same issue in a few weeks!

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and seeing all these responses is both helpful and terrifying! My daughter is also starting college next fall and we haven't submitted our FAFSA yet because I keep hearing about all these technical issues. Should I wait until they fix the system problems, or just go ahead and submit it knowing there might be errors in the initial results? I'm worried about missing deadlines but also don't want to deal with wildly incorrect numbers that might affect our planning. How long are these glitches expected to last?

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! My FAFSA is showing $13,600 in Pell Grant eligibility and I thought I was dreaming. Reading all these responses is really helpful - sounds like it's definitely a system error. I'm a returning student (took 10 years off to raise kids) so I wasn't sure if there were different rules for non-traditional students that might explain the high amount. Good to know to just wait for the actual SAI calculation. Has anyone heard if these glitches are affecting the verification process too? I'm worried that when they "fix" these errors it might trigger additional verification requirements that could delay everything even more.

UPDATE: We figured it out! After trying several suggestions here, we discovered the problem. My daughter had entered my email correctly, but when she originally set up her FSA ID account, she had listed me with a slightly different name than what I used when creating my own account (she put "Robert" while my account uses "Bob"). When we called FSA using the Claimyr service someone recommended (which worked great - got a callback in about 30 minutes), the agent explained that the system was trying to match both the email AND name exactly. The agent canceled the pending invitation, my daughter sent a new one with my name exactly as it appears on my FSA ID, and I finally received the email within minutes! For anyone else having this issue, make sure the parent's name matches EXACTLY on both sides.

This is such valuable information - thank you for sharing the solution! I'm a newcomer here dealing with the same frustrating issue. My son sent me an invitation over a week ago and I never received it. After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing there could be multiple issues at play. I'm going to check: 1. Whether he entered my name exactly as it appears on my FSA ID (like Hazel discovered was the problem) 2. If he selected the correct relationship type (parent vs legal guardian as Nasira mentioned) 3. Try the Claimyr callback service if we can't get through to FSA directly It's honestly ridiculous that such a critical system has so many technical glitches, but at least this community is helping each other figure out workarounds. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions!

As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I can relate to the confusion! The investment/asset questions were definitely problematic on previous forms. What really helped me was printing out the FAFSA and going through it section by section with my tax documents before actually filling it out online. That way I could see exactly what they were asking for and avoid double-counting anything. Also, keep screenshots of your completed sections - it makes it so much easier if you need to reference what you entered later or if there are any issues during verification.

I'm a first-time FAFSA filer and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My biggest takeaway is to be super careful about not double-counting the 529 plan in both the investments section and the education savings section. It sounds like this was a major issue on previous forms but they've improved the wording for 2025-2026. I'm also going to try the approach of printing out the form first to review with my documents - that seems like it would help avoid a lot of confusion. Does anyone know when the 2025-2026 form officially opens? I want to make sure I'm ready to go as soon as it's available.

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to echo what others have said - this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm in a nearly identical situation with my small home-based bookkeeping service and was completely overwhelmed by the FAFSA business asset question. The family business exemption that Daniel explained is exactly what I needed to know, and I love how everyone provided actual sources and real-world examples rather than just guesses. What really impressed me is how the discussion evolved from the initial confusion to providing multiple solutions and verification tips. I'm definitely going to use the Federal Student Aid Handbook reference and document everything carefully as suggested. It's such a relief to find a community where people actually help each other navigate these complex financial aid requirements instead of just sharing horror stories. For other newcomers who might find this thread - definitely save all the resources and official language that were shared here. The documentation advice about keeping records for potential verification is spot on. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I just have to say how incredible this thread has been! I'm dealing with the exact same situation - my spouse and I run a small dropshipping business from home and I was completely lost on how to handle the FAFSA business valuation. Like William, we have minimal physical assets and no inventory, just our laptop and some basic office supplies we'd own anyway. The family business exemption that Daniel explained is absolutely life-changing information - I had no idea this existed and it seems like it would apply perfectly to our situation since it's just the two of us with no employees. What really stands out to me is the quality of advice here - people providing actual Federal Student Aid sources, sharing real experiences from verification processes, and giving practical documentation tips. I especially appreciate Lauren's detailed breakdown of what constitutes business assets and Andre's advice about keeping detailed records. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes navigating FAFSA manageable instead of terrifying. I'm definitely going to research the family business exemption further and document everything carefully as suggested. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge - this community is a lifesaver for confused parents like me!