***UPDATE***. It was processed and then we went in and made the change. It was SOOOO easy to fix!!! Just wanted to update everyone who replied. Our SAI dropped by over 11,000 points after removing the retirement accounts. HUGE difference in our aid eligibility. Thanks to everyone who helped!!!

Wow, what a relief that you were able to fix it so easily! That 11,000 point SAI drop is absolutely massive - it really shows how important it is to get the asset reporting right. This whole thread has been super educational for someone like me who's new to the FAFSA process. I had no idea retirement accounts weren't supposed to be included, and honestly the way the questions are worded it's no wonder so many people make this mistake. Thanks to everyone who shared the step-by-step correction process - I'm bookmarking this thread in case I run into similar issues when I fill out my FAFSA next year!

For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues, here's what's happening technically: The new FAFSA system uses a different authentication system for linking contributor accounts than previous years. When the linking process breaks, it creates an orphaned permission in the database that shows up as 'in progress' but doesn't actually provide access. Only an FSA agent can fix this on the backend. This is why starting a new application sometimes works - it creates fresh database entries without the corrupted permissions.

I'm so glad you got this resolved! I'm dealing with a similar contributor access issue right now where my parent accepted the invitation but can't see any way to complete their section. Based on your experience and what others have shared here, it sounds like calling FSA directly (possibly using that Claimyr service to avoid the long hold times) is really the only reliable solution when the system glitches like this. It's frustrating that such a critical system for college funding has these technical issues, especially with financial aid deadlines looming. Thanks for updating the thread with your solution - this will definitely help other families who run into the same problem!

This is incredibly helpful! I'll mark my calendar to follow up with the schools in about 2 weeks. Thank you for such detailed information - this whole process is so much clearer now!

Just wanted to add my experience as another first-time FAFSA filer - I was also confused about the asset questions being skipped! My family has a similar situation with Medicaid coverage, and we ended up with a -1800 SAI. Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring. One thing I discovered is that you can actually check the status of your FAFSA transmission to schools by logging back into your StudentAid.gov account and looking at the "My Activity" section. It shows when each school received your information, which helped ease my anxiety about whether everything went through properly. Good luck with your financial aid packages! Sounds like you're in great shape with that negative SAI.

To answer your original question more directly - an SAI in the 24797-25865 range typically means: 1. No Pell Grant eligibility (cutoff is much lower) 2. Eligible for subsidized federal loans 3. Eligible for unsubsidized federal loans 4. Might qualify for work-study depending on the school 5. Will likely need to cover about $25K/year through some combination of personal funds, PLUS loans, or private loans 6. Will be considered for merit scholarships separately from need-based aid 7. Twins/multiple students situation should help your case in appeals Remember the SAI is just a starting point. Each school's final offer depends on their total cost, available funds, and how much they want your students.

Just want to add that you should also look into state-specific aid programs! Many states have grant programs that consider different income thresholds than federal aid. With your SAI range, you might still qualify for state grants depending on where you live. Also, don't forget about smaller local scholarships - community organizations, employers, religious institutions, etc. These often have less competition and can really add up. My neighbor's twins each got several $500-2000 local scholarships that made a real difference in their final costs.

To follow up on your question about private vs. state schools - YES, definitely have her look at private schools now! With an SAI that low, many selective private colleges will offer incredibly generous financial aid packages that can make them cheaper than state universities. Schools with large endowments often have institutional funds they can use to cover most or all of the cost beyond what federal aid provides. The key term to research is "schools that meet 100% of demonstrated financial need" - these institutions will use your SAI to determine your need and then build aid packages to cover the full cost of attendance minus your SAI amount. With a 92 SAI, your daughter could potentially get packages that cover almost the entire cost at these schools.

As someone who just went through this process with my son last year, I wanted to share that the new FAFSA formula can definitely produce surprisingly low SAI numbers for middle-class families! We had a similar income level and were shocked by our low SAI too. A few things that might have contributed to your daughter's SAI of 92: - The new formula has higher income protection allowances - State tax allowances vary significantly by where you live - Asset protection has changed under the new system - Even small medical expenses or other deductions can have bigger impacts now My advice: Screenshot everything and keep detailed records, but don't panic! We were worried it was an error too, but it turned out to be legitimate. The financial aid packages my son received were incredible - schools that would have cost $50k+ ended up costing us less than our state university would have. Start researching schools that meet full demonstrated need NOW. With an SAI that low, your daughter could potentially attend some amazing private colleges for less than you'd pay at a state school. It really opened up opportunities we never thought were financially possible!