UPDATE: I actually managed to get this resolved! I tried calling FSA directly but couldn't get through, so I used Claimyr as suggested above. Once I got through to an agent, they explained there was a mismatch between my FAFSA account name and my tax return (apparently I had included my middle initial in one but not the other). They unlocked something on their end and I was able to successfully use the DRT after that. My application is finally complete! Thanks everyone for your help!

This is exactly why I always recommend having your tax documents ready as a backup! I went through something similar last year - the IRS DRT kept timing out during peak application season. What saved me was having all my W-2s and 1040 forms organized beforehand. Even though manual entry takes longer, at least you're not at the mercy of system glitches. For anyone still dealing with this issue, don't wait too long before switching to manual entry, especially with school deadlines approaching. Better to have an accurately completed FAFSA than to miss your priority deadline waiting for the DRT to work!

@profile5 - For California specifically, here are some dates to keep in mind: 1. March 2: Cal Grant deadline (FIRM - no exceptions) 2. UC priority filing: Usually early March 3. CSU priority filing: Varies by campus (some as early as February 15) 4. California Community Colleges: Varies, but generally you want to file by March 2 And yes, your family's financial situation changing since 2023 is a big deal! You'll need to complete what's called a "Professional Judgment" or "Special Circumstances" appeal with each college after your FAFSA is processed. Each school handles these differently, but you'll need documentation showing the change in income. Start gathering things like layoff notices, unemployment benefits statements, or medical bills that caused the income reduction. You typically submit these appeals directly to each college's financial aid office, not through FAFSA.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter last year, I can't stress enough how important timing is. We filed in mid-January thinking we were "on time" but discovered several of her target schools had priority deadlines in early February that we barely made. Here's what I wish I'd known: Create a spreadsheet with each college your son is considering and their specific financial aid deadlines. Don't just look at FAFSA deadlines - look for "priority consideration" dates for institutional aid. Some schools award 80% of their aid budget to students who meet priority deadlines. Also, since you mentioned this is your first time with FAFSA, make sure you have your 2023 tax return handy and create your FSA ID ahead of time if you haven't already. The parent FSA ID can take a few days to verify, so don't wait until you're ready to submit the FAFSA to create it. One more thing - if your son is applying to any private colleges, many of them also require the CSS Profile for institutional aid, which has its own deadlines that are often earlier than FAFSA deadlines.

what ever u do dont PAY anyone to fill out fasfa its FREE thats what the first F stands for lol. lot of scams out there charging $$$$ to fill out forms

As a newcomer here, I really appreciate all the detailed advice everyone has shared! This conversation has been super helpful in understanding the timing issues with FAFSA and gap years. It sounds like the consensus is to wait until your son has more concrete plans rather than filling it out now. The point about military benefits being separate from FAFSA really clarifies things too. Good luck with whatever path he chooses - both the Air Force and community college are great options!

To answer your most recent question - verification selection usually appears in two places: 1) On your Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA - it will specifically say if you've been selected for federal verification 2) In communication from individual schools - they may select you for institutional verification even if you weren't chosen for federal verification If your SAR doesn't mention verification and you haven't received specific requests from schools, you're likely fine. However, it never hurts to check your student portal for each school or call their financial aid office directly to confirm they have everything they need. One last tip: when aid packages do arrive, pay attention to whether they're final offers or estimates. Some schools will send preliminary packages marked as "estimated" until all verification is complete.

As someone who just went through this process with my own kid, I wanted to add that it's also worth checking if any of the schools your son applied to have specific financial aid timelines posted on their websites. Some colleges actually publish when they expect to release aid packages for different application rounds (EA, RD, etc.). Also, if you haven't already, make sure your son has set up his student portal accounts at each school - sometimes aid information gets posted there before any email notifications go out. We almost missed an important deadline because my daughter wasn't checking one of her portals regularly. The waiting is definitely stressful, especially when you're trying to make such a big financial decision! But from everything I've seen in this thread, it sounds like you're right on track timeline-wise.

To summarize for anyone else with this question: Either the student or parent/contributor can sign first technically, but best practice is: 1) Student starts application and creates FSA ID if they don't have one 2) Student adds parent/contributor and completes their portion without signing 3) Parent/contributor completes their section with all financial information 4) Parent/contributor signs their section 5) Student reviews complete application including contribution information 6) Student signs to complete submission This order minimizes the need for corrections later, which can delay your SAI calculation and financial aid package.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter, I can confirm that following the order @Sienna Gomez outlined is definitely the way to go! We learned the hard way last year when my daughter signed first and then I realized I had entered the wrong bank account balance. Had to call the school's financial aid office to explain the discrepancy. This year we did parent section first, reviewed everything together, and it went so much smoother. Also Pro tip: make sure you have all your tax documents and bank statements ready before you start the parent section - it'll save you from having to stop halfway through to hunt down paperwork!