For what it's worth, I went through something similar and the impact on aid wasn't as bad as I feared. The SAI calculation for parent assets only counts around 5.64% of assets above the Asset Protection Allowance, so even if it does need to be reported, it might only change your SAI by a relatively small amount. A $27,000 asset might only increase your SAI by about $1,500 (very rough estimate). But definitely clarify the ownership situation first!

As someone who just went through this process with my twins, I wanted to add that timing matters here too. If the grandparents are planning to make distributions for fall semester, you might want to coordinate with them about WHEN they make those payments. Even though grandparent 529 distributions don't count as student income anymore under the new FAFSA rules, some schools still track them internally for their own aid calculations. My suggestion would be to have them pay directly to the school rather than to you or your daughter, and keep all the documentation. Also, if they have $27k saved, they might be able to spread payments across multiple years to help with cash flow and avoid any potential issues with individual school policies. Just make sure to get clarity on the account ownership first - that's really the key piece that determines everything else!

One thing I forgot to mention in my original response - timing matters! The financial aid cycle has a rhythm to it. Early in the cycle (January-March), schools often have more institutional aid available. By April-May, many schools have allocated most of their funds. However! If you're willing to be strategic, some additional aid becomes available in late summer (July-August) when students who committed end up not attending. This creates a last-minute pool of funds that schools can reallocate. In your professional judgment appeal letter, emphasize that having both children attend simultaneously creates a temporary but extreme financial burden that isn't adequately captured by the SAI calculation. Provide a month-by-month cash flow analysis if possible, showing how the expected payments would exceed your disposable income.

I went through a similar situation with my daughter at a private university last year. Here's what I learned: definitely pursue the professional judgment review, but also ask specifically about "enrollment management" funds. These are discretionary funds that admissions offices sometimes use to secure students they really want. Since you have twins both accepted to the same school, you actually have some leverage - they want both students to enroll! When I met with the financial aid director, I brought a simple one-page comparison showing what our family could realistically contribute versus what the SAI expected. I also mentioned that we were considering other schools (even if you're not, it shows you have options). The key phrase I used was "demonstrated financial need beyond what the federal formula captures." Don't apologize for your situation - frame it as the school helping you make their institution financially viable for your family. We ended up getting an additional $6,000 per year through a combination of institutional grants and work-study increases. Also, check if they have emergency or hardship funds available. Some schools have separate pools of money for exactly these situations that aren't widely advertised.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I'm going to: 1) Contact FSA to understand why our SAI jumped so much, 2) Request a professional judgment review based on our medical expenses, 3) Look into payment plans + my son's part-time work to reduce the loan amount, and 4) Have him contact his department about additional scholarships. If we still need Parent PLUS loans, we'll keep the amount as low as possible. This has been incredibly helpful!

I'm new here but dealing with a similar situation! Just wanted to add that some schools have emergency grant funds that aren't widely advertised - it's worth asking the financial aid office directly if they have any institutional emergency aid available for families whose financial situations have changed or who are facing unexpected hardships. Also, if your son is interested in work-study, those positions often pay better than regular part-time jobs and the hours are designed around class schedules. The application process varies by school but it's usually through the financial aid office. Don't give up hope - there are often more options than what's initially presented in the aid package!

UPDATE: We finally got it working!!! The issue was that my husband's middle name was entered as his first name on an old account. We never would have figured this out on our own. We used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through to an FSA agent who found the problem in their system. Just wanted to update in case anyone else runs into this. Thanks everyone for your help!

I'm dealing with a similar issue right now! My spouse also got the "SSN already associated with account" error. After reading through all these responses, it sounds like the key is getting through to an actual FSA agent who can look up what's causing the mismatch in their system. The fact that your husband's middle name was entered as his first name in the old account is exactly the kind of thing that would be impossible to figure out on your own. Really glad you got it sorted out before your deadline! This thread is super helpful for anyone else stuck on this frustrating error.

now u just gotta wait for the SAI calculation which took like another 2 weeks for me lol

Welcome to the FAFSA struggle club! 🥲 I'm a new parent going through this nightmare for the first time and honestly thought I was losing my mind. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much better - misery loves company, right? The fact that they completely overhauled the system and it's THIS broken is infuriating. My kid keeps asking if I've finished "the form" yet and I'm like... honey, this isn't just "a form," this is psychological warfare disguised as financial aid paperwork. Really grateful for all the tips shared here, especially about the recent patch. Going to try again tonight during off-peak hours. Fingers crossed! 🤞