Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! After reading through your comments, I'm going to: 1. Check our state's priority FAFSA deadline 2. Get formal documentation from our insurance company about the purpose of the funds 3. Keep all contractor estimates and payment receipts 4. File our FAFSA now with proper documentation rather than waiting Great to know we don't have to include these funds as assets since they're designated for repairs. Really appreciate all the insights!

Smart plan! Just wanted to add - when you get that documentation from your insurance company, make sure it specifically mentions that the funds are for "property restoration" or "damage repair" rather than just general compensation. The more specific the language, the clearer it'll be during verification if needed. Also, if you're doing the repairs in phases over several months, keep a timeline showing when each payment goes out so there's a clear paper trail. Good luck with both the FAFSA and the home repairs!

UPDATE: I submitted the correction yesterday afternoon and also called/emailed all my schools to let them know what happened. One financial aid office was super helpful and said they can actually adjust for the family size on their end while waiting for the official FAFSA reprocessing! They estimated my SAI would drop by about $3,800 with the correct family size. Thanks everyone for your advice - I'll post again when the official correction comes through!

Wow, this is such a helpful thread! I'm new to the FAFSA process and had no idea that family size could have such a big impact on the SAI calculation. Reading through everyone's experiences is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time - it sounds like this year's FAFSA has been a real nightmare for so many people. @Lilly Curtis - I'm so glad you caught this error and were able to get it fixed! That $3,800 potential reduction is huge. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation, it really seems like the key takeaways are: 1) Don't wait to make corrections, 2) Take screenshots of everything, and 3) Contact your schools directly to explain the situation. Has anyone else found other missing information on their SAR that they didn't notice at first? I'm going to go double-check mine now to make sure everything looks right!

UPDATE: We were finally able to resolve this! Using Claimyr to get through to an FSA representative made all the difference. The agent immediately recognized the issue as a known technical glitch with ITIN processing. They took our information, made manual notes in the system, and helped us complete the submission. The representative mentioned they've been getting many calls about this exact problem with the new FAFSA. \n\nFor anyone else facing this issue: save yourself the frustration of trying workarounds and just call FSA directly (using Claimyr made this painless). Reference Technical Bulletin FSA-2024-03 as someone suggested above, and have all your tax documents ready. \n\nThank you all for your help and suggestions! Now we wait for the SAI calculation.

Congratulations on getting it resolved! This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding this issue. As someone new to the FAFSA process, I'm grateful you all shared your experiences with the ITIN/joint filing glitch. It's frustrating that families have to jump through these hoops for what should be a straightforward process, but at least now there's a clear solution documented here. The Claimyr service and Technical Bulletin reference seem like game-changers for anyone else who runs into this. Thanks for taking the time to update us with your success!

That's such great news that you got it resolved! A system migration error makes total sense - those big database transfers are notorious for creating duplicates and other glitches. I'm so glad you didn't give up and that the Claimyr service actually worked. It's crazy that we have to use third-party services just to talk to our own government agencies, but whatever gets results! Make sure to keep all that written documentation they're sending you in a safe place. Stories like yours give me hope that these nightmarish loan situations can actually be fixed when you get the right person on the phone.

Wow, what a rollercoaster! I'm so relieved to hear you got this resolved. As someone new to navigating student loans, this whole thread has been both terrifying and educational. The fact that a simple system migration could cause such a massive error really shows how fragile these government databases are. I'm definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service for future reference - it's ridiculous that we need third-party help just to reach our own loan servicers, but if it works, it works! Your persistence is inspiring, especially after dealing with multiple disconnected calls. Thanks for sharing the resolution - it gives hope to others who might face similar nightmares with their loan balances.

yo also apply for food stamps and stuff when u get to college. with that SAI u probably qualify

Just wanted to add that you should also look into your state's financial aid programs! Many states have their own grant programs for students with high financial need, and with a -1500 SAI you'd likely qualify for maximum amounts. For example, some states have grants that can cover $2,000-$5,000+ per year on top of federal aid. Check your state's higher education website or ask the financial aid offices at your schools what state programs they participate in. Also, don't forget about local scholarships from community organizations, churches, businesses, etc. - these often have fewer applicants and can really help bridge any remaining gaps in your aid package.