FAFSA
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Can't reach FAFSA? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the FAFSA
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- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
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- Give you free callbacks if the FAFSA drops your call
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No FAFSA SAI score yet for my son - should I be concerned?
I submitted my son's 2025-2026 FAFSA almost 3 weeks ago and there's still no Student Aid Index (SAI) score showing up in his account. The status just says "Processing" but nothing else. This is his first year applying and we need to make college decisions soon. I'm starting to freak out because his friend who applied the same weekend already got his results back. Is this normal? How long should this take? Should I be calling someone or is this just how it works now with the new system?
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FAFSA signature nightmare - keeps saying complete then incomplete again
I'm seriously about to lose my mind with this FAFSA signature issue! I've submitted my 2025-2026 application THREE TIMES now. Each time I get confirmation emails saying "Congratulations, your FAFSA is complete" (I have screenshots and emails to prove it). Then a few days later, I get another notification saying it's incomplete and needs signatures AGAIN. I've re-signed multiple times, both my signature and my parent's contributor signature. We carefully followed the FSA ID verification process each time. We get the confirmation, then boom - days later we're back to square one with the same signature request. The StudentAid.gov dashboard keeps toggling between showing "completed" and "action needed" status. I've tried different browsers, cleared cache, everything. Has anyone dealt with this infinite signature loop? How did you break the cycle? I'm worried about missing priority deadlines at this point.
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UPDATE: I tried the Claimyr service someone mentioned above and IT WORKED!! Got connected to a FAFSA agent in about 15 minutes instead of endless hold time. They identified the problem right away - there was a mismatch between how my name was entered in the FSA ID system versus the FAFSA form (middle initial in one, full middle name in the other). The agent fixed it on their end AND flagged my application with a special note so it won't get caught in the signature loop again. They also sent an email to my daughter's schools explaining the delay was due to a system error, not our negligence. Never would have figured this out without getting a real person who could actually see both systems. Worth every penny to not waste another day on hold!
That's fantastic! Thank you for coming back to update us. I'm definitely going to try this approach. So tired of this whole process!
Thank you everyone for all the helpful suggestions! I'm going to try a combination approach: 1. First, I'll use Claimyr to speak with an actual FSA agent (since multiple people had success with this) 2. Request both electronic AND paper signature verification 3. Check for email/name mismatches between FSA ID and FAFSA form 4. Get my school's financial aid office involved as an advocate 5. Document everything with case numbers and confirmation screenshots I'll update this thread once I get it resolved in case anyone else runs into the same issue. This has been so stressful!
Great plan! Don't forget to have the FSA agent note specifically in your file that you've been experiencing the signature loop bug. That documentation is crucial if you need to appeal any missed deadlines with your schools.
FAFSA deadline today - husband needs account for corrections but we file taxes jointly
I'm freaking out! Just tried to make corrections to our FAFSA application and it's saying my husband needs to create his own FSA ID account even though we file taxes jointly. The deadline is TODAY and I can't get through to anyone on the phone. We already submitted the initial application, but financial aid office said we need to fix some discrepancies with our income info. Does my husband really need his own account just to make corrections? Has anyone dealt with this before? Can I just use my account to fix everything since we file jointly? I'm so stressed!
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Wait I thought FAFSA for 2025-2026 doesn't even open until december??? what deadline is today??
You're mixing up application cycles. The 2024-2025 FAFSA has been open since December 2023, and many schools have priority or final correction deadlines throughout the year. The 2025-2026 FAFSA will indeed open in December 2024, but that's not what the poster is referring to.
UPDATE: My husband finally got his FSA ID created and verified instantly! We were able to make all the corrections and submit them before the deadline. Just got the confirmation email that our corrected FAFSA was processed successfully. THANK YOU everyone for your help and quick responses! For anyone facing this issue in the future - yes, spouses need separate FSA IDs even with joint taxes, but the process can be completed quickly if all their personal information matches their records.
Great news! Glad to hear it worked out. Make sure to check your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) in a few days to see if the corrections changed your aid eligibility. If anything looks wrong, you still have options to appeal directly with your school's financial aid office.
