As a newcomer to this process, I just want to say thank you to everyone for all the detailed advice! My son will be applying for college next year and I had no idea where to start with FAFSA. The consensus seems clear: student creates FSA ID first, wait a day or two, then parent creates theirs with a different email. I'm taking notes on all the tips - different emails, matching names exactly to Social Security cards, checking spam folders, and having tax documents ready. This community is so helpful for navigating these confusing processes!

Just want to echo what everyone else has said - student first is definitely the way to go! I went through this with my daughter last year and we made the mistake of trying to set up both accounts on the same day from the same computer. The system got confused and we ended up with verification issues that took almost a week to resolve. Second time around (learned our lesson!), we had her create her FSA ID on Monday, I waited until Wednesday to create mine, and everything worked perfectly. The waiting period really does seem to matter for the system to properly process everything. Also, pro tip: screenshot or write down the confirmation numbers you get during the FSA ID creation process - the support agents asked for these when we had to call about our initial issues. Good luck with your daughter's applications!

I'm dealing with this exact same nightmare! My parent section has been "complete" for over a month but my student portal still shows it as incomplete. What's really frustrating is that I got a confirmation email when I originally submitted it, but now when I log into my FSA ID account, there's no trace of my daughter's application anywhere. I've tried all the browser clearing tricks and having her send new invitations, but nothing works. The "Get Started" button just throws an error every single time. I'm starting to panic because her college's financial aid deadline is next week and they keep sending emails about her incomplete FAFSA. Has anyone had success with calling the FSA helpline recently? I've been trying for days but can never get through. This whole rollout has been such a disaster - we never had these issues with the old FAFSA system!

I'm experiencing the exact same issue! My daughter's FAFSA shows my parent section as incomplete even though I submitted and signed it over a month ago. What's really concerning is that like you, the application completely vanished from my FSA ID dashboard. I tried having her send me a new contributor invitation, but clicking "Get Started" just gives me error messages. I'm also worried because her college keeps sending reminders about the incomplete application and their priority deadline is coming up fast. It's so frustrating that we completed everything correctly but the system isn't recognizing it. Based on the helpful advice in this thread, I'm going to try contacting both the FSA helpline (hopefully using that callback service mentioned) and my daughter's financial aid office directly. Has anyone heard if there's an estimated timeline for when this system-wide fix will actually resolve these parent section sync issues?

I went through this exact same situation last year with our small hobby farm! Just wanted to add a couple things that might help: For the checking account balances - I ended up taking screenshots of our accounts on the day I filed the FAFSA and kept those for my records. Our financial aid office said that was perfect documentation if we got selected for verification. Also, if you're unsure about the "materially participate" requirement, the IRS definition is helpful - you need to work at least 100 hours per year OR 500 hours if it's your primary occupation. For most small ranch families like ours, the 100 hour threshold is pretty easy to meet between daily chores, maintenance, etc. One last tip: when I wasn't sure about something, I erred on the side of reporting it and then explained the situation in the "Additional Financial Information" section. Better to over-report and let the financial aid office sort it out than to accidentally under-report and get in trouble later! Good luck with your FAFSA - it's definitely confusing but you've got this!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation with our small ranch operation! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. Just wanted to share what our CPA told us when we were preparing for this year's FAFSA: He emphasized that the key distinction for the family farm exclusion is that you have to BOTH live on the property AND actively work it yourself (not just lease it out to someone else). Since you mentioned your husband handles the livestock while working his regular job, that definitely sounds like you qualify for the exclusion. For the farm checking account, we decided to include it in our liquid assets but made sure to note in the additional information section that it's exclusively for agricultural expenses with minimal balance. Our CPA said this shows transparency while still being accurate. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - if you do get selected for verification, having your Schedule F forms organized and ready to go makes the whole process much smoother. The financial aid office will want to see proof of your farming activity and that you actually live on the property. The whole process is definitely overwhelming when you're trying to balance farming life with college planning, but it sounds like you're asking all the right questions!

Just wanted to add that timing matters too! If you're applying for fall semester, try to get your Parent PLUS application submitted by late spring/early summer. The earlier you apply, the sooner your daughter's financial aid office can finalize her complete aid package. Also, if you're denied for the PLUS loan (which can happen even with decent credit due to their specific criteria), your daughter becomes eligible for additional unsubsidized federal loans - up to $4,000 more for freshmen/sophomores and $5,000 more for juniors/seniors. So it's not the end of the world if you don't get approved! Best of luck with the process - it's confusing at first but once you get through it the first time, it becomes much easier for subsequent years.

Marina, I went through this exact same confusion last year with my son! Here's what I learned: you definitely need to apply through studentaid.gov (not FAFSA directly), and you'll need your own FSA ID as others mentioned. But here's something that might help - before you apply for the Parent PLUS loan, call your daughter's financial aid office and ask about their "Cost of Attendance" breakdown. They can tell you exactly how much gap you have between her current aid and total costs, so you know exactly how much to borrow. Also, some schools have Parent PLUS loan information sessions in April/May - worth asking if they offer one. It really helped me understand the whole process better than trying to figure it out alone online!

Just to follow up on what others have said - this happens more often than you'd think. The FAFSA system recently underwent significant changes with the FAFSA Simplification Act, and many parents accidentally create applications for themselves while trying to navigate the new contributor process. Don't worry about it affecting your son's SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) calculation or his overall financial aid package. The system treats each FSA ID as a completely separate entity. As for deleting, if you absolutely can't find the option through the steps I provided earlier, you can also send an email to FederalStudentAidCustomerService@ed.gov requesting deletion of your application. Include your name and FSA ID username (not password), and they can handle it that way too.

I work at a financial aid office and see this ALL the time! Don't stress about it - you're definitely not the first parent to accidentally create their own FAFSA while helping their kid. The good news is that incomplete applications automatically expire after the deadline passes, so even if you do nothing, the emails will eventually stop. But if you want to delete it now (which I'd recommend), follow the steps others have mentioned about going to the bottom of your application summary page. And yes, your son's processed FAFSA is completely safe - there's zero connection between your accidental application and his completed one.