FAFSA

Can't reach FAFSA? Claimyr connects you to a live FAFSA agent in minutes.

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Using Claimyr will:

  • Connect you to a human agent at the FAFSA
  • Skip the long phone menu
  • Call the correct department
  • Redial until on hold
  • Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
  • Give you free callbacks if the FAFSA drops your call

If I could give 10 stars I would

If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!


Really made a difference

Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.


Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.

Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.


An incredibly helpful service

An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!


Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.

Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.


IT WORKS!! Not a scam!

I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!

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Ask the community...

  • DO post questions about your issues.
  • DO answer questions and support each other.
  • DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
  • DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)

Jenna Sloan

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One additional tip: For the CSS Profile (which some private colleges require), you can specifically request an address privacy block if you have documented safety concerns. Contact the College Board directly about this option if any of your children's schools require the CSS Profile. They have protocols in place for situations exactly like yours.

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Paloma Clark

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I had no idea this was possible! My oldest is applying to several private colleges that use the CSS Profile, so this information is incredibly valuable. I'll contact College Board right away to ask about the address privacy block. Thank you so much!

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Emma Davis

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Just wanted to add that you should also be careful about any state-specific financial aid forms your kids might need to fill out. Some states have their own grant programs with separate applications that could ask for different address information than the FAFSA. I'd recommend checking your state's higher education website to see what forms they require and whether they have similar privacy protections. Also, if your kids qualify for any need-based aid, make sure the school sends all correspondence to the address you want (not automatically to the student's listed address). Most schools will let you specify a preferred mailing address for financial aid documents if you call their office directly.

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Just wanted to chime in as someone who works at a college financial aid office - you've gotten excellent advice here! One additional tip: when you're both creating your FSA IDs, make sure to do it from separate devices or at least separate browser sessions if using the same computer. I've seen cases where the system gets confused if multiple FSA IDs are created from the same browser session. Also, keep your confirmation emails from the FSA ID creation process - they contain important reference information you might need later. The nursing program sounds exciting - best of luck with your FAFSA and your studies!

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Thank you so much for the additional tip about using separate browser sessions! That's something I never would have thought of but makes total sense from a technical standpoint. I'll definitely make sure we create our FSA IDs from different devices to avoid any confusion. And great point about saving those confirmation emails - I'm usually good about keeping important documents but might have overlooked those. It's really reassuring to get advice from someone who works directly in financial aid and sees these issues regularly. I'm excited about the nursing program and feeling much more prepared for the FAFSA process thanks to everyone's help here!

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Sean Flanagan

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Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this with my spouse! We created our separate FSA IDs about a week apart (I created mine first as the student, then my husband created his), and everything worked smoothly. One thing that really helped us was setting up a shared password manager entry where we both saved our FSA ID login information - that way we could both access the details if needed during the FAFSA process, but we still maintained separate accounts as required. Also, don't stress too much about the process - once you get past the initial FSA ID creation, the actual FAFSA completion is pretty straightforward, especially compared to the old paper forms! The nursing field needs more dedicated people like you, so it's great that you're pursuing this path!

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Alana Willis

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That's a brilliant idea about using a shared password manager! I hadn't thought of that approach - it keeps everything secure but accessible to both of us when needed. The timing you mentioned (creating them about a week apart) also sounds reasonable and less overwhelming than trying to do both on the same day. Thank you for the encouragement about nursing school too! It's been a dream of mine for years and I'm finally taking the leap. Everyone in this thread has been so incredibly helpful - I feel like I have a solid game plan now for getting through the FSA ID setup and FAFSA process!

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Connor O'Neill

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Just wanted to follow up - were you able to make any progress? Did you try contacting FSA directly using the service I mentioned or visiting your local SSA office? Sometimes bringing your marriage certificate and explaining the situation in person can expedite the process.

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StarSailor

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Update: I used Claimyr yesterday and finally got through to someone at FSA after weeks of trying! They told me they can place a note on my account about the pending name change, which should help when I submit my application. I'm also going to the SSA office in person tomorrow with all my documentation. Thanks everyone for your help - this forum has been a lifesaver!

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That's such great news that you finally got through to someone at FSA! Having a note on your account should definitely help smooth things over when you submit. And going to SSA in person is smart - they're usually more helpful face-to-face than over the phone. Make sure to bring copies of everything (marriage certificate, ID, any correspondence about the name change) just in case. Fingers crossed the SSA visit goes well and you can get this all sorted out soon!

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Abigail Spencer

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man i wish i knew this last year i spent weeks trying to get my dads tax info and he was so difficult about it for nothing apparently 🙄

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Ella Harper

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Were you filling out the CSS Profile too? That's where people usually get confused because the CSS DOES require both parents regardless of marital status. If it was just FAFSA, then yeah, you did all that work for nothing unfortunately.

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Mei Wong

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Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in financial aid at a state university - you're getting great advice here! The key thing to remember is that FAFSA follows a very specific definition of "parent" that's based on who you lived with, not biological relationships or financial support. Since your parents were never married and you live with your mom, she's your only "parent" for FAFSA purposes. One small tip: when you get to the parent demographics section, make sure to select "Single" as your mom's marital status rather than leaving it blank. This helps the system understand your family structure. And don't worry about verification - single-parent households with income around $38K are actually pretty common and shouldn't raise any red flags. Good luck with your application!

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Natalie Adams

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To summarize the correct information for your situation: 1. Only your custodial parent (the one you live with more than 50% of the time) needs to complete the FAFSA 2. Who claims you on taxes does NOT determine which parent completes the FAFSA 3. Child support is considered the custodial parent's income, not direct support from the non-custodial parent 4. If your custodial parent is remarried, the stepparent's information must be included 5. Some private colleges require the CSS Profile which may request non-custodial parent information Based on what you've shared, your mother should complete the FAFSA as your custodial parent. Your father's tax claiming status is irrelevant for FAFSA purposes.

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Emily Sanjay

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Thank you SO MUCH for breaking this down clearly! I'll have my mom fill out the FAFSA and ignore my dad's insistence about the tax stuff. Really appreciate everyone's help with this!

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Noah Irving

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Just wanted to add something that might help - make sure you and your mom complete the FAFSA together so she can answer all the parent financial questions accurately. I made the mistake of trying to fill it out myself first and had to go back and correct a bunch of stuff because I didn't know her exact income details. Also, have her tax returns handy because the FAFSA will ask for specific line items from her 1040. Good luck with everything!

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