Update: I finally got through to someone at Federal Student Aid this morning. They confirmed that our application IS flagged for reprocessing because of how we reported my husband's retirement distribution. They said we should receive the updated SAI within 7-10 business days and that we don't need to take any action. I also spoke with my daughter's school, and they said they'll review her package once the new SAI comes in. Thank you all for your help! I would never have known to call and check without your advice.

For anyone still trying to figure out if they're affected - I was in the same boat last week! Here's what finally worked for me: I logged into my studentaid.gov account and looked under "My Activity" where it actually showed a new entry dated this month even though my FAFSA status still said "processed." That was the first clue something was happening with our application. Then I got the official email two days later confirming reprocessing. So definitely check that activity log section, not just the main status page. Also, if you reported ANY untaxed income (retirement distributions, unemployment benefits, child support, etc.), you're very likely in the reprocessing group. Hope this helps someone avoid the phone hold nightmare!

One thing nobody's mentioned is that if your income dropped 28% in 2023, you should definitely file a Professional Judgment request regardless of what you decide about the deposit waiver. That's a significant change that could dramatically affect your SAI and resulting aid package. For the PJ request, you'll need: - 2023 tax returns or W-2s - Documentation of job loss/income reduction (if applicable) - A detailed letter explaining the change - The school's special circumstances form (usually on their financial aid website) Also, check if your son's top choice uses CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - private schools often do. The appeal process might be different for institutional aid vs. federal aid.

Update us on what you decide to do! The timing of these offers right before May 1 commitment deadlines is particularly challenging. Whatever you choose, make sure to submit any appeals ASAP - many schools distribute their remaining aid funds by mid-May.

Just checking back - were you able to get this resolved? The birthdate issue is critical because it affects her SAI calculation and potentially her eligibility for age-specific grants like some state programs for first-time college students under 19.

So glad to hear you got it resolved! This thread is going to be super helpful for other families dealing with the same issue. The tip about calling right when they open and asking specifically for a "tier 2 specialist for birthdate corrections" is gold - I'm bookmarking this whole conversation. The FAFSA system really needs better error messaging to guide people through these correction processes instead of just saying "Unable to Complete This Action." Thanks for sharing your update!

Update: I finally managed to talk to someone at the Federal Student Aid office! Used the Claimyr service that was recommended and got through in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed I should use zeros for the SSN and that I need to provide additional documentation to my school's financial aid office. They also said I should apply for a Professional Judgment review based on the special circumstances of our immigration process. Thank you everyone for your help!

This is such valuable information for anyone in a similar situation! I'm bookmarking this thread. One thing I'd add - make sure to keep copies of everything you submit to your financial aid office. I've seen cases where documents get lost in the shuffle, especially with non-standard situations like this. Also, if your school has an international student services office, they might have additional resources or experience with mixed-status families even though you're not an international student yourself. They often deal with similar documentation issues and might be able to provide guidance or advocacy if you run into problems with the financial aid office.

For anyone else having this issue, here's a step-by-step fix that worked for me and seems to have helped the original poster: 1. Start at the very beginning of your renewal application 2. Complete EVERY field on EVERY page (even if unchanged from last year) 3. Click 'Save' on each page before proceeding 4. When you reach the financial section, try the IRS Data Retrieval Tool first 5. If the tool doesn't work for your situation, you should then get the option to enter manually 6. Complete the application in a single session if possible Also, clear your browser cache or try a different browser if you're still having troubles. The 2025-2026 FAFSA has a lot of technical updates, so these glitches are unfortunately common.

As someone new to this whole FAFSA process, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a first-time applicant and was getting really worried when I hit similar issues with my financial sections not updating properly. It's reassuring to know this is a common problem with solutions. I'm definitely going to follow the step-by-step guide that Vanessa shared - it sounds like the key is being super methodical and not skipping any steps, even if they seem redundant. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!