FAFSA 2025-2026 IRS data transfer and MFA issues - anyone else locked out?
Is anyone else dealing with the new IRS data transfer requirement on the 2025-2026 FAFSA? I thought I was doing everything right but keep hitting roadblocks. Both my twins submitted their portions last week, then I logged in as a contributor for my daughter and got prompted to request my 2023 tax return directly from the IRS. This seems different from previous years? Then when I tried to complete the process, the multi-factor authentication went haywire - kept sending codes that expired before I could enter them, then completely kicked me out. Now I can't get back in! I never got ANY email confirmations that the FAFSA was submitted correctly for either child. My son's application shows no indication that my portion is even needed. In previous years, there were clear emails about parent sections being required. The whole system feels completely different. Are other parents experiencing these issues or is it just me struggling with the new format?
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Derek Olson
yep happened to me too! the new system is horrible. tried 6 times to do the irs transfer and kept getting kicked out. finally got through yesterday but only after calling tech support THREE TIMES
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Rachel Tao
•How did you even reach tech support?? I've been calling for two days and keep getting disconnected after 20+ minutes on hold!
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Danielle Mays
•The IRS data transfer is actually mandatory now for most applicants with the new FAFSA. It's part of the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. The MFA issues are definitely a problem though - I've found that using the text message option instead of email works better. Also, try clearing your browser cache completely before logging in again, and use Chrome rather than Safari or Firefox if possible.
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Roger Romero
I had to reset my FSA ID password twice! This years system is completely different from previous applications. The lack of email confirmations had me panicking too thinking my kids' applications weren't submitted. Have you checked your Student Aid Index yet? That's what replaced the old EFC number.
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Rachel Tao
•No, I can't even get far enough to see any SAI calculation. I'm worried about missing deadlines for their schools. Did you eventually get email confirmations?
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Roger Romero
•I never got emails! But when I finally logged back in (after like 5 attempts), there was a confirmation number on the dashboard. Try looking there if you can get in.
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Anna Kerber
The direct IRS data retrieval is mandatory for the 2025-2026 FAFSA unless you qualify for an exception. It's designed to reduce verification issues later. The MFA problems are a known issue that the FSA office is working on. A few tips that might help: 1. Use a desktop computer rather than mobile 2. Try logging in during off-peak hours (early morning) 3. Make sure your FSA ID credentials are up to date 4. If you get locked out, wait 30 minutes before trying again As for confirmation emails, they've moved away from those in favor of in-portal notifications. Once you successfully complete your portion, you should see a confirmation message in your dashboard. Your students can log in to their accounts to confirm your contribution was received.
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Rachel Tao
•Thank you for these tips! I'll try logging in early tomorrow. Do you know if there's any grace period for parent contributions given these system issues? My twins' colleges have February 15th priority deadlines.
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Anna Kerber
•Many colleges are aware of the technical issues and are being somewhat flexible with their priority deadlines this year. I'd recommend emailing the financial aid offices at your twins' colleges to explain the situation. Document your attempts (screenshots of errors if possible) and make sure to mention that you've been actively trying to complete the process. Most schools will work with you as long as the student portion was submitted on time.
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Niko Ramsey
I had similar issues and ended up using Claimyr to finally reach someone at Federal Student Aid who could help. I spent days trying to get through on my own but kept getting disconnected. With Claimyr (claimyr.com) they got me through to an actual agent who fixed my MFA issues and confirmed my IRS data transfer went through. They have a video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent told me the MFA issues are affecting thousands of parents, especially when using the same device for multiple children's FAFSAs. It's worth the call to get it straightened out rather than missing deadlines.
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Seraphina Delan
•Is that service legit? I'm hesitant to use third-party services for something with sensitive information like FAFSA...
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Niko Ramsey
•It just helps you get through the phone system - they don't access your FAFSA account or anything. It's basically just a service that waits on hold for you and then connects you with an actual FSA agent. I was skeptical too but it saved me hours of frustration.
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Jabari-Jo
Financial aid counselor here - I can confirm that the direct IRS data transfer is now required for most applicants under the FAFSA Simplification Act. The system is designed to pull your tax information directly to reduce errors and eliminate the verification headache later. Regarding the lack of emails - this is intentional with the new system. You need to check your Student Aid dashboard for status updates. Each student and contributor has their own dashboard now. For the MFA issues, we've been advising families to: 1. Use a private browsing window 2. Don't save passwords in your browser for studentaid.gov 3. Log out completely between sessions for different children 4. Delete the studentaid.gov cookies before starting a new session Many schools are being flexible with deadlines this year due to the widespread system issues, but you should contact your financial aid offices directly to notify them of your situation.
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Rachel Tao
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! Would it be better to create separate browser profiles for each child's FAFSA to avoid the cookie/session issues?
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Jabari-Jo
•Yes! Separate browser profiles for each child's FAFSA is actually the best approach. This keeps the cookies and cache completely separate. Chrome and Edge both support profile switching, which makes this easier. Just make sure to completely close the browser between switching profiles, not just the tab.
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Kristin Frank
am i the only one who misses the old system?? this new one is so confusing. my daughter started her app but i don't even know how to tell if she needs me to complete anything??? no emails, no texts, NOTHING. what happened to the old dependency questions that made it clear?
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Rachel Tao
•Exactly! The old system at least made it obvious what was needed from whom. Now it feels like we're all just guessing.
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Danielle Mays
•The dependency questions still exist, but they're now in the student's portion of the application. If your daughter is dependent (most undergrads are), you should have received an email invitation to contribute to her FAFSA as a parent/contributor. Check your spam folder, and also have her log in to see if she properly sent the invitation to the correct email address.
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Derek Olson
the whole system is broken!! i finally got my part done for my son but now his SAI is way higher than the old EFC would have been with the EXACT SAME financial info as last year. how is that even possible????? anyone else seeing crazy high SAI numbers?
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Anna Kerber
•The SAI calculation is different from the old EFC formula - they changed several factors including how they assess home equity, the income protection allowance, and how they handle multiple students in college. Many middle-income families are seeing higher numbers this year. I'd suggest running the net price calculators on your son's colleges' websites as they may have adjusted their institutional aid to account for the formula changes.
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Derek Olson
•thx! i just tried the net price calculator and youre right its actually coming out similar to last year. so confusing why they had to change everything!!
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Rachel Tao
UPDATE: I finally got through the system this morning! For anyone else struggling, here's what worked: 1. Used Chrome in incognito mode 2. Created separate browser profiles for each child 3. Logged in at 5:30 AM (seriously) 4. Used text message for MFA instead of email The IRS data transfer actually worked smoothly once I got past the authentication. Both applications now show completed status with confirmation numbers. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!
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Roger Romero
•Congrats! Did you get to see your SAI numbers yet? I'm curious how they compare to the old EFC from previous years.
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Rachel Tao
•Yes! The SAI numbers are visible now. They're about 15% higher than our EFC was last year, which is concerning. Going to contact their schools to see if they're adjusting their aid packages to account for the formula change.
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