Just wanted to jump in as another newcomer who was completely lost about this whole SAI situation! Reading through all these responses has been SO helpful - I had no idea the SAI number doesn't actually show up on the main FAFSA website. That seems like such a weird design choice? Like, it's my information but I can't see it unless I go somewhere else entirely. I'm still waiting for my FAFSA to show as "processed" (going on week 5 now), but at least now I know what to expect and where to look once it finally goes through. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for those of us trying to figure out this confusing system!

I'm brand new to the FAFSA process and this thread has been incredibly educational! I had absolutely no clue that the SAI wouldn't show up on StudentAid.gov even after processing - that seems like such a basic piece of information that should be visible to the student. Reading everyone's experiences makes me realize this confusion is totally normal and not just me being clueless. I haven't even submitted my FAFSA yet (still gathering all the documents), but now I know to expect this weird disconnect between "processed" status and actually being able to see my SAI number. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and solutions - I'll definitely bookmark this thread for when I inevitably run into the same issue in a few weeks!

UPDATE: We figured it out! After trying several suggestions here, we discovered the problem. My daughter had entered my email correctly, but when she originally set up her FSA ID account, she had listed me with a slightly different name than what I used when creating my own account (she put "Robert" while my account uses "Bob"). When we called FSA using the Claimyr service someone recommended (which worked great - got a callback in about 30 minutes), the agent explained that the system was trying to match both the email AND name exactly. The agent canceled the pending invitation, my daughter sent a new one with my name exactly as it appears on my FSA ID, and I finally received the email within minutes! For anyone else having this issue, make sure the parent's name matches EXACTLY on both sides.

This is such valuable information - thank you for sharing the solution! I'm a newcomer here dealing with the same frustrating issue. My son sent me an invitation over a week ago and I never received it. After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing there could be multiple issues at play. I'm going to check: 1. Whether he entered my name exactly as it appears on my FSA ID (like Hazel discovered was the problem) 2. If he selected the correct relationship type (parent vs legal guardian as Nasira mentioned) 3. Try the Claimyr callback service if we can't get through to FSA directly It's honestly ridiculous that such a critical system has so many technical glitches, but at least this community is helping each other figure out workarounds. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions!

As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I can relate to the confusion! The investment/asset questions were definitely problematic on previous forms. What really helped me was printing out the FAFSA and going through it section by section with my tax documents before actually filling it out online. That way I could see exactly what they were asking for and avoid double-counting anything. Also, keep screenshots of your completed sections - it makes it so much easier if you need to reference what you entered later or if there are any issues during verification.

I'm a first-time FAFSA filer and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My biggest takeaway is to be super careful about not double-counting the 529 plan in both the investments section and the education savings section. It sounds like this was a major issue on previous forms but they've improved the wording for 2025-2026. I'm also going to try the approach of printing out the form first to review with my documents - that seems like it would help avoid a lot of confusion. Does anyone know when the 2025-2026 form officially opens? I want to make sure I'm ready to go as soon as it's available.

I'm new to this whole FAFSA process and seeing all these responses is both helpful and terrifying! My daughter is also starting college next fall and we haven't submitted our FAFSA yet because I keep hearing about all these technical issues. Should I wait until they fix the system problems, or just go ahead and submit it knowing there might be errors in the initial results? I'm worried about missing deadlines but also don't want to deal with wildly incorrect numbers that might affect our planning. How long are these glitches expected to last?

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! My FAFSA is showing $13,600 in Pell Grant eligibility and I thought I was dreaming. Reading all these responses is really helpful - sounds like it's definitely a system error. I'm a returning student (took 10 years off to raise kids) so I wasn't sure if there were different rules for non-traditional students that might explain the high amount. Good to know to just wait for the actual SAI calculation. Has anyone heard if these glitches are affecting the verification process too? I'm worried that when they "fix" these errors it might trigger additional verification requirements that could delay everything even more.

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I've contacted the trustee to get a formal letter stating the terms and restrictions. I'll make sure it clearly states she has zero access until 25 and that no distributions of any kind are permitted. I'm feeling much better about completing the FAFSA now, though I'll be prepared for possible verification. If they do incorrectly count it initially, I'll follow the advice about requesting a Professional Judgment review with all documentation. Thanks again for the guidance!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact situation two years ago. My daughter had a similar trust from her deceased father that she couldn't access until 26. Initially, our school's financial aid office counted it and drastically reduced her aid package. However, after submitting the trustee documentation and requesting a Professional Judgment review, they reversed their decision completely. The key was having that official letter from the trustee that explicitly stated "no access to principal OR income" - apparently some trusts allow income distributions even if principal is restricted, so they need to see both are off-limits. Don't get discouraged if you hit roadblocks initially - the appeal process really does work when you have proper documentation!