Dad won't accept FAFSA parent contribution invitation - deadline approaching!

omg same thing happened with my mom last year. parents just dont get how important the timing is!! keep bugging him, maybe sit down with him and MAKE him do it while you watch

Unfortunately there's no way around having your dad complete his portion if your parents file jointly. The FAFSA system requires both contributors to confirm their information when they file taxes together. Here are a few strategies that have worked for others: 1. Schedule a specific time - literally put it on his calendar for 15 minutes 2. Explain exactly what he needs to do (it's usually just reviewing info and e-signing) 3. Tell him precisely what could happen if you miss the priority deadline (reduced aid packages, missed institutional grants) 4. Offer to sit with him through the process Don't send another invitation yet - that could potentially reset the application and cause more delays.

For a contributor who's just reviewing and confirming (not entering all the initial information), it typically takes 10-15 minutes at most. He'll need to: 1. Log in with his FSA ID (make sure he has this set up and knows the password) 2. Review the information you and your stepmom entered 3. Confirm the tax filing status matches their joint return 4. E-sign the submission If he has his FSA ID ready to go, it can sometimes be done in as little as 5 minutes.

I had this EXACT issue with my dad last year but it was my mom who had already done her part. He kept saying he would do it tomorrow and we missed our priority deadline by THREE DAYS!! Ended up costing me about $4500 in institutional grants because I wasn't in the first round of aid packages. DO NOT let this happen to you!!!! Can your stepmom help pressure him? That's what finally worked for me.

Nope, school financial aid office basically said "too bad, so sad" - they hear every excuse in the book. They told me FAFSA priority deadlines are SERIOUS and they distribute their institutional aid to people who meet them first. By the time my app was processed, most of the good grants were gone. They did offer me some extra loans though, as if THAT was helpful. 🙄

When I was having trouble getting my mom to complete her FAFSA part, I finally reached a Federal Student Aid agent who called her directly and explained the importance. Honestly, sometimes parents take it more seriously coming from an official rather than their kid who they think is just nagging. I was struggling to get through to FSA for days until I found this service called Claimyr that connected me to an agent in about 10 minutes instead of the usual hours of waiting. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent was super helpful and talked to my mom about everything that could be delayed if she didn't complete her part. Worked like a charm - she did it that same day after weeks of putting it off. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

The agent was actually really professional and not pushy at all. They just explained the process, the deadlines, and what happens if you miss them. They framed it as helping your family maximize your aid opportunity rather than making your dad feel bad for not doing it yet. My mom said she appreciated getting the clear information.

This is a common issue in the FAFSA process. Since your parents file jointly, both must complete their sections - there's no workaround. The system is designed this way to ensure accurate calculation of your Student Aid Index (SAI), which determines aid eligibility. A few important points: 1. For jointly filing parents, both MUST complete their sections 2. Priority deadlines are critical - missing them can reduce institutional aid by thousands 3. Your SAI calculation cannot be finalized until all contributors complete their sections 4. Schools typically won't make exceptions for late submissions due to parent delays Best approach: Create urgency by explaining exactly what is at stake financially. Most parents don't realize that delays can directly translate to thousands in lost grant opportunities.

Does your dad realize its JUST a signature needed??? My husband thought he had to fill out a whole bunch of forms and kept putting it off. When I finally showed him it was literally just reviewing and signing what I'd already entered, he did it in like 3 minutes. Maybe your dad thinks its some huge complicated thing?

WHY are parents like this?!?! My dad was the same way. FAFSA deadline was LITERALLY the next day and he still hadn't done his part. I had to threaten to make him pay the difference in whatever aid I lost before he finally logged in. Parents have NO IDEA how expensive college actually is or how much these deadlines matter for OUR FUTURE.

UPDATE: I finally got through to my dad! I showed him exactly what he needed to do, made an estimate of how much aid I might lose (about $6000 based on last year's institutional grants), and set up a calendar invite with all his login info included. He completed it last night! Thank you all for your advice - especially about not sending another invitation since that could have reset everything. The application now shows "processing" status. So relieved!