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this happens EVERY SINGLE YEAR with fafsa...they never learn. tried calling the help line? lol good luck with that waste of time
UPDATE: The Federal Student Aid office just posted on Twitter/X that they're aware of the issue and working on a fix. They estimate systems will be fully operational within 24 hours. If you're concerned about deadlines, they recommend documenting your attempts (screenshots of errors) and contacting your school's financial aid office to explain the situation. Most schools will accommodate if the delays are due to documented FAFSA system issues.
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what worked for us. Mom's FSA ID verification actually went through within a few hours (not days), and she was able to sign my FAFSA. The key things were: 1. She had to use a completely different email than mine 2. She had to enter her SSN and birth date EXACTLY as they appear on her Social Security card 3. She had to click the email verification link immediately 4. She had to log in with her OWN credentials at studentaid.gov 5. Under "Apply for Aid" she found my FAFSA that was waiting for her signature The application was submitted successfully and we got the confirmation email. Thanks everyone for your help!!!
quick question thats sorta related - does the student have to be there when the parent signs their part? or can my mom do her signature part whenever, even if im not around?
Parents can complete their portion and sign at any time separately from the student. Since each person has their own FSA ID and logs in independently, you don't need to be in the same place or signing at the same time. This is actually helpful for divorced parents or when students are away at college and parents are at home.
When I filled out my son's FAFSA last week, I got confused about the tax questions too. I DO file taxes, but it still skipped a bunch of questions I remember from previous years. I think they just simplified the whole system for everyone, not just people on disability. My son's SAI calculation came through fine though, so I guess they got what they needed?
You're exactly right. The 2025-2026 FAFSA was completely redesigned to be simpler for everyone. They're pulling more information directly from the IRS for tax filers and other federal agencies for benefit recipients, which means fewer questions overall. They also eliminated questions about some assets that used to be counted in the old formula.
Thanks everyone for the reassurance! I submitted the application as is, and it went through without any errors. The confirmation page showed my daughter's SAI score, which actually looks better than I expected. I guess the new system is working in our favor for once!
wait tho can't u just call each school directly and give them ur fafsa confirmation number? i thought that works too
Unfortunately, that's not how the FAFSA system works. Schools can only access your FAFSA information if you specifically list them on your FAFSA application. The confirmation number is just for your records - it doesn't grant schools access to your data. The only way to share your FAFSA with additional schools is to add them to your FAFSA through the studentaid.gov website as others have described.
Thank you everyone for the amazing advice! I've started rotating schools in batches of 10 after removing the original set (except for his top choices). I'm keeping a detailed spreadsheet with dates of when each school was added and plan to follow up with financial aid offices to confirm receipt. I've also discovered that 4 of the schools actually don't require the FAFSA at all (they use CSS Profile exclusively), so that reduced my list a bit. For the remaining schools, I'll probably try that Claimyr service mentioned earlier if I run into any issues confirming everything went through properly. This process is so much more complicated than I expected, but I feel much better equipped now. Thank you all again!
Miguel Ortiz
I've been having the same issue with verification and bank statements for my daughter's FAFSA. My husband and I have SEVEN different accounts between us (joint checking, individual accounts, savings accounts, etc.) and they wanted statements for ALL OF THEM!!! It took me hours to download everything and then their upload system kept crashing. The whole FAFSA process is a NIGHTMARE this year!!!!
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Giovanni Gallo
•Oh wow, that sounds even worse than my situation. Did you eventually get everything uploaded successfully?
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Miguel Ortiz
•Yes, finally! But it took THREE ATTEMPTS because their system kept timing out. And then after all that, they came back asking for MORE documentation about a deposit that was just us moving money between our own accounts! I had to write a whole explanation letter with account numbers proving it was just a transfer. So ridiculous.
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Giovanni Gallo
Update: I tried that Claimyr service that @profile6 recommended and IT WORKED! I got a call back in about an hour when a rep was available. The agent explained that I was selected for random verification (just my luck) and they need 3 months of statements (Oct-Dec 2023) from all accounts. Apparently they're checking for any deposits over $1000 that don't match my reported income. She also said they're extremely backed up with verification reviews right now, so even after I submit everything it could take 3-4 weeks to process. At least I know what I need to submit now instead of just guessing. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Fatima Al-Mazrouei
•thx for updating us! gonna try that service 2day
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Ava Rodriguez
•Great to hear you got the information you needed. One tip: When you upload the statements, include a cover letter that lists any large deposits and explains their sources. This can help prevent further delays if they have questions about specific transactions.
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