Can I use my existing FAFSA parent account for second child starting college?

You definitely use the same FSA ID (your parent account) for all your children! No need to create multiple parent accounts. Your daughter will need to create her own FSA ID, and then when she starts her FAFSA application, there will be a section where she can add you as a contributor. You'll get an email notification when she does this, and then you can log in with your existing FSA ID to complete the parent portion of her FAFSA. The system will recognize you're the same parent, which actually makes things easier since your tax info will already be somewhat familiar to you in the system.

use same acount!! but ur daughter needs her own fsa id. dont forget 2 keep track of all the passwords lol my kid lost hers twice and it was a NIGHTMARE

I went thru this last yr!! Yes same acct for you but each kid needs their own FSA ID. My tip is have both kids list the same schools when possible even if the younger one isn't applying yet - makes comparing aid packages easier later on!!

To add some clarification: You'll use your same FSA ID (username and password) for all your children's FAFSAs. Each FAFSA application year is separate, so for the 2025-2026 academic year, both your daughters will submit their own applications with their own FSA IDs. When your younger daughter creates her FAFSA, she'll invite you as a contributor using your email address, and you'll complete the parent portion using your existing FSA ID. One important note: The system doesn't automatically transfer your information from one child's application to another. You'll need to re-enter your tax information for each child's application, even in the same year. However, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool makes this fairly straightforward by pulling information directly from your tax return.

FAFSA IS THE WORST!!! I had 3 kids in college at once and the website kept crashing when I tried to add my 3rd kid. Ended up having to create a whole new parent account which royally messed up everything. Then they flagged us for "inconsistent information" and we had to go through verification which took MONTHS. Good luck!!!

As someone who works in a financial aid office, I can confirm you use ONE parent FSA ID for all your children. Each student needs their own FSA ID. A common mistake parents make is creating new FSA IDs each year or for each child - this causes verification issues and processing delays. When your daughter starts her 2025-2026 FAFSA, she'll send you a contributor invitation. You'll use your existing FSA ID to log in and complete your portion. The system will recognize your FSA ID as being tied to your specific identifiers (SSN, DOB, etc.). Pro tip: If you've updated your email since setting up your FSA ID for your first daughter, make sure to update your email in your FSA ID profile before application season begins.

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - make sure both you and your daughter have your FSA ID usernames and passwords accessible before starting. The number one cause of delays is password reset issues. Also, verify that your personal information (name, DOB, SSN) exactly matches what's on your tax returns and Social Security card to avoid verification flags.

You should reset your password now before the FAFSA rush begins. The 2025-2026 FAFSA typically opens December 1st, and the system gets very congested in that first month. Reset now, then test your login once more about a week before you plan to complete the FAFSA with your daughter. This prevents last-minute panic if there are account access issues. Also, both you and your daughter should save screenshots of all confirmation pages during the process as proof of submission. The SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation may take 3-5 days to process after submission.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you have both kids in college at the same time, make sure you coordinate their FAFSA submissions! The system will consider your total household size and number of students in college when calculating aid eligibility. Having two in college simultaneously can actually increase your aid eligibility since your Expected Family Contribution gets split between them. Just make sure both applications accurately reflect that there are 2 students in the household attending college during the same academic year.

As someone who just went through this process with my second child, I can confirm everything others have said - you definitely use the same FSA ID! One additional tip: when your daughter creates her FSA ID, make sure she does it from a computer rather than her phone if possible. The mobile interface can be glitchy during the setup process. Also, I'd recommend having her create the FSA ID at least 2-3 weeks before you plan to complete the FAFSA together, as sometimes there are verification delays with new student accounts. The whole process is much smoother the second time around once you know what to expect!

Just wanted to chime in as another parent who's been through this! You absolutely use the same FSA ID for all your kids - no need to create multiple parent accounts. The system is actually designed to recognize you across all your children's applications. One thing I'd add that I don't think was mentioned - when your second daughter creates her FSA ID, make sure she uses a different email address than your older daughter. I made the mistake of having both my kids use the same family email initially and it caused some confusion with notifications. Each student needs their own unique email for their FSA ID. Also, keep in mind that even though you're using the same parent account, you'll still need to complete the parent portion separately for each child's FAFSA, even if they're both applying in the same year. The information doesn't automatically carry over between applications, but at least you'll be familiar with the process by now! Good luck - you've got this!

I went through this exact situation two years ago! You definitely use the same FSA ID - don't create a new parent account. Your second daughter will create her own FSA ID and invite you as a contributor. One thing I wish someone had told me: even though you're using the same parent account, you'll need to re-enter your tax information for each child's application (no copy/paste between kids unfortunately). The IRS Data Retrieval Tool helps, but it's still a bit tedious. Also make sure your second daughter uses a different email than your first daughter for her FSA ID - learned that the hard way! The good news is you'll fly through it much faster this time since you already know the process. Pro tip: have both girls submit their applications within a few days of each other if possible, so your tax info is fresh in your mind for the second one.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who literally just went through this process last month! You absolutely use the same FSA ID for all your children - creating multiple parent accounts will only cause headaches down the road. One thing I wish I had known: make sure to verify all your personal information in your existing FSA ID account BEFORE your daughter starts her application. I discovered my address was outdated from when we moved two years ago, and it caused a delay in processing. Also, if you've changed banks since your first daughter's FAFSA, update your banking information in your profile too. The process is definitely smoother the second time around, but don't get overconfident - I still managed to make a silly mistake with one of the tax questions because I was rushing through it! Take your time even though it feels familiar. Good luck with your second daughter's college journey!

As a parent who just completed this process for my third child last fall, I can absolutely confirm - you use the SAME FSA ID for all your children! Don't create multiple parent accounts as this will cause major headaches with verification and processing. Here's what worked smoothly for me: Have your daughter create her own FSA ID first (using her own unique email address), then she'll invite you as a contributor when she starts her FAFSA. You'll get an email notification and can log in with your existing FSA ID to complete the parent portion. A few practical tips from my experience: 1) Test your FSA ID login NOW before FAFSA season gets crazy busy, 2) Update any outdated personal info (address, phone, email) in your account, and 3) Have your tax documents ready since you'll need to re-enter that information fresh for each child - it doesn't transfer automatically between applications. The second time really is much easier since you know what to expect! The system is designed to handle multiple children per parent account, so don't worry about "messing anything up" - you've got this!