Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this transition. My SAI ended up being about $3,000 higher than my old EFC, and I was panicking too. But here's what I learned after talking to multiple financial aid offices: The SAI calculation includes some improvements that might actually help you. For example, they increased the income protection allowance (the amount of income that's protected from the aid calculation) and made some adjustments for families with lower incomes. Also, if you're close to the Pell Grant eligibility threshold, it's worth double-checking your FAFSA for any errors. Even small mistakes in income reporting or family size can push you over the edge. I caught an error in my tax information that dropped my SAI by almost $2,000. One more tip - if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can request a professional judgment review. The SAI is based on prior-prior year income, so it might not reflect your current ability to pay. Good luck!

Hey! I'm new to this whole FAFSA thing and reading through this thread has been super educational. I'm a high school senior who just submitted my FAFSA and I'm waiting for my SAI results. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I shouldn't panic when I see the number, right? My parents keep asking me what our "expected family contribution" will be, but from what I'm understanding, the SAI isn't exactly the same thing? Should I be preparing them for the fact that this new number might look different than what they're expecting based on online EFC calculators they've been using? Also, does anyone know if there are any good resources for understanding how different schools typically package aid? It sounds like every school handles the SAI differently when putting together aid packages.

Oh man, this is bringing back nightmares from when I was applying! 😅 I remember having the exact same "no activity" issue with my mom's contributor section. What ended up working for me was actually having her log out of ANY existing FSA account she might have had open in another tab, then clicking the invitation link again. Sometimes the system gets confused if there are multiple sessions running. Also - and this might sound weird - but try having your dad click the link on his phone instead of a computer. Mobile seems to handle the FAFSA invitations better for some reason. Good luck, and don't give up! The system is definitely glitchy but it'll work eventually.

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! The "no activity" glitch is so common it's ridiculous. Here's what finally worked for me after trying everything else: 1. Have your dad completely close all browser windows and restart his browser 2. Make sure he's NOT logged into any other government sites (like IRS, SSA, etc.) 3. Have him go directly to studentaid.gov and log in with his FSA ID there first 4. THEN click the invitation link from the email The key seems to be establishing that FSA session first before clicking the FAFSA invitation. Something about how their authentication system works gets confused otherwise. Also pro tip: if you're still having issues, try submitting the FAFSA during off-peak hours (like early morning or late evening). The system is less glitchy when fewer people are using it. Hang in there - I know it's super stressful but you'll get through it! 💪

Glad to hear you got your invite! For future reference for anyone else having this issue - I've noticed that contributor invites sent during weekdays tend to arrive faster than weekend submissions. Also, if you're using a work email, some corporate spam filters are extra aggressive with FSA emails. I always recommend parents use a personal email address when possible. The new FAFSA system has definitely had growing pains, but it's getting more stable as they work out the bugs.

Great to see this got resolved! For anyone still waiting on their contributor invite, I'd also recommend checking if your email provider has any "promotions" or "updates" folders where automated emails sometimes get sorted. Gmail especially likes to put government emails in these tabs instead of the main inbox. Also, if you're still having issues after 48 hours, try having your student remove you as a contributor and then re-add you - sometimes this triggers the system to send a fresh invite. The key is not to panic - the FSA system is definitely slower this year but it does work eventually!

Update: I called my financial advisor today to double-check, and she confirmed what everyone here said - the 529 should definitely be reported as MY asset since I'm the account owner. She mentioned that this is one of the most common mistakes families make on the FAFSA. I'll be completing my parent portion this weekend and will include the 529 in my assets section. Then I'll follow up with both the Federal Student Aid office and my son's prospective colleges to make sure they're aware of the correction. Thank you all for the help! This community saved us from what could have been a costly mistake.

Great to hear you're getting this sorted out! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you complete your parent section and include the 529, make sure to also remove any reference to it from your son's section if the system allows edits, or note the correction in any "additional information" fields. Also, since you mentioned contacting prospective colleges, I'd recommend doing this sooner rather than later if any of them have early financial aid deadlines. Some schools process aid packages on a rolling basis, so getting the correction in early could help ensure your son gets considered for the maximum aid available. You're absolutely doing the right thing by addressing this quickly. The difference between 20% assessment (student asset) and up to 5.64% assessment (parent asset) on $43,000 could mean thousands more in available aid for your son!

Just want to add one more thing that might help - when you do submit your FAFSA, make sure to check each school's financial aid portal afterward to see if they need any additional documents. Some schools require verification or have their own supplemental forms even after you submit FAFSA. I learned this the hard way when one of my schools almost didn't process my aid package because I missed their deadline for additional paperwork. Good luck with your applications!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm what others have said - the order only matters for state aid programs, not federal aid. Since you're in Michigan, definitely put your top Michigan public university first to maximize your state grant eligibility. I'd suggest ordering them: 1) Top choice Michigan public school, 2) Other Michigan schools, 3) Out-of-state/private schools by preference. Also, don't stress too much about the exact order of your private schools - focus more on meeting all the deadlines and making sure you complete any school-specific requirements. The FAFSA is just the first step!