UPDATE: after trying for 5 days straight i FINALLY got my contributor account working!!! what fixed it was using my PHONE instead of computer AND doing it at 4:30am when nobody else was on the system!! completed my part of both my kids applications. such a relief!!! if your still stuck try the middle of the night seriously it worked!!!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My son sent me the contributor invitation 6 days ago and I keep getting stuck at the same step 7. It's incredibly frustrating knowing that there's a known glitch and they have no timeline for fixing it. I'm going to try some of the suggestions here - the Edge browser in incognito mode and creating the FSA ID separately first. Also going to attempt it in the early morning hours when the system might be less overloaded. Thanks to everyone sharing their workarounds and experiences. It's reassuring to know we're not alone in this mess, even though it shouldn't be this complicated to help our kids with financial aid!

Yes! We actually appealed the financial aid offer at Private #2 by showing them the better offer from Private #1. They ended up adding another $8k in institutional grants. Definitely worth asking, especially if you can show better offers from similar schools.

As someone who just went through this process with my youngest, I wanted to share that an SAI of 20972 is actually pretty manageable! Don't let the number scare you. What really matters is how individual colleges interpret and work with that number. A few practical tips based on our experience: - Apply to schools with strong endowments if possible - they often have more flexibility with aid - Don't overlook state schools with honors programs - sometimes they offer merit aid that can bring costs below your SAI - Keep all your financial documents organized because some schools may ask for additional verification Also, if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), make sure to contact each school's financial aid office directly. They can often make adjustments that the FAFSA formula doesn't capture. Good luck!

One important note: Make sure your husband's documents were translated properly if they were in Spanish. I've seen cases where verification gets stuck because documents weren't translated according to FSA requirements. All foreign language documents need certified English translations, and sometimes the certification itself causes delays if it doesn't meet their standards.

I'm so sorry you're going through this! I'm new to this community but facing a similar situation with my stepdaughter's FAFSA. Her biological father lives in Canada and we're hitting the same verification wall. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful - especially the advice about contacting the school directly for professional judgment and the tip about certified translations. I had no idea that translation certification could be causing delays. Thank you all for sharing your experiences, it's making me feel less alone in this process. AstroAlpha, I really hope you get this resolved soon - two months is absolutely ridiculous!

Update: We made the correction last night by going into her account and selecting "Make FAFSA Corrections" like you all suggested. It let us add my husband's income information and now it's back in "processing" status. Thank you everyone for the help! What a confusing system - they really should fix those misleading contributor invitations!

As a newcomer dealing with FAFSA for the first time, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm seeing so many families struggle with the same contributor invitation confusion. It seems like the Department of Education really needs to update their instructions to make it clear that married couples should enter ALL household information in one section, rather than sending separate invites that make it seem like each parent has their own section to complete. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - it's reassuring to know this is a widespread issue and not something we're doing wrong!

wait ur parents make 120k and u think ull get good aid?? lol maybe at like harvard or smth but most places will give u squat with that income js

I'm sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation! Identity theft complications are more common than you might think, and schools are generally understanding about these circumstances. Here's my advice as someone who went through a similar process: 1. Document everything NOW - get copies of the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit (Form 14039), any correspondence with the IRS about the identity verification process, and police reports if they filed any. 2. Contact each school's financial aid office BEFORE submitting your FAFSA. Explain the situation and ask about their specific procedures for identity theft cases. Many have special forms or processes. 3. Submit your FAFSA with estimated figures using your parents' 2022 W-2s and other available documents. Mark clearly that these are estimates due to the identity theft situation. 4. Keep detailed records of all communications with schools and the IRS - you'll likely need to reference these multiple times throughout the process. The good news is that this won't automatically disqualify you from aid or priority consideration if you're proactive about communication. Schools deal with these situations regularly and have procedures in place. The key is being transparent and organized with your documentation. Don't let this derail your college plans - you have options!