Does my parent section need to be completed before my student signs the FAFSA?

It doesn't matter! My daughter signed first and then I did my part after. The FAFSA doesn't care about order as long as both parts get done.

While technically either of you can sign first, I always recommend parents complete their section before the student signs. This way the student can review the full application including parental contribution before submitting. It helps catch any errors in the financial information that might affect the SAI calculation.

We did it opposite last yr and had to redo the whole thing cuz my mom put wrong income info and I had already signed. Such a headache!!

The system actually lets either person sign first, but there's a specific best practice here. Have the parent complete their section first, then review everything together, THEN have the student sign. This gives you a chance to catch any errors in reporting assets, income, or household size that could significantly impact your SAI score and ultimately your aid package. Once both signatures are in, you'll get your confirmation page with the submission ID.

Have you considered calling the Federal Student Aid helpline to get a definitive answer? I was stuck on hold for hours trying to get an answer about contributor questions, but then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and called me back when an agent was available. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Saved me literally hours of hold time and the agent confirmed that either person can sign first, but it's better if the parent section is completed first to avoid amendment issues.

The REAL problem is that the 2025-26 FAFSA is so different from previous years! The whole contributor system instead of just parent/student is confusing everyone. My daughter and I completed everything in the wrong order and had to restart THREE TIMES because the FSA ID verification kept failing. The system is a mess!

To summarize for anyone else with this question: Either the student or parent/contributor can sign first technically, but best practice is: 1) Student starts application and creates FSA ID if they don't have one 2) Student adds parent/contributor and completes their portion without signing 3) Parent/contributor completes their section with all financial information 4) Parent/contributor signs their section 5) Student reviews complete application including contribution information 6) Student signs to complete submission This order minimizes the need for corrections later, which can delay your SAI calculation and financial aid package.