I just went through this exact same nightmare situation about 6 months ago! After wasting hours on hold with FSA, I ended up creating a completely new FSA ID and it was honestly the best decision. The whole process took maybe 10 minutes, and when I logged in I could still see all my old loan information from my previous degrees. One tip that saved me some headache: before creating the new account, I made sure to have my Social Security card handy because they asked me to verify some details from it during setup. Also, use an email you actually check regularly this time - I learned that lesson the hard way! The new FAFSA system is actually way more user-friendly than what we dealt with years ago. You might find the whole experience less painful than you're expecting. Good luck with going back for your bachelor's!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! I created my FAFSA account as a high schooler in 2017 and now I'm trying to apply for graduate school. Like you, I have zero memory of what email I used back then - probably some weird combination that seemed cool when I was 17 lol. From reading everyone's responses here, it sounds like creating a new FSA ID is definitely the way to go. I was worried about messing up my loan history too, but it's reassuring to hear from multiple people that everything stays tied to your SSN. One thing I found helpful was going through my old emails (even the ones I barely use anymore) and searching for "FAFSA" or "Federal Student Aid" to see if I could find any old correspondence. Didn't help me remember my login, but at least I found some old tax info I needed anyway. Thanks for posting this - it's nice to know I'm not the only one who was completely irresponsible with important login information as a teenager!

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm a college financial aid counselor and I've been forwarding this discussion to families dealing with the exact same contributor signature loop issue. The combination of address updates + waiting for system sync + getting FSA agent help seems to be the most reliable solution path we've seen. For anyone still struggling with this: I want to emphasize that missing priority deadlines due to these technical failures will NOT hurt your aid eligibility. We're working directly with FSA to document these cases, and most schools are being very understanding about delays caused by the contributor signature bug. Don't panic if you miss a deadline - just make sure to communicate with your school's financial aid office about the technical issues you're experiencing. The fact that FSA agents are seeing "dozens" of these cases daily really validates what we're seeing on the ground. This isn't isolated user error - it's a systematic problem with how the new FAFSA handles multi-contributor households.

As a parent who went through a similar contributor signature nightmare last year, I want to add one more potential solution that worked for us when everything else failed. After trying all the standard fixes (different browsers, clearing cache, updating addresses, etc.), we discovered the issue was that my ex-husband's FSA ID was created with his middle initial, but when I added him as a contributor on the FAFSA, I entered his full middle name. The system couldn't match "John M. Smith" with "John Michael Smith" even though it's obviously the same person. Once we figured this out and I updated the contributor information to match his FSA ID exactly (including the period after the middle initial), everything worked immediately. It might seem like a tiny detail, but the new FAFSA system is apparently very picky about exact name matches. Before calling FSA or using paid services, it might be worth double-checking that every single character in the contributor's name matches their FSA ID registration exactly - including spaces, periods, and whether they used nicknames vs. full names. This could save other families hours of frustration!

After you get this resolved, make sure your son updates his FAFSA if there are any other scholarships or outside funding he receives. My daughter got a $3,500 merit scholarship after we submitted her FAFSA, and we had to update the form or it would have reduced her need-based aid. These forms are so sensitive to every detail!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this situation - it must be incredibly frustrating to have your ex file without your knowledge! As someone who's been through the FAFSA process, I can tell you that you absolutely need to act quickly. The fact that you have primary custody AND provide 80% of your son's support means you should definitely be the one filing the FAFSA, not your ex. Here's what I'd recommend doing immediately: 1. Have your son check if he has an FSA ID account (your ex would have needed to create one for him) 2. Start gathering all your financial documents and proof that you provide the majority of support 3. Call the Federal Student Aid helpline as soon as possible (though be prepared for long wait times) 4. Contact each college your son applied to and let them know about the situation Don't let this delay your son's college plans - schools deal with these correction situations more often than you might think. The key is being proactive and having documentation ready. Your son's financial aid eligibility could be significantly better with your lower income, so this correction is definitely worth pursuing!

I went through this exact process two years ago when my mom got laid off right before my sophomore year. The appeal took almost 6 weeks total, and honestly it was one of the most stressful periods of my college experience. Here's what I learned that might help you: 1. Document EVERYTHING - keep screenshots of your case status page, save all emails, and log every phone call you make. The system isn't great at tracking communications. 2. Your school's financial aid office is your best friend right now. They dealt with mine proactively once I showed them my appeal case number. They gave me a 60-day extension on tuition payment and helped me apply for an emergency grant that covered about $2,000. 3. Start the additional unsubsidized loan process NOW even while waiting for the appeal. It takes time to process and you can always decline it if your appeal gets approved. 4. If you do end up needing private loans as backup, shop around IMMEDIATELY. Rates and terms vary wildly, and some lenders have waiting periods before disbursement. The good news is that medical expenses and job loss are considered strong grounds for appeal approval. Stay on top of it, but try not to let the anxiety consume you - there are multiple paths to get this figured out. You've got this!

Going through this exact situation right now and this thread has been SO helpful! My parents got denied about 2 weeks ago due to a late payment from when my dad was in the hospital last year. We submitted our appeal with all the medical documentation but the waiting is killing me. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to call my financial aid office tomorrow about emergency funding and that additional unsubsidized loan. @Fatima Al-Farsi your insider perspective is incredibly valuable - I had no idea about the payment deferment option with the case number. @Sofia Perez your detailed breakdown gives me so much hope that there are multiple paths through this. I'm going to start documenting everything today and begin the unsubsidized loan process immediately like you suggested. Has anyone dealt with appeals specifically for medical-related late payments? I'm wondering if those tend to be viewed more favorably since it's clearly an extenuating circumstance beyond the family's control.

Hey Max! I totally get the panic - I went through the exact same thing last year when my older brother graduated. My SAI jumped from about 7800 to 11200 and I lost my Pell Grant too. It felt like the rug was pulled out from under me financially. But here's what I learned: losing Pell doesn't mean losing ALL aid. I still qualified for subsidized federal loans, got a decent state grant (definitely check Illinois MAP grants - they go up to higher income levels than Pell), and my university came through with some institutional grants after I met with financial aid. The key thing that helped me was being proactive. I scheduled a meeting with my financial aid counselor right away, brought documentation of our family's actual financial situation, and asked specifically about professional judgment appeals. They were able to adjust some things and find additional funding sources I didn't even know existed. Also, look into department scholarships! My major had several small scholarships ($500-2000) that barely anyone applied for. Every bit helps when you're trying to close that gap. You mentioned your mom lost hours - definitely bring documentation of that to your financial aid meeting. They might be able to do a professional judgment review based on the change in circumstances. Hang in there - this is definitely manageable even though it's stressful right now!

I'm new here but wanted to chime in since I just went through something similar! My SAI went from around 9000 to 13500 when my twin brother decided to take a gap year, so I totally understand the shock you're feeling right now. One thing that really helped me was creating a spreadsheet of ALL possible funding sources - federal loans, state grants, institutional aid, department scholarships, local community scholarships, work-study, etc. It helped me see the bigger picture beyond just the Pell Grant loss. Also, when you meet with financial aid, ask them to walk you through exactly how your aid package will look for the full year. Sometimes the initial shock of losing Pell feels worse than the actual financial reality once you see what other aid you qualify for. And definitely don't overlook smaller, local scholarships! I found three $1000 scholarships through my hometown community foundation that nobody else had applied for. They're not huge amounts individually, but they add up. You've got a solid plan forming from all the great advice here. The fact that you're being proactive and reaching out shows you're going to figure this out!