FAFSA
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FAFSA approved Pell Grant without 2022 tax returns - will it affect Parent PLUS loan?
I'm super confused about my tax situation with FAFSA. I haven't filed my 2022 taxes yet (I know, I know...), but somehow my daughter still got approved for the maximum Pell Grant amount for the 2024-2025 year! I was honestly shocked since I thought tax filing was mandatory. But here's the weird part - I got denied for the Parent PLUS loan. Could my missing tax returns be why? Or is it something else? Should I still rush to file those 2022 taxes now, or since she already got the Pell Grant, does it even matter anymore? Anyone been in a similar situation or know what's going on?
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Can I wait to submit my FAFSA until after college acceptance letters arrive?
Confused about FAFSA timing here!! So I've applied to 5 colleges for fall 2026 and I'm wondering if I need to fill out the FAFSA now or if I can wait until I get acceptance letters? My mom says we should wait because "why bother if you don't get in" but my guidance counselor mentioned something about priority deadlines? I honestly have no idea if waiting will mess up my financial aid chances. Does anybody know if colleges require FAFSA before they even consider your application? Or is it something separate that happens after acceptance? Really don't want to go through the hassle if I don't have to yet!
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Something else to consider: some colleges actually look at your FAFSA information as part of their admissions decision process! It's not supposed to affect your chances of admission, but it can indicate your level of interest in the school. Plus, some schools want to make sure they can provide adequate financial aid before accepting students who might not be able to afford to attend.
wait they can see if u did fafsa before they decide to accept u? thats kinda messed up tbh
UPDATE: Thank you all for the advice! I checked my schools' financial aid websites and found that 3 of them have priority deadlines in February. I sat down with my parents this weekend and we submitted my FAFSA. It actually wasn't as complicated as we feared (the IRS data transfer tool made the tax part super easy). I'm so glad I asked here instead of just listening to my mom about waiting! Will update again when I start getting aid packages.
Great job being proactive! Make sure you also check if any of your schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. Many private colleges require both forms, and CSS Profile deadlines often mirror FAFSA priority deadlines.
FAFSA SAI can't be calculated - IRS data transfer failure but no errors showing?
Completely frustrated with this FAFSA process for 2025-2026! My son's application was submitted two weeks ago, and we just got that awful message saying 'SAI cannot be calculated due to missing or conflicting information.' When I click on 'Next Steps' like they suggest, it shows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong! No errors flagged, no missing fields highlighted, nada. When I review our application, I'm noticing that a bunch of our financial information and household size data seems incomplete, even though we definitely completed those sections. It's like the IRS Data Retrieval Tool completely failed but didn't tell us. We definitely checked all the boxes to authorize IRS data transfer and electronically signed everything. His top choice university just emailed saying they received his FAFSA but "cannot process it because there's no income information included" and that "it appears there should have been income reported." Well DUH! We make income! We filed taxes! We authorized the data transfer! Has anyone else had the IRS data completely fail to transfer but the system not actually tell you that's what happened? How did you fix it? Did you have to manually enter everything?
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I'm just waiting for the old FAFSA to come back. This new system is ridiculous and I've had it with all these technical issues. My daughter might miss out on thousands in aid because their stupid system can't handle basic tax information. How are families supposed to plan when the most basic functionality doesn't work?!!
I feel your frustration! The old system wasn't perfect, but at least it reliably pulled tax information. This new one has been a disaster from day one.
Quick update on this issue: The Department of Education just announced they're aware of this IRS Data Retrieval Tool problem and are working on a fix. They're estimating it will be resolved in the next system update on June 14th. However, if you have pressing deadlines, I still recommend manually entering your information rather than waiting.
Thank you for the update! We're not waiting - already started the manual entry process last night. Honestly at this point I don't trust any of their system updates to actually fix problems without creating new ones.
FAFSA invite issue after correcting SS# error - can I get a new one?
