Update on my situation - got the SSN fixed! Called back this morning, asked for Tier 2 support like someone suggested, and they fixed it immediately. The agent said it should update in 3-5 days in the system. FYI they said this is happening because the system isn't correctly transferring contributor information from the IRS data retrieval tool.

UPDATE: I called this morning, asked specifically for Tier 2 support, and got someone who knew exactly what I was talking about! She said they've had tons of these cases and submitted a correction request for my spouse's SSN. She gave me a confirmation number and said it should be fixed in the system within 3-5 business days. She also mentioned they're working on a system update to fix this glitch for everyone affected. Thank you all for your help!!

Just to clarify something important: The new Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation will likely change after you correct the dependency status. Independent students generally qualify for more aid than dependent students (unless the parents have very low income). So be prepared that your daughter's aid eligibility might decrease after correction. It's still important to submit accurate information though - incorrect FAFSA data can lead to verification headaches later.

That's a good point - thank you. We have relatively low income so hopefully the change won't be too dramatic. I just want to make sure we do everything correctly.

One thing no one mentioned yet - your son should create his own email account BUT make sure you have access to it or that he adds you as a recovery option. My son never checks his email and almost missed the verification deadline because important notices went to his inbox. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, both student and parent will get separate notifications, so having access to both accounts is really helpful.

I work in a college financial aid office. Here's what your son needs for his part of the FAFSA: - Social Security Number - Alien Registration Number (if not a U.S. citizen) - Federal income tax returns - W-2s and other records of money earned - Bank statements and records of investments (if any) - Records of untaxed income (if any) And absolutely get separate email addresses. This isn't just a preference - it's required by the system. Gmail and Outlook both offer free accounts that he can keep permanently. Also, start the process early! The new system has had issues, and priority deadlines for many schools are in early February 2025.

am i the only one who got an sai score but my schools still dont have my fafsa info? my status says processed on studentaid.gov since april 9 but none of my 3 schools show any fafsa data. so confused!!

One more thing to try: log out of studentaid.gov completely, clear your browser cache/cookies, and log back in. Sometimes the status updates aren't showing correctly due to cached data. I've seen several cases where this resolved display issues and showed the current status.

Btw did anyone else notice the FAFSA website is super glitchy on mobile? Can't even see half the fields when filling it out on my phone had to switch to laptop.

UPDATE: I called my daughter's college financial aid office this morning and they were super helpful! They said this happens all the time with siblings and multiple parent accounts. They noted in our file that we might have a processing delay because of the account issue. Also checked both applications and made sure the household size and financial info matched exactly. Feeling much better now! Thanks everyone for your help!