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my cousins roomate had this problem too lol they eventually got their fafsa figured out but it took like 2 months so good luck 😂
Final update for anyone with the same problem: I FINALLY got my verification completed! Here's what worked: 1. Used the IRS Tax Return Transcript instead of my 1040 (thanks for that tip!) 2. Called and specifically asked for the "verification status detail report" which showed they needed a letter of explanation for a retirement distribution 3. Uploaded all documents with VERY specific file names (FirstName_LastName_DocumentType_Year) 4. Called again and requested "case escalation" by using those exact words My SAI calculation was completed within 48 hours after the escalation. The amount is a bit higher than I expected ($8,750), but at least now my school can process my aid package. Thank you everyone for your help through this nightmare!
Glad to hear it worked out! That SAI amount is actually in a decent range for partial Pell Grant eligibility, depending on your school's cost of attendance. Make sure to follow up with your school's financial aid office now to confirm they've received the updated FAFSA information.
when i made fsas for me n my twins last yr ONE of them got verified instantly, ONE took 2 days, and MINE took a week!!! makes no sense lol. but ya everyone needs their own id thats just how it works now
The inconsistency is what drives me CRAZY about the whole system! No rhyme or reason to who gets verified quickly and who doesn't.
Since a few people have mentioned verification delays, I want to clarify that there are two different types of "verification" being discussed here: 1. FSA ID verification - This is the process of confirming your identity when you first create an FSA ID. This usually takes minutes to a few days. 2. FAFSA verification - This is completely different and happens AFTER you submit your FAFSA. About 30% of FAFSA applications are selected for this more intensive verification process. For your immediate question about FSA IDs: Yes, both you and your son need separate FSA IDs before starting the FAFSA. You can begin creating the FAFSA application while waiting for FSA ID verification to complete, but you won't be able to sign and submit until both IDs are fully verified. Hope this helps clarify the process!
anyone else notice how the confirmation page is super misleading? it says "congratulations you've completed the fafsa" even if the signatures didn't actually work. so frustrating!
THIS!!!! it gives you that green checkmark making you think everything is good then BAM rejection email 3 days later. TERRIBLE design!!!!
UPDATE: We fixed it!!! It turned out to be THREE separate issues: 1. My husband needed to sign (I didn't realize this was required since we file jointly and I handle all the college stuff) 2. My son and I were using the same phone number on our FSA ID profiles 3. We were using Safari instead of Chrome We created an FSA ID for my husband, updated my son's phone number to his cell instead of our home number, switched to Chrome, and cleared all browser cache before trying again. Finally got the confirmation email that the application was successfully processed! Our SAI score is now available in the portal. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help! This forum literally saved us weeks of frustration.
Fantastic news! And thank you for coming back to update - this will help other families who find your post with similar issues. I'm so glad you got it resolved before your deadline.
the new fafsa is sooooo confusing!! i never got asked about assets either but then my daughter got selected for verification and NOW they want all my bank statements?? make it make sense!! 😡 the whole thing is a mess im convinced nobody at the dept of education actually knows whats going on
Verification is a separate process that only affects a randomly selected portion of applicants. It's essentially an audit to confirm the information you provided is accurate. If your daughter was selected, you'll need to provide the requested documentation directly to her school(s), not to FAFSA. Each school handles verification differently, but they typically need bank statements from the time you filed the FAFSA, not from two years ago.
Just to add some clarity on the timeline: Your daughter's FAFSA was submitted last Thursday, so I would expect to see a processed status and SAI calculation by this coming Thursday or Friday (5-7 business days). Once processed, she'll get an email notification, and her SAI will be visible in her studentaid.gov account. After that, any schools she adds to her FAFSA will receive her information within 3-5 additional business days. Schools will begin creating financial aid packages once they have her FAFSA data and she's been accepted for admission. The reduced lunch program connection is important - it likely means you qualify for the simplified needs formula, which is why you didn't see asset questions. This is actually advantageous because assets can reduce aid eligibility.
This is exactly what I needed to know - thank you! I'll let her know to expect something by the end of this week. It sounds like we're on the right track after all.
Amara Nnamani
THIS IS WHY I HATE FAFSA!! Every year something new goes wrong! First they delay the whole system launch, then they make us create new FSA IDs, then the SAI calculations are all messed up, and now the contributor system doesn't even work! I'm so sick of this. My daughter ended up missing scholarship deadlines because of these exact issues. The Department of Education should be EMBARRASSED by this disaster. They had THREE YEARS to prepare this new system!!!
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•It's definitely been a rough year for the FAFSA rollout. But to be fair, they did completely overhaul the entire system and formula. Growing pains were inevitable, though I agree they should have tested it better before launch.
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Andre Dupont
Update on the contributor issue: The Department of Education recently acknowledged this specific bug in their system. The official workaround they're now recommending is: 1. Have the student log in and confirm both parents are correctly listed in the FAFSA 2. Have the parent who CAN access the form complete as much information as possible 3. When you reach the signature page, select the option that says "Parent is unable to sign electronically" 4. Complete the form and submit 5. After submission, both parents should receive emails with instructions to electronically sign This alternate signature method bypasses the contributor issue while still getting both parents to properly authenticate. Hope this helps with your deadline problem!
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Yuki Ito
•This is EXACTLY what we needed! Thank you so much for sharing this workaround. We're going to try this approach tonight. At least we can get it submitted before the priority deadline now. Really appreciate everyone's help!
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