Confused about FAFSA accounts - do I need one for myself AND my child?

Yes, you both need separate FSA IDs. Your daughter creates her own account with her own email and phone number, and you create a separate parent FSA ID with your information. Each person who contributes information to the FAFSA needs their own FSA ID to sign the form electronically. Make sure you don't use the same email or phone number for both accounts - that's a common mistake that causes problems later.

When I did this last yr with my son we BOTH needed FSA IDs. It was super confusing!!! The student makes their account and fills stuff out then the parent has to make a completely diffrent account with your email. You'll use yours to provide your tax info and sign the FAFSA. My advice? Start early cuz it takes FOREVER!!!!

As others mentioned, you both need separate FSA IDs. Your daughter (the student) is considered the owner of the FAFSA application, and you're a contributor. After she creates her FSA ID and starts the application, she'll add you as a contributor, and you'll get an email notification to complete your portion. This is part of the new FAFSA process for 2025-2026 where students control who can access their application. Just make sure you're using the updated Better FAFSA system.

just went thru this nightmare lol. you both need accounts. my daughter made hers then i made mine. the stupid system kept glitching when we tried to link them tho and we couldnt get anyone on the phone for help. ended up having to start over twice!

If you're struggling to reach someone at Federal Student Aid, I discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me get through when I had issues with the parent portion of my son's FAFSA. Instead of waiting on hold for hours, they hold your place in line and call you back when an agent is available. Saved me so much frustration! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked great when I needed to get verification questions answered.

To answer your follow-up question - after your daughter creates her FSA ID and starts the FAFSA application, she'll reach a section where she needs to add parent/contributor information. She'll enter your email address, and you'll receive an invitation to contribute to her FAFSA. You'll use your FSA ID to log in and complete the parent sections (mainly your tax/income information). Then you'll both electronically sign the application with your respective FSA IDs before submission. The system guides you through it step by step.

One more thing to be aware of - with the new FAFSA system, parent contributors need to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to automatically transfer tax information. Make sure you have your tax returns easily accessible when you're completing your portion. Also, if you're divorced/separated, only the parent who provides the most financial support needs to complete the parent portion.

I just went through this process with my twins last year, and yes, you definitely need separate FSA IDs! Here's what worked for us: First, have your daughter create her FSA ID using her own email and phone number. Then you create yours with completely different contact info. The key thing I learned is to do this early - like at least 2-3 weeks before you actually want to submit the FAFSA. Sometimes the verification process takes a few days, and you don't want to be scrambling at the last minute. Also, write down both login credentials somewhere safe because you'll need them again next year and every year after that. The process is much smoother once you get past the initial setup confusion!

I'm a new parent going through this process too and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just to add one more tip - when you create your FSA IDs, make sure to use strong, unique passwords that you won't forget. I learned the hard way that if you get locked out of your FSA ID during the FAFSA process, it can delay everything significantly. Also, double-check that your Social Security number and other personal info are entered exactly as they appear on official documents. Even small typos can cause verification delays. The learning curve is steep but once you get through it the first time, it becomes much more manageable!

I'm also navigating this maze for the first time with my daughter! Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring - I was definitely overthinking the whole FSA ID situation. One thing I wanted to add based on my research is that if you run into any issues with the FSA ID verification process, make sure both you and your daughter have your Social Security cards handy. Sometimes they ask for additional verification documents. Also, I discovered that the Federal Student Aid website has a really helpful step-by-step walkthrough specifically for parents that breaks down the entire process. It's under their "Complete the FAFSA" section. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is amazing for first-time FAFSA parents like us!

I'm a college senior who just went through this whole process with my younger brother this year, and I wanted to share something that might save you some headaches! When creating the FSA IDs, make sure you're both using the OFFICIAL studentaid.gov website - there are some sketchy copycat sites that look almost identical but will steal your information. Also, a pro tip I wish someone had told us: after you both create your FSA IDs, test logging in and out a few times before starting the actual FAFSA. We discovered my mom's account had issues during the middle of filling out the form, and it was super stressful trying to troubleshoot while the application was half-completed. One last thing - keep screenshots of confirmation pages and save any reference numbers you get during the process. You never know when you might need them later!

