My cousin had this same problem but it turned out her dad had already started an application and used her email, so when she tried to make her own account it was conflicting with the existing one. Might be worth checking if anyone else in your family has already used those email addresses somehow?

Just wanted to add another potential solution that worked for a friend of mine - if you're using any ad blockers or privacy extensions in your browser, try temporarily disabling them. Some of these tools can interfere with the FAFSA site's email verification process. Also, if you have a VPN running, disconnect it before trying again. The FAFSA system can be really picky about these things. Hope this helps someone else who's struggling with this frustrating issue!

sorry but all u parents telling kids to hide money or move it around are teaching terrible lessons!! just be honest on the dang form

I completely understand your panic - I went through the same thing last year! The good news is that while student assets are counted at 20%, the impact on your daughter's aid might be less dramatic than you think. For her $3,500 in savings, you're looking at roughly $700 added to your SAI (Student Aid Index), which doesn't translate to a dollar-for-dollar reduction in aid. As for not reporting the $1,200 last year, try not to stress too much. The Department of Education doesn't automatically cross-reference every detail from year to year unless there are major red flags. Just report everything accurately going forward. One thing to consider: if your daughter needs any educational supplies or equipment for the upcoming school year (laptop, textbooks, etc.), using some of her savings for these legitimate expenses before filing could reduce the reportable amount while still supporting her education. Just don't make any sudden large transfers - timing and documentation matter if you're selected for verification.

Just wanted to follow up and see if you were able to create your FSA ID without issues? Did the name change cause any problems?

That's great to hear that your FSA ID creation went smoothly! For other parents in similar situations, it's worth noting that the credit verification questions can actually be helpful - they prove the system IS linking your financial history correctly across name changes. One more tip for when you actually complete the FAFSA: make sure to have your 2023 tax return handy (for the 2025-26 FAFSA). The IRS Data Retrieval Tool can automatically import your tax information, which reduces errors and speeds up processing. Since you mentioned having a complicated history, using the automatic import feature will help ensure everything matches perfectly with what the government already has on file.

My twins had a similar situation last year. Their grandmother raised them, but there was never a formal adoption. We followed this process that worked at all three schools they applied to: 1. Submitted FAFSA selecting "special circumstances" for parent info 2. Immediately contacted each school's financial aid office by phone 3. Each school sent us their specific dependency override form 4. We got letters from: high school counselor, family doctor who knew the situation, grandmother's pastor 5. We also included grandmother's tax returns showing them as dependents 6. The twins each wrote detailed personal statements explaining no contact with parents Two schools approved it within 2 weeks, the third took almost 6 weeks and multiple follow-ups. But all three eventually approved it and they got decent financial aid packages. Be prepared to be persistent!

I went through this exact situation 3 years ago! I was raised by my aunt from age 5 with no bio parent contact. The dependency override process was definitely stressful but totally doable. Here's what worked for me: - Got letters from my high school counselor, family doctor, and my aunt's lawyer (who knew our family situation) - Wrote a really detailed personal statement explaining the whole history - Included my aunt's tax returns showing she claimed me as dependent - Applied to 5 schools and got approved at 4 of them (one school was just super strict) The key is being thorough with documentation and following up regularly. Don't let them sit on the application! I called every 2 weeks to check status. Also, start this process ASAP because it can take 4-8 weeks depending on the school. Your niece's situation sounds very similar to mine and she should definitely qualify. The financial aid officers I worked with were actually really understanding once they saw all the documentation. Good luck!

One last tip: When you contact schools, ask specifically about their

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process (my oldest is a high school senior), and reading through this thread is honestly terrifying! We're planning to have two kids in college at the same time for a few years, but then it'll drop to one. I had no idea the SAI could jump so dramatically when the number of students changes. Is there anything families can do to prepare for this financially, or are we just at the mercy of the formula? Also, should we be timing our kids' college years differently to maximize aid? This seems like such a huge factor that nobody talks about during college planning!