FAFSA Parent Contributor signature showing as 'Processed' but received 'missing signature' message - help!

ugh the new FAFSA is sooo buggy. i got the same message twice about missing signatures even tho I definitely signed. ended up being a glitch in their system. try logging out and back in after clearing cookies. sometimes that helps.

Thanks for responding! I tried logging out and back in, but it still shows the same thing. Should I just trust that 'Processed' means they have my signature?

The 'Processed' status is actually a good sign. The 2024-25 FAFSA has been having notification issues where automated emails about missing signatures are being sent even after signatures are successfully processed. If your dashboard shows 'Processed' for the Parent Contributor section, that typically means your signature has been recorded.\n\nTo confirm, check if the SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation has been completed. If yes, then your signature was definitely received since they can't calculate the SAI without all required signatures.

Thank you so much for explaining! I just checked and yes, there's an SAI number showing up. What a relief! But why would they send a missing signature message AFTER it was processed? So confusing.

I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH MY SON'S FAFSA!! The system is COMPLETELY BROKEN this year!! I signed THREE SEPARATE TIMES and kept getting \

how did u finally get through to them?? ive been trying for days and either get disconnected or the wait time is like 3+ hours

After trying for DAYS and getting nowhere, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual FSA agent in under 20 minutes! They basically wait in the phone queue for you then call you when an agent is ready. Saved me hours of frustration. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ or go to claimyr.com. Totally worth it to actually talk to someone who fixed my issue right away.

Financial aid professional here - this is a known issue with the 2024-25 FAFSA that the Department of Education is working to fix. The system occasionally sends outdated notifications after the issue has already been resolved. Here's what to check:\n\n1. If your Parent Contributor section shows 'Processed' - your signature is recorded\n2. If an SAI has been calculated - all signatures are confirmed\n3. If the student has received a Student Aid Report (SAR) - processing is complete\n\nThe system is not sending confirmation notifications consistently, but the 'Processed' status is reliable. No need to sign again if you see that status.

my daughters fafsa says

Yes, that's unfortunately normal this year. Even after the FAFSA is fully processed, there's an additional delay while the data is sent to schools. Then schools need time to create aid packages. The new system has extended these timelines significantly. Most schools are running 3-6 weeks behind normal schedules for preparing aid packages this year.

Thank you for this detailed explanation! It helps a lot. We have received the SAR, so I guess everything is actually okay. Do you know if schools are accommodating these delays for payment deadlines? My daughter's tuition is due soon but we're still waiting on her final aid package.

Wait I'm confused. I thought parents don't sign the FAFSA anymore with the new FAFSA Simplification Act? My daughter filled out the 2024-25 form and listed me as a contributor, but I just had to enter my FSA ID and complete my section. There wasn't a separate signature page like in previous years. The whole process is completely different now.

You're partly right - the process has changed, but parent contributors still need to provide consent, which functions as a signature. When you completed your section and submitted it using your FSA ID, that submission counts as your electronic signature. The terminology is confusing because some of the notifications still use the word \

my daughters fafsa was stuck for like a month bcuz of the parent signature thing. ended up having to create a whole new fsa id for myself and redo everything. but now we got the aid so whatever. the whole system is garbage this year lol

That sounds awful! Glad you finally got it resolved. I'm going to trust that the 'Processed' status means we're good, but I might contact her school's financial aid office just to be sure.

btw if ur daughters tuition is due soon but ur still waiting on the financial aid package, call the schools billing office!! my sons school gave us an extension on the payment deadline because of all the fafsa delays this yr. most schools r being pretty flexible about it

That's really good to know, thank you! I'll definitely call her school tomorrow to ask about an extension. It's so stressful having the payment deadline approaching without knowing the final aid amount.

I went through this exact same situation last month! The FAFSA system has been sending out these confusing "missing signature" emails even after everything is properly processed. If your dashboard shows "Processed" for the Parent Contributor section AND you can see an SAI number, you're all set - no need to panic or try to sign again. I made the mistake of trying to "re-sign" multiple times before realizing the system was just glitching. For the tuition deadline issue, definitely call your daughter's financial aid office ASAP. Most schools are being very understanding about the FAFSA delays this year and will work with you on payment extensions. Don't stress too much - it sounds like your FAFSA is actually complete despite the scary notification!