Do both parents need separate FAFSA accounts? Dad says I need my own FSA ID
I'm super confused about creating FSA IDs for the 2025-2026 FAFSA. My dad already made his FSA ID account on studentaid.gov last week, but now he's telling me that I (the student) need to create my own separate account with my own email address. This doesn't make sense to me because I thought parents just fill out their section on the same application? Do I actually need my own FSA ID separate from my dad's? And what about my mom - does she need a third separate account too? I'm first-gen college so all this FAFSA stuff is really overwhelming.
17 comments
Join the conversation
Evan Kalinowski
Yes each person needs their own FSA ID. You (the student) need one, and each parent who's contributing info needs their own FSA ID too. They're basically digital signatures so everyone needs their own.
0 coins
The Boss
•Omg really? So we need THREE separate accounts for one FAFSA application? That seems so complicated...
0 coins
Victoria Charity
Your father is correct. Each person involved in the FAFSA application needs their own unique FSA ID. This includes: - You (the student) need your own FSA ID linked to your own email - Your father needs his own FSA ID (which he already created) - Your mother (if she's part of your household/contributing to your application) needs her own FSA ID too This is because the FSA ID acts as your legal signature on the documents. It's also how the system verifies each person's identity through their own Social Security Number. Everyone's information is kept separate for security and privacy reasons.
0 coins
The Boss
•Thank you for explaining! That makes more sense now. So I'll create mine with my email and my mom will need to create one with her email too. Do all our FSA IDs get connected somehow so they know we're for the same FAFSA?
0 coins
Victoria Charity
•Great question! You'll connect them by listing your parents on your FAFSA form when you apply. When you start your application (using your FSA ID), you'll reach a section about parent information. There, you'll indicate that your parents will provide information, and the system will prompt them to log in with their own FSA IDs to complete their sections. The application connects everything automatically based on the relationships you establish in the form.
0 coins
Jasmine Quinn
The whole FSA ID system is ridiculously complicated for no reason!! I had to make 3 separate accounts too - one for me, one for mom, one for dad. Then my mom forgot her password AND email she used, and we had to wait 14 DAYS to reset it! Our FAFSA was almost late because of it. Make sure everyone writes down their usernames and passwords somewhere safe!!
0 coins
The Boss
•Oh no, that sounds like a nightmare! I'll definitely make sure we all keep track of our login info. My parents are terrible with passwords.
0 coins
Oscar Murphy
•You can actually use the Claimyr service if you get stuck with FSA ID issues. I had to use it when my mom's account got locked and I couldn't get through to anyone at FSA for days. They got me connected to a live agent in about 10 mins instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. Check out their demo video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) or go to claimyr.com - saved me so much stress when we were up against the priority deadline.
0 coins
Nora Bennett
YEs everyone needs seperate FSA ID's!!! And make sure ur using different email addresses for each one! The system will NOT let u use same email for different accounts. Learned that the hard way lol
0 coins
The Boss
•Thanks for the tip about different emails! I was about to use my email for my mom's account since she hardly checks hers. Glad I didn't do that!
0 coins
Ryan Andre
this is actually smart that they make everyone have separate accounts. it prevents parents from filling out the whole thing without the student's knowledge or vice versa. my friend's dad completed the entire fafsa without telling her anything about the financial info and she had no idea what aid she was getting until awards came out.
0 coins
Lauren Zeb
•That's an interesting point, never thought about it that way. But still annoying to manage 3 different accounts lol. And don't get me started on the mobile verification codes that never seem to arrive... 🙄
0 coins
Oscar Murphy
Here's exactly what you need to know about FSA IDs: 1. Yes, each person needs their own FSA ID (you, your father, and your mother if she's contributing information) 2. Each FSA ID must be linked to a unique email address and phone number 3. Parents CANNOT create an FSA ID for their child, and students CANNOT create FSA IDs for their parents - it's against the rules and can cause major issues 4. Each person's FSA ID is linked to their Social Security Number, which is why they must be separate 5. Save all usernames, passwords, and challenge questions somewhere secure The new FAFSA requires each contributor to individually authenticate their identity and authorize their tax information being used. This is actually more secure than the old system.
0 coins
The Boss
•This is really helpful, thank you! One more question - once I create my FSA ID, how long do I have to wait before I can start the FAFSA application? I heard there's some processing time.
0 coins
Oscar Murphy
•You can typically start your FAFSA application immediately after creating your FSA ID. However, it's best to wait 1-3 days before submitting the final application. This gives the Social Security Administration time to verify your information. If you try to submit too quickly, you might get an error message asking you to wait. But you can definitely start working on the application right away while that verification happens in the background.
0 coins
Lauren Zeb
When I did my FAFSA I created accounts for my parents because they're not tech savvy AT ALL. I just used different emails and made up their passwords. It worked fine for me but technically you're not supposed to do that lol
0 coins
Victoria Charity
•I strongly advise against creating FSA IDs for parents, even with good intentions. This violates federal regulations since the FSA ID serves as a legal signature. Creating one for someone else is considered identity fraud. Additionally, if parents forget the login details you created, it causes major complications when verifying identity or making corrections later. Each person should create their own FSA ID while sitting together so everyone understands the process.
0 coins