FAFSA Data Retrieval Tool failed - Do I really have to enter all tax info manually?

ya same thing happn to me 2 days ago. i tried 3 times and kept seein the loading bar then it crashed. ended up just entering everything manually took like an hour :

The Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) has been having intermittent issues this application cycle. A few troubleshooting steps you can try: 1. Make sure you're using the exact name, SSN, and address that appears on your tax return 2. Check if you filed your taxes less than 3 weeks ago (the system needs time to process) 3. Try again during non-peak hours (early morning or late evening) 4. If you amended your tax return (filed a 1040X), the DRT won't work and you'll need to enter manually If none of these work, you'll unfortunately need to enter everything manually. Be extremely careful with accuracy, as discrepancies can trigger verification.

lol this new "improved" FAFSA is SUCH A JOKE!!! my daughter tried 6 TIMES to use that stupid data retrieval thing and it failed EVERY TIME!!! then she entered everything manually and got FLAGGED FOR VERIFICATION anyway!!! what exactly did they spend all that money "upgrading" again??? 🤬🤬🤬

I encountered the same issue last week with the Data Retrieval Tool. After multiple failed attempts, I finally managed to speak with a Federal Student Aid representative who explained that they're experiencing a technical issue with tax information retrieval for certain tax returns that have specific schedules or forms attached. I was getting so frustrated with the long hold times trying to reach someone at the FSA. Finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) after seeing someone recommend it on another thread. They got me connected to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. The agent was able to reset something on my account and then the DRT worked on my next attempt. Might be worth checking out their video demo to see how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Financial aid advisor here. This is a known issue affecting about 20% of FAFSA applicants this cycle. Beyond the excellent troubleshooting steps already mentioned, here are a few additional things to consider: - If your tax situation includes any of the following, the DRT has higher failure rates: * Multiple W-2s * Schedule C (self-employment) * Foreign income * Recent address change If you must enter manually, take a screenshot of each page after completion. This helps if you need to reference your entries later for verification. Also, manual entry doesn't automatically increase verification chances, but errors do. Double-check all figures before submission.

I fixed this problem by using a completely different browser! The DRT kept failing when I used Chrome, but when I switched to Firefox it worked perfectly. Maybe try that before giving up? Also make sure you don't have any ad blockers or privacy extensions running, those can sometimes interfere with the data retrieval process.

Update: I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know that I was finally able to get the Data Retrieval Tool working! After speaking with the FSA representative (using that call service I mentioned), they suggested trying at exactly 3 AM when system maintenance completes. It sounds crazy, but I set an alarm and tried at 3:05 AM and the DRT connected instantly! Might be worth trying if you're desperate to avoid manual entry.

One additional thing to consider - if you're having persistent issues with the DRT, you should also check your FSA ID status to make sure there aren't any verification issues with your account. Sometimes account verification problems can cascade into other issues like DRT failures. If you do end up having to enter information manually, having your IRS tax transcript available (which you can download from the IRS website) will make the process more accurate and somewhat faster.

Quick update for everyone in this thread: The Department of Education just announced they've identified the DRT connectivity issue and are implementing a fix over the next 72 hours. If you can delay your application completion for a few days, you might be able to avoid manual entry altogether. They're prioritizing this fix since it's affecting thousands of applicants for the 2025-2026 cycle.

Just wanted to share my experience - I had the exact same DRT failure issue last week! After trying all the browser suggestions and different times of day, what finally worked for me was making sure my address on the FAFSA matched my tax return EXACTLY, including apartment number formatting and ZIP+4. Apparently even small differences like "Apt 2B" vs "Apartment 2B" can cause the system to fail the data match. Once I corrected that tiny detail, the DRT worked on the first try. Might be worth double-checking those address fields before doing manual entry!

I'm dealing with the exact same frustrating issue! The DRT has failed for me multiple times over the past week. Reading through all these suggestions, I'm going to try the address formatting fix first since that seems like the easiest solution - I think my apartment number might be formatted differently on my FAFSA vs my tax return. If that doesn't work, I'll try the different browser approach and maybe even that crazy 3 AM suggestion! It's so reassuring to know this isn't just me and that there might actually be a system-wide fix coming in the next few days. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

I'm having this exact same issue! I've been trying to use the DRT for three days now and keep getting the same error message. Reading through everyone's suggestions here has been so helpful - I had no idea this was affecting so many people. I'm going to start with checking my address formatting since that seems like the simplest fix to try first. If that doesn't work, I'll try switching browsers and disabling my extensions. Really hoping I don't have to resort to that 3 AM attempt, but honestly at this point I'm desperate enough to try anything to avoid manually entering all those tax numbers again! Has anyone heard any updates on that 72-hour fix that was mentioned?

I'm dealing with this exact same issue and it's driving me crazy! I've been trying for 4 days straight and the DRT just keeps timing out with that same "Unable to retrieve tax information" error. After reading through all these suggestions, I'm definitely going to try the address formatting fix first - I just realized I might have "Street" abbreviated as "St" on my FAFSA but spelled out fully on my tax return. If that doesn't work, I'll try Firefox with all extensions disabled since I've been using Chrome this whole time. Really hoping that Department of Education fix comes through soon because the thought of manually entering all my W-2 and 1099 information again makes me want to cry! Thank you all for sharing your experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this struggle!