As someone who just completed this process with my oldest child last month, I can confirm everything everyone has said about needing separate FSA IDs! One thing I want to emphasize is timing - don't wait until the last minute. We created our FSA IDs in early February thinking we were being proactive, but then didn't actually start the FAFSA until late March. When we logged back in, my FSA ID had some verification issue that took 4 days to resolve, which stressed us out with approaching deadlines. My recommendation is to create the FSA IDs AND do a test run of the actual FAFSA process at least a month before your priority deadline. Also, make sure you have all your tax documents completely finalized before starting - we made the mistake of using estimated numbers and then had to go back and correct everything when our actual tax return was different. The whole process is definitely manageable once you understand the steps, but give yourself plenty of buffer time!

I'm also a newcomer to the FAFSA world and this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! My son is a junior in high school, so I'm trying to get ahead of the game for next year. Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Both parent and student need separate FSA IDs with different email addresses, 2) Start the FSA ID creation process at least 2-3 weeks before you plan to submit the FAFSA, 3) Have all tax documents finalized before beginning, 4) Only use the official studentaid.gov website, and 5) Test your login credentials before starting the actual application. I'm bookmarking this thread as my unofficial FAFSA preparation guide! It's so helpful to hear real experiences from parents who have actually been through this process rather than just reading the official government explanations that can be confusing. Thank you all for sharing your wisdom!

I'm jumping in as another parent navigating this for the first time! My daughter is also heading to college next fall and I was equally confused about the FSA ID situation. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - thank you all for sharing your experiences! I especially appreciate the warnings about scam websites and the advice about testing login credentials before starting the actual application. One quick question: should we create both FSA IDs at the same time, or is there a recommended order? I'm thinking we should have my daughter create hers first since she'll be the one initiating the FAFSA application, but I wanted to confirm that makes sense. Also, has anyone had success reaching Federal Student Aid by phone early in the morning or late in the day to avoid those long hold times?

I'm in exactly the same boat as you, Charlotte! My daughter is also college-bound this fall and I was completely overwhelmed trying to figure out the FSA ID situation. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - it's clear that yes, you both need separate FSA IDs with different email addresses. What I found most helpful from everyone's advice is to start early (at least 2-3 weeks before you want to submit), have your daughter create her FSA ID first, then create your own, and make sure to test both login credentials before starting the actual FAFSA. I'm also going to follow the suggestion about having all tax documents completely finalized before beginning. It's so reassuring to know there are other parents going through this exact same confusion! We're definitely not alone in finding this process intimidating at first.

I'm another first-time FAFSA parent and this thread has been absolutely incredible! My son is a high school senior and I've been putting off dealing with the FAFSA because it seemed so overwhelming. Reading everyone's experiences has made it feel so much more manageable. I love how this community breaks down the confusing official language into real, practical steps. Based on everything shared here, I'm going to start by having my son create his FSA ID this weekend, then I'll create mine a few days later. The advice about starting 2-3 weeks early and having all tax documents finalized first is golden. It's amazing how much clearer this process becomes when you hear from actual parents who've been through it rather than trying to navigate the government websites alone. Thank you all for making this feel less scary!

I'm also a first-time FAFSA parent and wanted to jump in to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences! My daughter is a senior this year and I've been dreading the FAFSA process because it seemed so complicated. This thread has been incredibly helpful in clearing up the FSA ID confusion. Just to confirm what I'm understanding: my daughter needs to create her FSA ID first using her own email and phone number, then I create a separate one with my information, and we both use these to sign the completed FAFSA at the end. The timing advice about starting 2-3 weeks early is really valuable too - I was planning to wait until closer to our school's priority deadline but now I see why that could be risky. One follow-up question: when my daughter adds me as a contributor, will I get the invitation email right away or could there be a delay? I want to make sure I'm watching for it and don't miss it. Thanks again for making this process feel so much more manageable!

I'm another parent just starting this journey and this entire discussion has been a lifesaver! My daughter is also a senior and I was completely lost about the FSA ID requirements. Reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize I'm not the only one who found the official government explanations confusing. The consensus seems clear - we both need separate FSA IDs, start the process 2-3 weeks early, have daughter create hers first, then I create mine with different contact info, and make sure all tax documents are finalized before starting. I particularly appreciate the warnings about scam websites and the tip about testing login credentials beforehand. It's so reassuring to have this roadmap from parents who've actually been through it! Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and making this feel much less intimidating.