UPDATE: I've already contacted two schools! The first one had me fill out a simple one-page form and submit my spouse's termination letter. The second wants recent pay stubs, our 2023 W-2s, and a more detailed financial statement. They both said decisions typically take 3-4 weeks, but they'd try to expedite since we're in the middle of admission season. I'll be calling the remaining three schools tomorrow. Thank you all for the advice to act quickly on this!

That's fantastic progress! You're doing exactly the right thing by acting quickly. Just wanted to add a couple more tips from when I went through this process with my daughter two years ago: 1. Keep a spreadsheet tracking which schools you've contacted, what documentation they requested, and when you submitted everything - it gets confusing fast! 2. If any school asks for your 2023 tax return and you haven't filed yet, ask if they'll accept a signed letter explaining your current situation along with recent pay stubs as a temporary measure 3. Some schools may ask you to update your FAFSA once the 2023 tax data becomes available through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool - this can happen later but don't worry about it now The fact that you're getting merit scholarships already puts you in a good position. The combination of merit aid plus any need-based aid you get from these appeals could really make college affordable. Fingers crossed for good news from all the schools!

I'm really surprised how common this issue seems to be. I've been helping students with FAFSA for years, and the 2024-2025 FAFSA rollout has been the worst I've ever seen. A few technical notes that might help: 1. Account lockouts specifically require ID verification specialists 2. These specialists can only work with the student directly (not parents) 3. The student needs to have access to all identity verification info (SSN, previous addresses, loan info if applicable) Also worth noting that many schools are now accepting preliminary aid packages based on estimated SAI due to the widespread FAFSA processing delays. Your son should ask his financial aid office about this option while you continue trying to resolve the account issue.

UPDATE: We finally got through! Following the advice from several of you, we: 1. Used Claimyr to hold our place in line (thank you for that suggestion!) 2. Called right at 8am ET 3. Made sure my son was available to speak directly to the agent 4. Specifically requested the account verification specialist After about an hour on the phone, they were able to unlock his account. We've already submitted the FAFSA and called his school to let them know it was finally processed. Thank you all for your help - this forum literally saved us thousands in potential lost aid!

One additional important point: make sure you understand the difference between who completes the FAFSA (based on where student lives most) versus who claims the student as a tax dependent (which can be either parent regardless of custody, based on your divorce agreement and who provides more than 50% of total support). These are separate determinations and often confuse divorced parents. Your ex could claim your son as a tax dependent based on the substantial college expenses she's paying, while you would still be the appropriate FAFSA contributor based on physical custody. Just make sure you're both clear on this distinction to avoid complications.

As someone who just went through this exact situation with my daughter, I can confirm what others are saying - the key is physical custody, not who pays tuition. My ex-husband pays about 75% of her college costs but she lives with me during all breaks and summers, so I continue to complete the FAFSA. One tip that helped us: we documented this arrangement in writing (just an email between us) before her freshman year so there wouldn't be any confusion later. It clearly states that while he's contributing significantly to educational expenses, she maintains primary residence with me for FAFSA purposes. This has prevented any arguments over the years and kept her aid consistent. Your son is lucky to have parents who can work together on this - just make sure you both understand the rules so you don't accidentally jeopardize his grants!

Is anyone else completely DONE with the new FAFSA system?? It's filled with glitches, the help line is impossible to reach, and families are missing out on thousands in aid because of stupid technical errors like this! My daughter missed priority deadline at her top school because of similar contributor issues. When I finally got through to someone, they just said "we're aware of these issues" with NO solution. The whole system needs to be thrown out and rebuilt!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say thank you all for sharing these detailed solutions! I'm dealing with a similar contributor invite issue with my spouse's account, and reading through this thread has given me a clear action plan. The name matching issue especially makes so much sense - I bet that's exactly what's happening with our situation too. It's frustrating that such small details can cause such big problems, but at least now I know what to look for. Really appreciate how helpful everyone has been in working through these FAFSA glitches together!

Another thing to consider: apply to MORE schools than you think you should! I only applied to 3 and regret it. My friend applied to 12 and ended up at her 10th choice because they gave her a $21k/year merit scholarship that made it cheaper than her state school! Schools compete for good students, especially if your stats are above their averages.

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who was in almost the exact same situation last year - parents made $140k, 3.8 GPA, 1380 SAT. I was SO hesitant to fill out FAFSA because everyone kept telling me it was pointless. I'm so glad I did it anyway! Here's what happened: - Got $0 in federal grants (as expected) - BUT qualified for subsidized federal loans (interest doesn't accrue while in school) - My state university gave me a $6k/year merit scholarship that required FAFSA completion - Another school offered me $12k/year in institutional aid after seeing my FAFSA The key thing I learned is that schools often use FAFSA data to determine if you qualify for their own need-based aid programs, which can have different income cutoffs than federal programs. Some schools have specific aid pools for families earning $100-180k who don't qualify for federal grants but still need help. Also pro tip: if your parents have any unusual financial circumstances (medical bills, job loss, caring for elderly parents, etc.), you can appeal your aid package with documentation. Schools have professional judgment authority to adjust your SAI. Definitely fill it out - worst case scenario you're in the same position you'd be in without it, best case you get unexpected aid!