One important note: If you do select 'unmarried' based on being separated, make sure you understand the documentation requirements. If your application is selected for verification (which happens to about 30% of FAFSA applications), you may need to provide: 1. Proof of separate residences (utility bills, leases, etc.) 2. Legal separation documentation if applicable 3. A personal statement explaining the separation situation 4. Sometimes a third-party statement (counselor, clergy, lawyer) confirming the separation Being prepared with this documentation ahead of time can save weeks of delays if verification is required.

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my oldest daughter's FAFSA. After reading all these responses, I want to add that timing is crucial here. Don't wait until the last minute to sort this out - financial aid offices get swamped closer to deadlines and response times slow way down. Also, when you do contact the school's financial aid office (which you absolutely should do first), ask specifically about their "Dependency Override" or "Special Circumstances" forms. Some schools have streamlined processes for separation situations that can bypass a lot of the headaches everyone's describing. One more tip: if your son is applying to multiple schools, each financial aid office may handle your situation slightly differently. Don't assume the guidance from one school applies to all of them. I learned this the hard way when my daughter's backup school had completely different documentation requirements than her first choice. The stress is real, but there are solutions. Your son won't miss out on aid because of this - it just takes some extra legwork on the front end.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! My FSA ID got locked out three weeks ago and I've been getting the runaround ever since. What's really frustrating is that different representatives keep giving me completely different timelines - first it was 5-7 days, then 10-14, and now they're saying up to 21 business days. I'm also worried about missing priority deadlines for fall semester. Has anyone had success escalating to a supervisor? I feel like the regular customer service reps just don't have the authority to actually expedite anything. Also wondering if there's a specific department within Federal Student Aid that handles these recovery forms faster than others?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this FSA ID recovery nightmare too! I've been following the advice from everyone here and wanted to share what's worked so far. I called my school's financial aid office yesterday and they were incredibly helpful - they immediately understood the situation and said they see this all the time now. They put a note on my account and gave me a temporary extension on the priority deadline while I wait for the recovery to process. They also offered to make a call to Federal Student Aid on my behalf, which apparently has a much higher success rate than student calls. The financial aid advisor told me to bring all my documentation (confirmation number, dates of calls, etc.) when I come in next week. It's such a relief to know the school has my back on this! For anyone else in the same boat, definitely contact your financial aid office ASAP - they seem to have way more pull with the FSA system than we do as individual students.

UPDATE: Problem solved! It was a combination of issues. First, I was using commas in the financial fields. Second, I was trying to save and come back later which seemed to confuse the system. Third, there was a mismatch in how I formatted my address in different sections. I created a brand new application, sat down for an hour uninterrupted, entered everything in one session, used only numbers without any formatting, and triple-checked that address formats matched exactly between sections. It FINALLY let me complete the parent contributor portion and sign! Thank you everyone for your suggestions. For anyone else dealing with this issue, try all of these approaches - it might be multiple small problems combined.

Congratulations on finally getting through! This is such a helpful summary for anyone else dealing with this nightmare. I'm bookmarking your update because it covers all the main issues people seem to be running into. The fact that it was multiple small problems combined makes so much sense - the new FAFSA system seems incredibly sensitive to formatting inconsistencies. Really appreciate you taking the time to share what ultimately worked!

Congratulations Mary! This is such a relief to read. I'm currently dealing with a similar situation with my son's FAFSA - his father hasn't been in the picture for 3 years and the verification process has been a nightmare. Your step-by-step breakdown is incredibly helpful. I'm going to try the Claimyr service tomorrow and request the "Non-Custodial Parent Contribution Waiver" using your exact wording. It's so frustrating that the right terminology makes such a huge difference when you're already stressed about deadlines and your child's future. Thank you for taking the time to share what worked - this gives me hope that we can get through this too!

This thread is so valuable! As someone who works in higher education, I see families struggle with this exact issue constantly. Mary, your success story is going to help so many other parents who are dealing with non-cooperative ex-spouses. One additional tip for anyone reading this: if you're still having trouble after requesting the Non-Custodial Parent Contribution Waiver, ask the financial aid office about their appeals timeline. Some schools have multiple review periods, and if you miss one deadline, you might have to wait weeks for the next review committee meeting. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit - financial aid documents have a way of getting "lost" in the system, especially during busy periods. The persistence really pays off in these situations. Don't give up if the first person you talk to doesn't seem to understand your situation!

As someone who just went through this process with my oldest child last year, I'd echo what others have said about creating a new FSA ID if you had the old PIN system. One thing I'd add is to make sure you verify your identity through the FSA ID process ASAP - it can take 1-3 business days for that verification to complete, and you'll need it fully verified before you can sign your daughter's FAFSA. Also, keep your FSA ID login info somewhere safe because you'll need it not just for the initial FAFSA but also for any corrections, renewals, and potentially loan servicing down the road. The peace of mind of having everything set up and tested months in advance is worth it!

I went through this exact same situation last year with my son! Since you mentioned having login credentials from 15 years ago, you definitely had the old PIN system, not an FSA ID. The PIN system was completely discontinued, so you'll need to create a brand new FSA ID. I'd recommend doing it ASAP - not just because of the verification time (which can take a few days), but also because the new FAFSA system is much more sensitive about data matching. When you create your FSA ID, triple-check that your name matches your Social Security card exactly - even something like "Jr." vs "Junior" can cause problems. Also, once you create it, test logging in and out a few times to make sure everything works. The last thing you want is to discover login issues in October when everyone is trying to submit applications at once!