For the spouse info page glitch - I actually remembered one more thing that might help. When we had this issue, we also tried using the mobile app version instead of the website. For some reason the app worked when the website kept glitching. Worth a try if the browser switch doesn't help!

Regarding the FAFSA technical issue, if all the browser solutions and app attempts fail, I strongly recommend requesting what's called a "FAFSA Reset" when you finally reach someone at Federal Student Aid. This is where they administratively reset certain sections of your application without losing all your data. It's not widely advertised but can resolve persistent section glitches. Also, for documentation of the upcoming layoff for your Professional Judgment reviews, you'll typically need: 1. Official layoff notice on company letterhead 2. Last 2-3 pay stubs before notification 3. Statement of unemployment benefits eligibility 4. Brief narrative explaining your single-income household situation 5. Monthly budget projection as mentioned earlier Each school has their own form, but having these documents ready will speed up the process significantly.

Just to add some clarity about the timeline: The SAI is just the first step. After that appears in the student's account, the colleges still need to: 1. Download the FAFSA data 2. Verify the information (some students get selected for verification) 3. Calculate their specific aid package 4. Send out their offers Each college handles this differently. Some send emails to the student email only. Others use their admission portals. A few still send paper award letters. And they all operate on different timelines - some send aid packages with acceptance letters, others send them weeks or months later.

Update: We finally checked my daughter's studentaid.gov account and found the SAI was actually processed last week! No notification was sent. Now we're checking all her college portals to see if any award packages have been posted. Thanks everyone for the help!

This is a documented issue with the FAFSA system that happens when: 1. A parent previously created their own FSA ID for their education 2. A parent and student used the same email address at any point 3. There was a prior FAFSA correction that created database conflicts The most efficient solution is to perform a complete account reset: 1. Both parent and student should create brand new email addresses 2. Call the FSA ID helpline at 1-800-433-3243 3. Request an "SSN disassociation process" specifically 4. Mention "cross-reference code 156" which indicates an SSN linkage problem 5. After they process this (usually 24-72 hours), create new FSA IDs with your new emails 6. Do NOT attempt any logins during the waiting period This specific process has worked for many families I've advised through my college planning practice.

UPDATE: Success finally! Wanted to share what worked in case anyone else faces this nightmare. Used the advice from several people here: 1. Called early morning (8:30am) and specifically asked for someone who could handle an "SSN disassociation process" and mentioned "cross-reference code 156" 2. Created completely new email addresses for both of us 3. Used Claimyr to avoid the 2-hour hold times (definitely worth it after wasting so many hours previously) 4. Got transferred to a specialist who confirmed it was because I had my own FSA ID from when I took classes years ago 5. They did a complete reset on both accounts and we had to wait 48 hours 6. We created new FSA IDs with our new emails and everything works now! My daughter's FAFSA is finally submitted! Thank you to everyone who helped - this forum saved us!

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm curious if you tried Claimyr or found another way to get through to FSA?

happens to evry1 lol. fafsa is garbage. my brothers wife had same issue, they fixed it but took 3 weeks. just keep calling

I'm going through a similar thing rn and the financial aid office at my new school told me I have to file an *entirely new* FAFSA, not just update my existing one, because I'm switching to a graduate program. Is that right? Anyone know for sure? The whole system is so confusing 😩

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I just talked to my son and we're going to update his FAFSA this weekend. We'll make sure to update both his marital status AND his school information. I'll also have him take screenshots before making any changes - that's such a smart idea I wouldn't have thought of. It sounds like we need to remove all our parental information since he's now considered independent due to both marriage and graduate status. I'm feeling much more confident about navigating this transition now!