Can I create my own FAFSA account when my divorced dad is the contributing parent?
My parents are divorced and my dad is going to be the one completing the FAFSA for me this year. I'm wondering if I can have my own separate studentaid.gov account too? I'd like to be able to check the status myself without having to constantly ask him. Do students get their own login info or does only the parent who fills it out get access? I'm starting college next fall and trying to figure out how all this works. My mom said I should have my own account but my dad thinks it's just one account per application.
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Drew Hathaway
Yes, you absolutely should create your own FSA ID! In fact, both you AND your dad need separate FSA IDs. The student (you) is the primary applicant for FAFSA, and your dad will be linked as the contributing parent. You'll use your FSA ID to sign your application, and he'll use his to provide his financial information and signature. With your own account, you can check status, make corrections, and view your SAI calculation once it's processed.
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Sadie Benitez
•Oh that's a relief! So I create my account first and then somehow connect my dad's account to mine? Or does he create his account first? I'm confused about the process.
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Laila Prince
Just went through this with my daughter last month. Definitely get ur own FSA ID! My ex-husband is also the contributing parent and we each have our own logins. It's actually required.
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Sadie Benitez
•Thanks! Did your daughter start the application first or did your ex-husband?
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Laila Prince
•She created her FSA ID and started the application, then there's a part where she entered her dad's email. He got a notification to create his FSA ID and complete his section.
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Isabel Vega
I think evry1 gets their own login but idk for sure. My mom did mine so i never even saw the application lol.
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Dominique Adams
Financial aid advisor here. To clarify how this works: 1. Both you and your dad need separate FSA IDs (basically your login credentials for studentaid.gov) 2. YOU (the student) must start the FAFSA application using your FSA ID 3. During the application, you'll indicate which parent is contributing (your dad) 4. You'll enter his email, and he'll get a notification to log in with his FSA ID to complete the parent portion 5. Both of you will need to sign the FAFSA electronically using your respective FSA IDs This design ensures you have full access to your own financial aid information, which is important as you'll be the one receiving aid notifications, verification requests if selected, and ultimately, your SAI calculation that determines your aid package.
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Sadie Benitez
•This is super helpful, thank you! One more question - once everything is submitted, will both of us be able to see the status and results on our separate accounts?
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Dominique Adams
•Yes, you'll both have access to view the submitted FAFSA, but there are some differences. You (the student) will have more complete access to all notifications, your SAI calculation when processed, and any verification requests. Your father will primarily see the parent portion and submission status. I recommend you take the lead on monitoring everything once submitted.
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Marilyn Dixon
FAFSA is SO confusing when parents are divorced! I spent WEEKS trying to figure out which parent should fill it out (it's whoever you lived with more during the past 12 months, or the one who provided more financial support if equal time). And don't even get me started on the issues with the parent portal access! My dad kept getting error messages when trying to link to my application.
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Louisa Ramirez
•OMG this happened to me too! My dad couldn't link to my application for like two weeks because the system kept timing out. Had to call FSA support like 5 times but could never get through. So frustrating!
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Drew Hathaway
One more important thing to remember: The 2025-2026 FAFSA asks for 2023 tax information. Since your dad is the contributing parent, he'll need to have his 2023 tax return information ready when completing his portion. Also, if your dad has remarried, his current spouse's information will need to be included too, even if they won't be helping pay for your education.
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Sadie Benitez
•He hasn't remarried, so that's one less complication! I'll make sure he has his 2023 tax info ready. Thanks!
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Isabel Vega
tbh i think its weird that they make kids reveal all this financial stuff about their parents. like what if ur parents dont want to share their tax info with u? my friend's dad refused to give his info and she nearly couldn't get financial aid at all.
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Dominique Adams
•That's actually a common concern. In cases where parents refuse to provide information, students can potentially file a Dependency Override Appeal with their college's financial aid office. It doesn't automatically grant independent status, but it allows financial aid administrators to evaluate the situation. Documentation of the parent's refusal is important in these cases.
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