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i just remembered that my kids account last year got verified faster after we called and mentioned the deadline. might be worth trying that?
UPDATE: Just wanted to update everyone who helped. My daughter called the Federal Student Aid Info Center this morning (had to try several times to get through) and explained the situation. They verified her identity and were able to add the schools directly! No need to wait for the account verification. The representative said the schools should receive her FAFSA information within 3-5 business days. Such a relief! Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
Great news! I'm glad they were able to help. This is definitely the fastest solution when you're facing deadlines. For future reference, it's always good to have all potential schools added early if possible, but it's nice to know there are workarounds when plans change.
I had a similar issue and realized my student had to specifically select "Add a Parent/Contributor" in her FAFSA. Check if your student properly generated the invitation link for you - they expire after 14 days. Have them log in and check the "Action Required" section on their dashboard.
One important thing to remember for everyone dealing with verification delays: document everything. Take screenshots of your account showing the verification pending status, and any error messages you encounter. If you end up missing scholarship deadlines because of the FAFSA verification delays, many institutions will accept these screenshots as proof that you were attempting to complete the application in a timely manner. Also, once your verification is complete and you can access the application, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) should work seamlessly to import your 2023 tax information. Just make sure the name, SSN, and filing status on your FAFSA exactly match what's on your tax return.
To directly answer your question - yes, SSN verification MUST be completed before tax data can be imported. This is a security measure to ensure that only authorized individuals can access tax information. The Federal Student Aid system has to confirm with the Social Security Administration that the information you provided matches their records before allowing access to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. If you're worried about scholarship deadlines, contact the financial aid offices at the schools your daughter is applying to. Many institutions have adjusted their internal deadlines to accommodate for the delays in the new FAFSA system. They may allow you to submit proof that you've initiated the FAFSA process even if you haven't been able to complete it yet.
This is just making excuses for a broken system. They've had YEARS to prepare for these changes and they still messed it up. Security measure?? More like incompetence measure!!
The security processes are necessary to protect sensitive financial data. The verification process is specifically designed to prevent identity theft and fraud. While the delays are frustrating, having your tax information stolen would be far worse. If you're experiencing excessive delays (more than 2 weeks), there are escalation paths available.
This is a common issue with the new FAFSA system. Here's what I recommend: 1. First, confirm the email is correct in the system 2. Have your ex create an FSA ID if he doesn't already have one 3. Have your daughter go to her FAFSA dashboard and check if there are any alerts about parent information being incomplete 4. Try the manual connection method someone mentioned above If all else fails, your ex can call Federal Student Aid directly at 1-800-433-3243. They can manually link him to your daughter's application. Just be prepared for a potentially long wait time. The good news is that this won't necessarily delay her financial aid package as long as everything gets completed before the school's priority deadline.
Thank you! This is super helpful. I'm going to try all these steps in order. Good to know it won't necessarily delay her aid package - that was my biggest worry. The priority deadline for her top choice school is March 1st, so we still have a little time.
Any update? Were you able to get this resolved?
Yes! Turns out it was two issues combined. First, my daughter had entered his email with a typo (.con instead of .com). But even after fixing that, we still had problems. We finally had him create his FSA ID and manually link to her application. Worked immediately! Thanks everyone for your help!
Amelia Martinez
THIS IS WHY THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! Why should parents have to jump through all these hoops and strategize about loans just to send their kids to college? The whole FAFSA parent contribution expectation is ridiculous. I make decent money but have 3 kids and the "expected family contribution" they calculate is LAUGHABLE. No normal family has that kind of extra cash sitting around!
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Ava Hernandez
•i know right?? and now with the new FAFSA and SAI formula my expected contribution went up even though our finances are exactly the same as last year 🙄
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Jacob Lewis
•The new SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation is definitely affecting many families differently than the old EFC. For families with multiple children in college, the impact can be especially significant, as the 'sibling discount' is calculated differently now.
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Isabella Martin
To summarize the key points everyone has made: 1. Parent PLUS interest rates are fixed for the academic year regardless of credit score (pass/fail only) 2. You WILL save interest by borrowing only what you need for fall now 3. You'll pay the origination fee on each loan amount 4. If your credit improves significantly, you might qualify for better private loan rates for spring 5. Check with your school's financial aid office about their procedures for splitting the loan between semesters Given all this, your strategy does have merit, even if not for the exact reasons you initially thought.
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Noah Lee
•Thank you so much for this clear summary! Despite not getting a better federal rate with improved credit, it seems like there are still some advantages to splitting the loans. I'll talk to the financial aid office and weigh all these factors before deciding.
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