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Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this last year. I'm also separated (for 2 years now), and I did NOT report my ex's 529 plan on my daughter's FAFSA. We got selected for verification, but once I provided documentation showing we lived at separate addresses and that the 529 was solely in his name, they approved everything without issues. The financial aid office at my daughter's college was actually really helpful in navigating this.
That's reassuring to hear! I'll go ahead and file without including his 529 since I'm the custodial parent and we've been living separately. I'll keep all my documentation ready in case of verification. Thank you for sharing your experience!
I went through something similar when my ex and I separated in 2022. One thing that helped me was calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center directly at 1-800-433-3243 to ask about my specific situation before submitting the FAFSA. They were able to clarify that since I met the separation criteria (living apart for 6+ months with documentation) and was the custodial parent, I should only report MY assets, not his 529. It gave me peace of mind knowing I was following their official guidance. Also, make sure you have copies of everything - lease agreements, utility bills, custody documentation - because if you do get selected for verification, having it all organized makes the process much smoother.
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UPDATE: I tried the incognito browser suggestion and the FSA Ombudsman number, but still no luck. BUT I finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned! The wait would have been 3+ hours but they got me connected to an FSA rep in about 25 minutes. The agent verified my identity using my tax records and was able to update my name in the system! He said I should be able to create a new FSA ID with my married name in 24-48 hours. THANK YOU everyone for your help - I was seriously about to have a breakdown over this!
That's great news! Once you're able to create your new FSA ID, remember to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA. This will automatically import your tax information and reduce the chance of errors that could lead to verification. Given the timeline, also be sure to check with your daughter's intended schools about their specific financial aid deadlines, as they sometimes differ from the federal deadline.
Yes, I'll definitely use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool! And good point about the school deadlines - I'll check with her top choice schools right away. Thanks again for all the help!
So glad you got this resolved! I've been following this thread because I'm dealing with a similar situation with my own name change after getting married last year. The FAFSA system really needs a major overhaul - it shouldn't be this difficult for parents to help their kids access financial aid. Your experience with Claimyr sounds like it was a lifesaver. I might have to try that service myself if I can't get through the regular channels. Thanks for sharing your update and congrats on getting it sorted before the deadline!
I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm completely new to the FAFSA process and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed. My oldest is a junior in high school and I know we need to start thinking about college applications and financial aid soon. Reading about all these complications with name changes and system issues is making me nervous about what we might face next year. Is there anything I should be doing now to prepare or avoid potential problems? Should I be creating my FSA ID ahead of time while everything is still straightforward with my current information?
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Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm going to wait until my parents file their taxes, then immediately make the correction on studentaid.gov AND contact all my schools to let them know. I'll also check each school's financial aid website to see if they have specific forms for tax updates. Hoping the difference isn't too big from what we estimated!
That's the perfect approach. Also, save copies of all tax documents and keep a log of when you submit corrections and who you speak with at each financial aid office. If there are any issues later, having this documentation will help resolve them more quickly.
Great question! I went through this exact same situation last year. Yes, you absolutely should update your FAFSA once your parents file their 2023 taxes. Here's what I learned: Log into studentaid.gov and use the "Make FAFSA Corrections" feature to input the actual tax figures. The system will automatically recalculate your SAI with the real numbers. Also, definitely reach out to each of your schools' financial aid offices proactively - some have their own internal deadlines for tax updates that aren't widely advertised. I'd recommend making the correction within a week of when the taxes are filed to avoid any processing delays that could affect your aid disbursement timing. Keep digital copies of everything in case you need to reference them later!
This is really helpful advice! I'm new to all this FAFSA stuff and honestly feeling pretty overwhelmed. When you say "within a week of when taxes are filed" - is that because there's an official deadline or just to avoid delays? Also, did your SAI change much when you updated with the actual tax numbers? I'm trying to mentally prepare for whether my aid package might shift significantly.
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Excellent! For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues, here's a summary of the solution: 1. The student must correctly add each parent/contributor with the exact email associated with their FSA ID 2. Contributors should use the direct URL in the email rather than the "Get Started" button 3. If problems persist, have the student remove and re-add the contributor 4. Clear browser cache and cookies before attempting access 5. Try using the mobile app if the desktop site isn't working The 2025-2026 FAFSA has several known issues with the contributor invitation system, but most can be resolved with these steps.
This is a great summary! I wish they included these troubleshooting steps on the studentaid.gov website. Would have saved us a lot of time and stress!
Just wanted to add another tip that helped me last week - if you're still having trouble after trying all these solutions, check if your daughter accidentally used her school email instead of your personal email when adding you as a contributor. My son did this and I kept looking for the invitation in the wrong inbox! Also, some email providers (especially corporate ones) automatically send these FSA emails to spam folders, so definitely check there too. The subject line is usually something like "Complete your FAFSA form as a contributor" so search for that specifically.
Great point about checking different email inboxes! I actually had a similar issue last year where my work email was blocking the FSA emails entirely due to security settings. Had to add studentaid.gov to my safe sender list. It's crazy how many little things can go wrong with this process. Thanks for sharing that tip about searching for the specific subject line - that would have been really helpful when I was frantically looking through my emails!
Carmen Sanchez
I'm dealing with something similar! My FAFSA was processed in mid-March and then suddenly reprocessed last week without any warning. I have twins starting college this fall, so I'm especially worried about how this affects the multiple-student calculation. Reading through all these comments is both reassuring and terrifying - it sounds like this is happening to lots of families, but the outcomes are so inconsistent. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about downloading both SAI reports and contacting each school directly. Has anyone had experience with schools that initially said they wouldn't adjust but then changed their mind after you provided more documentation? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth appealing if the first response is negative.
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Ryan Andre
•Hi Carmen! I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same situation. From what I've been reading here, it definitely seems worth appealing even if they initially say no. A few people have mentioned that schools are still figuring out their policies for this unprecedented FAFSA mess, so they might be more flexible than their first response suggests. I'd recommend keeping detailed records of all your communications and maybe referencing some of the insider info that Alejandro shared about this being the most challenging FAFSA cycle in years. It sounds like persistence might pay off, especially since you have twins - that multiple student situation seems to be at the heart of a lot of these reprocessing issues. Good luck with your appeals!
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Connor O'Reilly
I'm a newcomer here but going through the exact same nightmare! My FAFSA was processed in early March and then mysteriously reprocessed two weeks ago. I have one child currently in college and another starting this fall, so reading about these multiple-student calculation issues has me really concerned. The lack of communication from the Department of Education is absolutely maddening - how are families supposed to make informed decisions about college when the numbers keep changing without explanation? I'm going to try the Claimyr service that Zane mentioned to actually get through to someone who can explain what happened to our application. This whole "simplified" FAFSA has been anything but simple! Thank you all for sharing your experiences - at least now I know we're not alone in this chaos.
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