Confused about parent login for FAFSA contributor section - do I use my own FSA ID?

Yes, you absolutely need your OWN FSA ID as a parent contributor. Your child logs in with their FSA ID to start the application, then invites you as a contributor. You then use YOUR personal FSA ID (not your child's) to log in and complete the parent section. Each person needs their own unique FSA ID tied to their own Social Security Number. For the account recovery issue, you'll need to update your contact information. Unfortunately, if you can't access the email address associated with your FSA ID, you'll need to contact Federal Student Aid directly to verify your identity and update your contact information.

I went through the same nightmare last month! YES, you need your own separate FSA ID that's tied to YOUR social security number, not your daughter's. Don't make the mistake of trying to use her login! The account recovery is TERRIBLE. I spent 3 hours on hold trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid before giving up. Then I tried again at 8am the next morning and still waited 45 minutes. The whole system is ridiculous.

yep you def need ur own FSA ID. my kid sent me the link last week and i just clicked "forgot password" and eventually got back in. make sure ur using the exact same email u used last year tho

I had a similar issue when helping my son with his FAFSA last month. If you can't access your old email for account recovery, you need to call FSA directly to verify your identity and update your contact information. I tried calling for two days and kept getting disconnected after waiting 1+ hour each time. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to an actual person at FSA without the ridiculous wait. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FSA agent was able to verify my identity using my SSN and some personal questions, then update my contact information so I could reset my password. Saved me so much frustration!

Just want to add some important clarification: Yes, each parent contributor needs their own FSA ID, completely separate from the student's FSA ID. This is a common point of confusion. The reason is that your FSA ID serves as your legal electronic signature, so it must be linked to YOUR Social Security Number, not your child's. Using someone else's FSA ID is considered identity fraud and could cause major problems with your child's application. If you've lost access to your FSA ID and the email associated with it, you have two options: 1. Call Federal Student Aid directly at 1-800-433-3243 (be prepared for long wait times) 2. Create a new FSA ID if you never completed the Social Security verification step on your old account Keep in mind that creating a new FSA ID when you already have one can cause application delays if the system detects duplicate information.

The FAFSA system is SUCH A MESS this year!!! I've been trying to help my twins with their applications and everything is different from last year. They completely redesigned the system and apparently didn't test it AT ALL. My daughter's application has been stuck in "processing" for 3 weeks, and my son's application shows completed but we never received his SAI calculation. And yes, YOU NEED YOUR OWN FSA ID as the parent. Do NOT use your child's login - it will mess up everything because the system needs separate electronic signatures from each person.

Just to follow up on your specific account recovery issue - if you've tried the online account recovery and it's still sending codes to an inaccessible email, calling FSA directly is really your only option. When you call, have these items ready: 1. Your Social Security Number 2. Your date of birth 3. Your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card 4. Your current contact information 5. A new email address you want to use The agent will ask security questions to verify your identity before updating your contact information. Once updated, you can go through the password reset process again. One final note: don't create a new FSA ID if you already have one verified with your SSN - the system will detect the duplicate information and potentially flag your daughter's application for verification, which would delay her financial aid.

I went through this exact same situation last month! Just to confirm what others have said - yes, you absolutely need YOUR own FSA ID as the parent contributor. Each person involved in the FAFSA (student, parents) needs their own unique FSA ID linked to their own Social Security Number. Since you can't access your old email for account recovery, calling FSA directly is unfortunately your best bet. I know the wait times are brutal, but they can verify your identity over the phone and update your contact information. When I called, it took about 90 minutes to get through, but the agent was very helpful once I reached them. One tip: try calling right when they open (8am EST) - I found the wait times were slightly shorter first thing in the morning. Good luck with getting this sorted out before your daughter's deadline!