Congrats! So relieved it worked out for you. The system is still ridiculous though!
FAFSA stuck in 'in review' status after adding school - can't make parent corrections!
I'm completely stressed out right now. I submitted my son's 2025-2026 FAFSA application last week, but realized I forgot to add one of his potential colleges. Yesterday I logged back in, added the missing school and clicked submit. Now when I try to go back in to fix some mistakes I noticed on the parent income section, the system says the application is 'in review again' and won't let me make ANY corrections! Has anyone dealt with this before? How long will it be stuck like this? His priority deadline for financial aid at his top choice is in 3 weeks and I'm worried we'll miss it if I can't fix these errors soon. The income info I entered is off by about $4,800 which could really impact his SAI calculation.
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btw be careful when u finally do get to make corrections! sometimes the system will randomly reset other sections when u update one part. happened to me and i didnt notice until after i resubmitted. make sure u review EVERYTHING again before final submit
Oh no, I hadn't even thought about that! Thanks for the warning - I'll definitely review the entire application before submitting corrections.
Update: I just checked the FSA website and they've posted about a known issue with the 2025-2026 FAFSA review cycles. They're currently experiencing longer than normal processing times when schools are added to existing applications. The good news is they're prioritizing applications with upcoming deadlines, so make sure to call and mention your son's priority deadline when you speak with them.
This is so helpful! Thank you for checking and letting me know. I'll definitely mention the deadline when I call them tomorrow.
Can I include my 2-year-old on FAFSA as a dependent even with low income?
I'm filling out my FAFSA as an independent student and I'm confused about household size. I have a 2-year-old daughter who lives with me 100% of the time (she sleeps at my place every night), and I claim her on my taxes. But here's where I'm stuck - I only made about $8,000 last year, so technically I don't provide more than half of her financial support (we receive WIC, SNAP, and some help from my parents). Her other parent doesn't contribute financially or have custody. Does she still count in my household size on the FAFSA? Will this help my aid eligibility or hurt it? The FAFSA instructions are so confusing on this point!
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To clarify some confusion in this thread: For 2025-2026 FAFSA purposes, your situation falls under the "special case" rules. Since you have 100% physical custody and claim your daughter on taxes, she is automatically considered your dependent for FAFSA purposes regardless of the financial support test. This is specifically addressed in the FSA Handbook section on household size for independent students. Government benefits received for the child (SNAP, WIC, etc.) actually count as support YOU provide. So you're absolutely correct to include her in your household size, and doing so will help your SAI calculation significantly.
Thank you for explaining it so clearly! That makes me feel much better. Do you know if I need to do anything special when entering her information, or just include her in the household size number?
You'll just include her in your household size number when asked. The new FAFSA form is actually clearer about this than previous versions. There's a specific question about 'dependents who receive more than half their support from you' - and for the reasons I explained, your daughter qualifies. If selected for verification later, you'd primarily need to show she lives with you (custody agreement, school/daycare records listing you as guardian, medical records, etc.) and your tax return showing you claimed her.
I was in this same situation!!! my daughter was 3 when i went back to school and i only made like $12k but she lived with me full time. I DID include her in my household size and i got way more financial aid bc of it (full pell grant + state grants). i think they look at household size vs income so having her counted helped me qualify for more. never got any questions about it either
Debra Bai
Since your son needs to make a decision soon, I'd recommend a multi-pronged approach: 1. Call the FSA Information Center as suggested (1-800-433-3243) 2. Contact the financial aid offices at each school where he's been accepted 3. Ask the schools about provisional aid estimates based on the information you provided on your application 4. Inquire about deadline extensions due to FAFSA processing delays Most schools are aware of the issues with the new FAFSA system and have contingency plans in place. Some are offering provisional aid packages or extending deposit deadlines to accommodate these delays.
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Santiago Diaz
AuthorThank you! I'll call his top 3 schools tomorrow as well to see if they can work with us. I appreciate everyone's help - I was starting to think we'd done something wrong with the application. Sounds like delays are just part of the process this year.
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Millie Long
my son had this same issue last month. turns out there was some verification thing but they never sent an email about it. definitely call them to check. don't just wait.
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