Have you checked if your application is stuck in verification? Sometimes the system flags applications for verification but doesn't clearly communicate it. For grad students with separate filing spouses, the FAFSA often requires additional verification due to the separate tax situations. Log into studentaid.gov and check the verification status specifically.

Update on your situation: I consulted with our graduate financial aid specialist. For the 2025-26 FAFSA, there's a known issue affecting graduate students with separate-filing contributors. The system sometimes fails to process applications when there's any discrepancy in financial information, particularly with retirement accounts and business income. My recommendation: 1. Start a fresh application 2. Have both your and your husband's tax documents ready side-by-side 3. Report retirement accounts on the correct person's profile (not split) 4. Be extremely precise with business income if either of you has any 5. Double-check the "support provided" section numbers The good news is that graduate student aid deadlines are typically later than undergraduate, so you should still have time to correct this for fall semester.

I just want to warn you about something that RUINED us last year. When they ask about assets, DO NOT include your retirement accounts (401k, IRA, etc) or the value of your primary home. I made this mistake and it MASSIVELY inflated our SAI score. My son lost out on like $8000 in grants because of my mistake!!!! By the time I realized and tried to correct it, they said it was too late for that academic year. The instructions are confusing but trust me - ONLY include checking/savings accounts, secondary properties, investments, and business assets if you own more than 50% of a business with over 100 employees.

To answer your follow-up question about W-2s: While the total from your tax return is most important, it's good to have all individual W-2s available just in case. Sometimes the verification process requires them, especially if you or your spouse had multiple employers. Also, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool doesn't transfer all information - just the main tax return data. For any income not reported on your federal tax return (like child support received), you'll need to enter that manually. One final tip - take screenshots of your confirmation page and save/print the confirmation email. I've had instances where students' FAFSAs were claimed to be "not received" despite confirmation numbers. Having that documentation saved me weeks of headaches.

For those struggling with the signature glitch, here's the technical explanation: The new FAFSA system has enhanced security protocols that sometimes conflict with browser cache data or certain browser security settings. Troubleshooting steps in order of effectiveness: 1. Clear browser cache and cookies 2. Try a different browser (Firefox and Edge seem most compatible) 3. Try a mobile device (uses different verification protocols) 4. Wait 24 hours for system reset (if it's a server-side issue) 5. Create a new email address and re-register your FSA ID (extreme cases) Regarding the SAI concerns - the shift from EFC to SAI was intended to better reflect actual ability to pay, but the implementation has been rocky. The key thing to understand is that while the numbers have changed, how schools use them is also adjusting. Many institutions are recalibrating their institutional aid formulas to account for the general increase in SAI figures.

@profile5 Did you end up resolving the issues? I'm curious if the cache clearing worked for the signature problem. And definitely pursue that appeal for the medical expenses - my sister got her SAI reduced by almost $3K last year for similar reasons.

I'm wondering if there's a maximum amount before it becomes an issue? Like if your grandmother paid for your entire tuition would that be different than just meal plan? Anyone know?

wait so if ur an independent student is that better or worse for getting financial aid? i'm confused

SUCCESS UPDATE: We finally got it to work! The banner was there when my husband logged in, just like @profile4 mentioned. He clicked it, verified his identity again (for like the 5th time), entered his tax info, and was able to sign his portion. Our application status now shows "Processing" instead of "Action Required." Thank you all for your help - this forum literally saved us thousands in financial aid!

Great to hear! Just a heads up - the "Processing" status typically takes 3-5 business days before you get your SAI calculation. If you filed separately, there's about a 40% chance you'll be selected for verification (compared to about 15% for joint filers), so don't panic if that happens. Just respond promptly with the requested documents. The new FAFSA system actually gives much better explanations of what each document should contain compared to previous years.