So glad to see this worked out! This is exactly why I always tell families to double-check which year they're selecting when creating FSA accounts. The new system can be confusing, but once you get all the contributors properly linked to the right application year, it usually processes smoothly. Your experience will probably help other families who run into the same issue!

As a parent who just went through this same nightmare last month, I can confirm that the resend invitation approach absolutely works! My husband also selected the wrong year initially and we were panicking about missing deadlines. The key thing I learned is that the student (your daughter) has complete control over the contributor invitations from her dashboard. She can resend them as many times as needed, and the system will automatically link contributors to the correct application year when they follow the email link. Don't stress too much about the March deadlines - most schools are being very understanding about FAFSA delays this year given all the system issues. The important thing is that your application is in the system and processing!

Did anyone else notice that the whole FAFSA system has been a complete disaster since they "simplified" it? My cousin's daughter had her application stuck for MONTHS and almost lost her scholarship. The government can't do anything right!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved! Your situation is exactly why I always recommend keeping detailed notes about every step of the FAFSA process. For anyone else reading this thread who might be dealing with similar issues, here are some additional tips that have helped me and my friends: 1. Screenshot everything - your summary pages, error messages (or lack thereof), and any confirmation numbers 2. Try accessing your FAFSA at different times of day - sometimes the system shows different information during off-peak hours 3. If you're a parent contributor, make sure you're logged into the correct account when reviewing information 4. Double-check that your FSA ID is properly linked to your Social Security number The high school completion date issue you experienced is actually more common than people realize. I've seen it happen when students transfer schools or do dual enrollment. It's frustrating that these "hidden" errors aren't visible to us, but at least there's usually a solution once you can get through to someone who knows the system well enough to find them. Hope your daughter gets her aid package soon and everything works out for her college plans!

Update: I used the Claimyr service that someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Got through to a FAFSA agent in about 40 minutes (without me having to sit on hold). They verified my identity, asked for my passport information and ITIN, and sent me a secure upload link for my documents. Now just waiting for the verification to process. Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm so glad this worked out for you! As someone who's been through the FAFSA nightmare with international documentation, I just wanted to add that once your identity is verified, make sure to save/bookmark that verification confirmation page if they give you one. Sometimes the system glitches and asks you to verify again later, and having that confirmation number can save you from going through this whole process again. Also, if your daughter's school uses their own financial aid forms in addition to FAFSA, get those submitted ASAP while this is all fresh in your mind. Good luck with the rest of the process!

Yes, you do need to report 529 plans on the FAFSA, but how they're reported depends on who owns the account: - If the 529 is parent-owned (with your daughter as beneficiary): It's reported as a parental asset, which has a much smaller impact on aid eligibility (only about 5.64% of the value counts against aid). - If the 529 is owned by your daughter: It would be reported as a student asset, which has a bigger impact (20% counts against aid). - If the 529 is owned by a grandparent or other relative: The new FAFSA no longer requires reporting distributions from these accounts, which is a positive change from previous years. Contact the university's financial aid office directly to discuss mid-year transfer opportunities - they can often provide specific guidance for your situation.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - if your daughter hasn't already, she should create her FSA ID (studentaid.gov) as soon as possible since both of you will need to electronically sign the FAFSA. The FSA ID creation process can sometimes take a few days to verify, and you don't want that to delay your FAFSA submission. Also, make sure you have your 2022 tax returns handy since the 2024-2025 FAFSA uses prior-prior year tax information. Good luck with everything!

UPDATE: My daughter just finished her section and we got to see the summary page. The tax information that was imported looks accurate - they pulled our AGI, income, and tax figures correctly from our 2023 return. So the direct data exchange actually worked perfectly! Just wanted to follow up in case anyone else has this concern.

Thanks for sharing your update! It's really helpful to hear that the DDE worked smoothly for you. As someone who's about to start the FAFSA process with my own kid, I was getting nervous reading about all the potential issues with tax data not importing correctly. Good to know that when it works, it really does make the whole process much faster than the old system. Did you notice any other differences in the application compared to what you might have expected from previous years?