So glad to hear it worked out! This is such a common issue this year - the new FAFSA system seems to have a lot of technical glitches that trap applications after processing. For anyone else reading this thread with similar problems, it sounds like contacting FSA directly (whether through their regular line or services like Claimyr) is really the only way to get these technical issues resolved on the backend. Don't waste time trying to troubleshoot it yourself if the basic steps like clearing cache don't work - there are actual system bugs that only they can fix.

As a newcomer here, I just want to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm actually dealing with a similar situation right now with my daughter's FAFSA - it's been showing "Processed" for over a week but we can't add her remaining schools. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really reassuring that we're not alone in this. I'm going to try the Make FAFSA Corrections section that Max mentioned first, and if that doesn't work, I'll look into using Claimyr like Adrian suggested. It's so frustrating that these technical issues are so common with the new system, but at least there seem to be solutions! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know what actually works when you're panicking about deadlines.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been stuck on the spouse DOB page for hours. One thing I noticed is that when I tried using Safari instead of Chrome, I got a slightly different error behavior - it actually showed me a brief validation message before looping back. The message mentioned something about "records verification" which makes me think it's definitely a backend issue with matching Social Security data like others have mentioned. I'm going to try the suggestions about the middle initial and name formatting. Really hoping the Department of Education fixes these technical problems soon because this is incredibly stressful when you're trying to meet deadlines!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! I've been battling this spouse DOB loop for three days straight and I'm losing my mind. What's really frustrating is that the system worked fine for all my other information, but just completely breaks down on this one field. I've tried literally everything - different browsers, clearing cache, different devices, using dashes vs slashes for the date format, and nothing works. The most maddening part is that there's no actual error message, it just silently loops you back like nothing happened. I'm definitely going to try the suggestions about the middle initial and name formatting without hyphens. Has anyone had success getting through to FSA recently? I've been trying to call for days but keep getting disconnected due to high call volume. This whole redesigned FAFSA system feels like a complete disaster - how are students supposed to meet deadlines when the basic functionality doesn't even work?

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.

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!

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!