Do I need new FSA ID for my child's FAFSA if I already have one for my own loans?

You don't need a new FSA ID! Your existing one is perfect for your role as a parent contributor on your child's FAFSA. The system is designed so each person has exactly ONE FSA ID that follows them throughout their lifetime - whether as a student, parent contributor, or both at different times. Just make sure your FSA ID is properly linked to your Social Security Number and that all your contact information is up-to-date. Your daughter will need her own separate FSA ID as the student applicant.

Adding to what was already said - make sure your email and phone number are updated in your FSA ID account BEFORE starting the FAFSA. This is super important because if verification codes need to be sent, they'll go to whatever contact info is in your account. I made this mistake last year with my son's application and it created a huge headache when we couldn't receive the verification texts.

I WISH THE STUPID FAFSA WEBSITE WOULD MAKE THIS CLEARER!!! I created a whole new FSA ID when my first kid applied and then found out I wasn't supposed to have two!!! Spent HOURS on the phone trying to get it fixed and NOBODY could help. Each person told me something different!!! The whole system is a nightmare designed to make parents cry!!!

When I was filling out my daughter's FAFSA last month, my FSA ID from 2014 still worked fine. Surprised it hadn't expired honestly. The system remembered all my basic info which was nice but I still had to re-enter all my financial stuff.

I had this exact same question when helping my son with his applications. I used my old FSA ID (from when I was in grad school) and it worked perfectly for the parent portion. The only issue we ran into was that my son tried using my FSA ID at first before we realized he needed his own separate one. Just make sure you're clear with your senior that they need their own FSA ID - it's one per person regardless of role (student vs parent).

If ur having trouble reaching anyone at fafsa to help u sort out id issues try using Claimyr.com - it got me through to a real person in like 20 mins when i was stuck in verification hell last semester. they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. saved me hours of hold music and getting disconnected

One more important thing: make sure you and your daughter use DIFFERENT email addresses for your FSA IDs. The system gets confused if you try to use the same email for both a parent and student account. It's a common mistake that causes unnecessary headaches.

Also, since you mentioned your account is still active but you haven't used it in a while, I'd recommend logging in now to check if you remember your password and can still access everything. Sometimes people think their account is active but then discover they've forgotten crucial security questions or their password needs to be reset. Better to sort that out now rather than when you're in the middle of the FAFSA application with your daughter.

Just went through this exact process with my youngest last fall! Your existing FSA ID is absolutely fine to use as the parent contributor. The key thing is making sure you can actually access it when the time comes. I'd suggest doing a test login now and updating any outdated info (especially phone/email) before you start the actual FAFSA. Also, when you're helping your daughter create her FSA ID, make sure she writes down her username and password somewhere safe - you'd be amazed how many kids forget their login info right when they need it most. The whole process is much smoother when both accounts are set up and working properly beforehand.

One thing I learned the hard way - if you've moved since you last used your FSA ID, make sure to update your address too! I forgot about this and it caused issues during the verification process because the address on my FSA ID didn't match what I put on my tax return. The FAFSA system is really picky about consistency across all your information. Also, if you have multiple kids going through this process in different years, you'll use that same FSA ID for each of them - it really does follow you for life like others mentioned.

As someone who just went through this with my eldest daughter, I can confirm you absolutely can and should use your existing FSA ID! Don't create a new one - that just creates more confusion. One tip I wish I'd known earlier: when you're doing the FAFSA together, have your daughter sit next to you so she can see the whole process. She'll likely need to do updates or corrections later in the year, and it's really helpful if she understands how everything works. Also, bookmark the official FAFSA website now because there are a lot of fake/scam FAFSA sites that look official but will charge you fees for something that should be completely free.