Can I delete and resubmit my FAFSA after finding errors? Worried about deadlines!
Hi everyone, I'm literally freaking out right now. I submitted my FAFSA three days ago and just realized I made some MAJOR errors on my parents' income information (I put their gross income instead of adjusted!!). I'm thinking about deleting my application and starting over, but I'm terrified that might mess up my priority deadlines for schools. Can I actually delete a submitted FAFSA and start fresh? Will colleges see both versions? Will this count against my application limits? My state priority deadline is in 2 weeks so I need to figure this out ASAP!
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Madison Tipne
You can't actually "delete" a submitted FAFSA. What you need to do is submit a correction through studentaid.gov. Log into your account, click on "Apply for Aid" and then select "Make FAFSA Corrections." You can fix the income information there without starting from scratch. Schools will only see the corrected version once you submit it.
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Finley Garrett
•Oh thank god. I was searching everywhere on the site and couldn't find a delete button. I thought I'd totally screwed up my chances. So the colleges won't see that I made a mistake?
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Holly Lascelles
i made the same mistake last year lol dont worry about it. just go in and fix it. colleges dont care they just want the final numbers
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Finley Garrett
•That's a relief! I was having nightmares about getting rejected because they thought I was trying to game the system or something. Thanks!
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Malia Ponder
When I filled out my FAFSA I think I messed up too, my parents are divorced and I put the wrong parent's info. Anyone know if I can just edit that or if I need to call someone?
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Madison Tipne
•For parent corrections, you use the same process - the "Make FAFSA Corrections" option. But if you're changing which parent you're reporting entirely (like switching from one divorced parent to another), you might want to call FSA directly to make sure you're doing it correctly. The parent whose information you report should be the one you lived with most during the past 12 months.
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Kyle Wallace
The whole system is DESIGNED to be confusing!! They WANT you to make mistakes so they can give you LESS MONEY! I've filled out 3 FAFSAs for my kids and EVERY TIME there's some "error" that magically reduces their aid. Don't believe for a second this is an accident. The schools are in on it too - they want you taking out those big PLUS loans instead of giving grants!!!
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Ryder Ross
•While the FAFSA can certainly be complicated, errors in reporting are typically just honest mistakes. The Department of Education actually encourages corrections because they want accurate information to determine your true financial need. Schools have no incentive to reduce your grant eligibility - they receive the same amount whether it's paid through federal grants or loans. I understand the frustration though!
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Gianni Serpent
I had this same panic attack last year! Made a correction to my FAFSA and everything worked out fine. One tip though - after you submit the correction, call each school's financial aid office to let them know you updated your FAFSA. Some schools don't automatically pull the new information and it can save you weeks of waiting. I spent 3 hours trying to get through to the Federal Student Aid helpline before finding Claimyr (claimyr.com). Their service got me connected to an actual FSA agent in under 5 minutes who confirmed my correction was processed. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ - totally worth it for the peace of mind!
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Finley Garrett
•I didn't even think about notifying the schools! That's super helpful. And I might check out that service because I've been trying to get through to someone at FSA and it's impossible. Thanks for the tip!
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Holly Lascelles
btw theres a deadline for corrections too so dont wait too long
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Finley Garrett
•Wait, seriously? When's the correction deadline? Now I'm stressed again ðŸ˜
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Madison Tipne
•The federal deadline for 2025-2026 FAFSA corrections is September 12, 2026. However, state and college deadlines are much earlier. You should make corrections as soon as possible, especially if your state has a priority deadline coming up in 2 weeks as you mentioned. Corrections typically process in 3-5 days.
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Henry Delgado
I'm in a similar boat but my mistake was with my SAI calculation - I included some retirement accounts I shouldn't have. Made the correction yesterday and I'm hoping it updates my SAI number soon. Trying not to stress too much about it since my college's priority deadline isn't until March 1.
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Ryder Ross
•Including retirement accounts in your assets is a common mistake! For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, retirement accounts (401k, IRA, etc.) are NOT counted in the SAI formula. Your corrected SAI should be lower, which is good news for your aid eligibility. The correction should be processed within 3-5 business days, plenty of time before your March 1 deadline.
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Finley Garrett
Thanks everyone for the help! I just submitted my correction and I'm feeling much better. I changed my parents' income information and double-checked everything else too. Fingers crossed this doesn't affect my aid package too much - we're really counting on getting enough financial aid for me to attend my top choice school.
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Madison Tipne
•You've done everything right! Remember that if your corrected information significantly changes your financial situation, you can always contact your school's financial aid office directly to explain your circumstances. They often have discretionary funds or additional campus-based aid they can award in special cases.
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Avery Saint
I'm going through something similar right now! I submitted my FAFSA last week and then realized I forgot to include some of my mom's 1099 income. Reading through all these responses is so reassuring - I had no idea you could make corrections instead of starting over. Going to log in and fix mine today. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it really helps to know we're not alone in making these mistakes!
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Mateo Rodriguez
•You're definitely not alone! I was panicking so hard when I first realized my mistake, but everyone here has been so helpful. The correction process is actually pretty straightforward once you find the right button on studentaid.gov. Just make sure to double-check everything before submitting the correction - I went through each section twice to make sure I didn't miss anything else. Good luck with yours!
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Eloise Kendrick
Just wanted to add that I went through this exact same situation two years ago! Made corrections to my FAFSA after realizing I reported my work-study earnings incorrectly, and it actually ended up INCREASING my aid eligibility. The schools I applied to were totally understanding when I called to let them know about the correction - most of them said it happens all the time. One financial aid counselor even told me that catching and correcting errors early shows you're being responsible about the process. Don't beat yourself up about it - you caught the mistake and you're fixing it, which is exactly what you should do!
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Ryder Greene
•That's such a relief to hear! I've been so worried that making a mistake would somehow hurt my chances, but it sounds like financial aid offices are used to this kind of thing. It's actually encouraging to know that your correction ended up helping your aid eligibility - I'm hoping mine might work out the same way since I accidentally reported gross instead of adjusted income. Thanks for sharing your experience, it really helps ease the anxiety about this whole process!
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