UPDATE: The Department of Education just released a statement yesterday saying they've identified the calculation errors and will be implementing a mass correction to all affected SAI calculations within the next 4 weeks. Schools have been notified to expect updated ISIRs (Institutional Student Information Records) by mid-May. They're prioritizing corrections for current high school seniors who need to make enrollment decisions soon. The main issues they identified were: 1. Incorrect handling of retirement assets 2. Errors in the income protection allowance calculations 3. Problems with how dependent vs. independent student calculations were processed If you're seeing a $0 SAI that seems incorrect, you're almost certainly affected by this error and should expect an updated calculation soon.

This is exactly what I needed to hear! My family is in a similar situation - we make around $75k and got a $0 SAI which seemed impossible. I was starting to panic about whether we'd be able to afford college at all if the "real" calculation came back much higher. It's frustrating that this rollout has been so buggy, but I'm relieved to know it's a known issue being actively fixed rather than us having to fight the system individually. The timing is really stressful though - my son has to commit to a school by May 1st and we have no idea what our actual financial aid will look like. Has anyone heard if schools are extending their deposit deadlines because of these FAFSA issues? I'm worried about putting down a deposit based on incorrect financial aid information.

I've been working through this with several families - here's what worked for us: 1. Have the parent log in with their existing FSA email/username 2. When prompted about not having an SSN, click "yes" to confirm 3. Complete the attestation form (even though they did this in previous years) 4. The system will then link their account correctly 5. Wait until mid-March for the signature portion It's definitely confusing, but this process has worked consistently. The key is using the SAME email as before to maintain continuity with previous years' applications.

I'm new to helping with FAFSA applications but have a similar situation coming up. Just to confirm I understand correctly - parents without SSNs who had FSA accounts from previous years should: 1. Use their existing email/login credentials 2. Complete the new attestation form (even though they did it before) 3. NOT create a brand new FSA ID 4. Wait until mid-March for signature submission Is this the consensus? I want to make sure I give accurate guidance when I start helping families next week. The system changes with FAFSA Simplification really seem to have created confusion even for returning users!

Update: I managed to get into my account! Turns out I had set up my FSA ID with an old work email. After trying the Forgot Username feature with about 5 different emails, it worked with the old one. I was able to change my email to my current one and reset my password. Now we're all set to start my second child's FAFSA. Thanks everyone for your help!

Congrats on getting it sorted! This thread is super helpful for other parents going through the same thing. For anyone else reading this - definitely try all your old email addresses first before calling. And once you do get back in, I'd recommend writing down your FSA ID info AND storing it in a password manager if you use one. Three years between kids is long enough to forget everything! Also consider setting up the FSA ID mobile app if they still have that - might make it easier to access next time.

Good luck!! So nice to see a parent thinking about both their kid's future AND their own dreams!

This is such an inspiring thread! @Yara Sayegh, I love that you're pursuing your own education goals while being so thoughtful about your daughter's financial aid. As someone new to understanding FAFSA, I had no idea that having multiple family members in college could actually help with aid calculations. The detailed explanations from @Amina Diallo about Title IV eligibility and the half-time enrollment requirements were really eye-opening. I'm bookmarking this conversation because I have a feeling this information might be useful for my own family situation down the road. Best of luck with your cosmetology program - can't wait to hear how it all works out!

This is INCREDIBLY helpful - thank you so much! I'm printing this out as our action plan. Really appreciate everyone's advice and guidance with this unexpected situation. You've all saved us a lot of confusion and potential problems!

As someone who went through a similar mid-year transfer situation, I'd also recommend having your son check if the new school requires any additional forms beyond the FAFSA. Some schools have their own institutional aid forms or verification documents that transfer students need to complete, especially for mid-year transfers. Also, ask about their refund policy in case he needs to withdraw from any classes - transfer students sometimes have different deadlines and policies than continuing students. The earlier he can get all this sorted out, the smoother his transition will be!