Update: I got my SAI score today! It was processed without any issues or additional information needed. Thanks everyone for reassuring me that I wasn't going crazy. The new system is definitely different but I guess that's a good thing if it makes the process faster. Now to figure out what this SAI number actually means for financial aid...

Congratulations on getting your SAI! That's such a relief when you've been worried about whether everything went through correctly. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, Oscar's experience is a perfect example of how the new FAFSA process is supposed to work. The streamlined system with automatic IRS data retrieval has eliminated a lot of the manual data entry that used to cause so many errors and headaches. While the change confused those of us familiar with the old process, it's actually working as intended for most families. Thanks for sharing your update - it's helpful for other parents who might be experiencing the same anxiety!

One strategy I've seen work: take the distribution in December of freshman year to pay for spring semester freshman year + sophomore year. Then take another distribution in January of junior year for the rest. This spaces out the income hits to minimize FAFSA impact while still avoiding having to take distributions every single year.

As someone who's been through this process, I'd strongly recommend exploring all options before touching retirement funds. The FAFSA income hit is real and can be devastating for multiple years of aid eligibility. Have you looked into home equity loans or lines of credit? The interest might be tax-deductible and won't show as income on FAFSA. Also consider whether your daughter could start at a community college for gen eds to reduce overall costs. If you do decide on retirement withdrawals, definitely talk to a tax professional about the timing strategy others mentioned. The prior-prior year income rule means you need to be very strategic about WHEN you take distributions to minimize the FAFSA impact across all four years. One last thing - make sure you understand your 401k plan's specific rules. Some plans have hardship withdrawal provisions for education that might have different requirements than regular distributions.

Do they send by email or mail? I'm waiting too. My brother got his in like 5 days but I'm over two weeks now. This is so confusing.

UPDATE: I finally got through to an FSA agent this morning! Turns out there was a problem with my school codes. Even though they SHOWED correctly in my account, there was some kind of transmission error. The agent resent my FAFSA to all my schools while I was on the phone, and she said they should receive it within 3-5 business days. She also sent me an email confirmation of our call that I can forward to my financial aid office for the priority deadline extension. Thanks everyone for your help!

UPDATE: For anyone having this issue, I found out from my daughter's college financial aid office that there's actually a KNOWN ISSUE with the continue button on the FSA ID creation page that they're supposedly working on fixing. Some people have had success by trying very specific steps: 1. Clear ALL browser data (not just cache) 2. Use incognito/private mode 3. Try at non-peak hours (early morning or late night) 4. Fill out the form in one sitting without pausing or navigating away 5. Make sure your address matches EXACTLY how USPS would format it Hope this helps someone! The system is a disaster this year.

I'm just starting to navigate this process for my younger brother and reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying! It's crazy that in 2025 we're still dealing with such basic technical issues on a government website that millions of students depend on. I'm bookmarking all these suggestions - the Microsoft Edge in InPrivate mode, trying late evening hours, using a simple password, and creating a new Gmail account seem like the most promising solutions. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and workarounds! @Amara Nnamani - I really hope one of these solutions works for you tonight. Please update us if you find success with any particular method!

I really appreciate all these insights. Just to summarize what I'm hearing: 1. Text message reminders seem universally popular 2. Clear, jargon-free checklists with explicit deadlines 3. Short, focused videos explaining specific aspects of the process 4. Better website organization with financial aid info easy to find 5. Direct parent communication options (separate from student communication) 6. One-on-one support options for parents who need personalized help 7. Transparent breakdown of costs and aid types This is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for. I'm going to bring these suggestions to our next department meeting. Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences!

As a parent who's been through this process twice now, I can't emphasize enough how much the TIMING of communication matters. My biggest frustration was getting critical information AFTER I'd already made mistakes. For example, I didn't know about state grant deadlines being different from federal FAFSA deadlines until it was too late for my oldest. Cost us $3,000 in state aid. Then with my second kid, I found out about CSS Profile schools having their own priority dates only because another parent mentioned it at a school event. What would help me most: Send parents a CALENDAR at the beginning of senior year with every single deadline that applies to their specific situation. Not generic dates, but personalized based on the schools their kid is applying to. And please, PLEASE follow up with reminders at least 2 weeks before each deadline. Also - stop assuming parents know what acronyms mean. When you say "complete your SAI verification," I have no idea what you're talking about. Just spell it out: "Complete your Student Aid Index verification." One more thing - can schools please coordinate better? Having 5 different schools ask for the same tax documents through 5 different portals is exhausting.