I was helping my son with his 2025-2026 FAFSA application and received the parent contribution invite. While reviewing everything before submitting, I noticed I had entered my SSN incorrectly (typed an 8 instead of a 3 in the last four digits). When I tried to fix it, the system wouldn't let me make the change. I ended up deleting the entire form in frustration. Now I'm worried about what happens next. Will my son be able to send me another parent invite when he starts a new application? Is there anything I need to do with the old invite—like formally reject it or something? The deleted form isn't showing up anywhere in his account, but I'm paranoid something will get messed up with his financial aid. This whole new FAFSA system is driving me crazy! Has anyone dealt with this specific issue? Any advice would be really helpful.
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My cousin works in financial aid at a university and she said they're seeing tons of similar problems with the new FAFSA system. She said always save PDFs of everything you submit!!! Even if it seems to go through ok.
thats good advice my daughters college financial aid office said the same thing. save EVERYTHING
UPDATE: We successfully created a new FAFSA application tonight and everything went smoothly! My son sent me a new contributor invite without any problems, and this time I triple-checked my SSN before proceeding. The system accepted all our information and we were able to submit without issues. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
Great news! Glad it worked out smoothly the second time around. Make sure to keep an eye on your email for any notifications about the SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation or requests for additional verification. Those typically come 3-5 days after successful submission.
Congrats on getting it submitted! It's such a relief when everything finally goes through. I'm still waiting on my daughter's SAI calculation - it's been 10 days and counting. The waiting game is almost as stressful as the application process itself.
One college sent financial aid package but 14 others silent - FAFSA progress timeline?
Finally seeing some movement on our FAFSA journey! My son applied to 15 universities (mostly out-of-state) and we've been anxiously checking emails every day. As of this morning, ONE school sent us their complete financial aid package with the FAFSA SAI calculation included. The aid was... not great tbh ($7,800 total for a $43k tuition!), but at least something is happening! For the other 14 schools - complete silence. Is this normal for late March? Should we be contacting the financial aid offices for the other schools? Our FAFSA was submitted back in January and shows 'processed' on studentaid.gov. Just trying to figure out if we're behind schedule or if this timeline is typical. My son needs to make his decision by May 1st and we CANNOT commit without seeing the numbers!
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my daughter had same problem. we were missing packaes from 6 schools she got into. financial aid office told us it was because we didnt fill out the CSS PROFILE for those schools!!!! FAFSA isnt enough for many private colleges. you have to do CSS too and its not free like FAFSA. cost us $25 per school to submit it late. check if your missing schools required CSS!!!
Oh no! I'm going to check that right now. I thought we did the CSS Profile for all the schools that required it, but maybe we missed some. Thanks for the heads up!
If that first package is any indication of what's coming, you might want to start looking at Plan B options now. We were in the same boat last year - excited about all the acceptances until we saw the actual cost after "aid." In the end, my daughter turned down her dream school for the state university because the difference was over $30k per year. Sometimes the package from one school does represent what you'll see from similar-tier schools. Just trying to help you prepare mentally! Start researching community college transfer programs as a backup.
This is honestly the best advice on this whole thread. Nobody wants to hear it, but having a financial backup plan is ESSENTIAL with college costs what they are today. My son also ended up at our state school despite better acceptances elsewhere, and he's actually thriving there.
Ali Anderson
u should DEF file those taxes ASAP!!! my cousin got the pell grant and then they did that verification thing 6 months later and she had to pay back ALL THE MONEY because her dad hadn't filed taxes or something. it was a nightmare for her!!
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Logan Stewart
AuthorOh that's awful! I'm going to get the taxes done this week. Did she have trouble getting aid for future years too?
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Sean Matthews
To answer your question about future aid: Yes, issues with verification can affect future aid eligibility. If a student has to return funds due to verification problems, they may be flagged in the system, which can delay or complicate future aid processing. It can also potentially affect Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements if the financial adjustments impact enrollment status. This is why it's crucial to maintain accurate and complete financial documentation for the entire period you're receiving aid.
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Logan Stewart
AuthorI had no idea this could impact future aid too. I'm calling my tax preparer tomorrow morning. Thank you everyone for all this helpful information!
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