Hey Hugo! I just wanted to chime in as someone who went through FAFSA reprocessing last year. I know how stressful it feels, especially with deadlines looming, but based on what you've described (correcting the retirement account asset), this should be pretty straightforward. One thing that might help ease your mind - you can actually check the status of your FAFSA processing by logging into your FSA account at studentaid.gov. It will show you if your FAFSA is still "in review" or if it's been processed and sent to your schools. I checked mine obsessively when I was waiting! Also, since you mentioned you've already been accepted to UCLA, you're in a good position. Admitted students typically get priority for financial aid processing, especially when there are timing concerns like yours. When you call them tomorrow, definitely mention your May 1 deadline - they'll likely fast-track your case or at least give you a better timeline. You've got this! The correction you made was the right thing to do (retirement accounts can really mess up your aid calculation if reported incorrectly), and it sounds like everything will work out fine. Keep us posted on how the call goes!

Hugo, I totally get why you're stressed - the FAFSA reprocessing thing sounds scary when you first hear about it! But from everything I've read here and my own experience, it's actually super common this year. I went through something similar when I had to correct my parent's business income information. The good news is that since you corrected an asset reporting issue (the retirement account), that type of correction usually processes faster than income corrections or verification issues. My reprocessing took about 5 days and my aid package actually improved because I had initially reported things incorrectly. One tip: when you call UCLA tomorrow, ask them specifically if they can give you a preliminary aid estimate while waiting for the final reprocessed FAFSA. Most schools can do this, especially for admitted students close to decision deadlines. Also, definitely mention that you're an admitted student with a May 1 deadline - they'll prioritize your case. You did the right thing by correcting the retirement account info. Parent retirement accounts shouldn't count as assets for FAFSA, so this correction will likely help your aid eligibility. Hang in there! 💪

UPDATE: We figured it out! My son logged into studentaid.gov with his FSA ID, clicked on "Manage My FAFSA" then selected "Edit FAFSA Form." He was able to add the new college without removing his current one. The new school should receive his information within 3-5 business days according to the confirmation page. We've also emailed both financial aid offices to inform them of the transfer. Thanks to everyone for your helpful advice!

Glad you got it sorted out! One more tip for anyone else reading this thread - make sure your son keeps screenshots of the confirmation page showing both schools were successfully added. I learned this the hard way when there was a system glitch that removed one of my daughter's schools and we had no proof it was ever added. Having that documentation saved us weeks of back-and-forth with the financial aid offices. Also, consider setting a calendar reminder to check both schools' aid portals in about 10 days to confirm they've received and processed his updated FAFSA information.

One more important tip - when creating your FSA ID as the parent contributor, use a different email address than your student used. The system requires unique emails for each account. Also, keep track of your FSA ID username and password - you'll need it again next year and for any corrections.

Congratulations on getting through the process! This thread has been so helpful - I'm bookmarking it for other parents who are struggling with the same confusion. The FAFSA website really needs to clarify their instructions because the mixed messaging about one vs. two parent accounts is causing so much unnecessary stress. For anyone else reading this: the key takeaway is that married parents filing jointly only need ONE contributor account, but you'll enter information for both parents during the process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

One more important tip: When you submit your special circumstances documentation, include a clear month-by-month breakdown showing your projected income with and without the child support. Make it as simple as possible for the financial aid officers to understand the exact impact. Many schools have specific forms for this, but if they don't, create your own spreadsheet showing: - 2023 income including child support (FAFSA baseline) - 2025 projected income after child support ends - The percentage decrease in total income This makes it much easier for them to adjust your SAI appropriately and can speed up the review process considerably.

I'm in almost the exact same situation! My child support ends in June when my daughter turns 18, but I had to report the full 2023 amount on our FAFSA. Reading through all these comments has been so helpful - I had no idea about the special circumstances appeals process. It's frustrating that this isn't explained anywhere obvious when you're filling out the FAFSA. I'm definitely going to contact her schools right after we submit to ask about their specific forms for income adjustments. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating this confusing process!

UPDATE: I just tried using the correction process I described earlier today, and it seems like there's some maintenance happening on studentaid.gov. If you get an error message, try again tomorrow. Sometimes they do overnight updates to the system and it causes temporary glitches.

That's great news that you were able to add ASU's school code! Just as a heads up for anyone else reading this thread - even though you missed ASU's priority deadline, don't give up hope. Many schools have rolling admissions for financial aid, and you might still qualify for federal aid (Pell Grant, student loans) and some institutional scholarships. Also, make sure to check if ASU has any emergency or late-application funds available. Some schools set aside money specifically for students who run into FAFSA processing issues. Good luck with your financial aid package!