FAFSA account issues: Son used my phone number - can't create my own account now
I'm supposed to be filling out my parent portion of my son's FAFSA application, but we've hit a roadblock. When my son initially created his FSA ID and FAFSA account last month, he used MY cell phone number instead of his own (typical teenager move 🙄). Now when I try to create my own FSA ID to complete my part of his 2025-2026 application, the system says I already have an account with that phone number! I've tried using the 'forgot password' option but it sends verification codes to HIS email, not mine. Is my only solution to have him remove my phone number from his account first? Will that mess up his application that's already in progress? The deadline for priority consideration at his school is coming up in 3 weeks, and I'm starting to panic.
17 comments
Join the conversation
Daniel Price
This exact same thing happened to me with my daughter! Teenagers, I swear. You need to call FSA directly and explain. They can manually verify you and update his account to have his phone number, then let you create yours.
0 coins
Caleb Stone
AuthorThanks for replying! I've tried calling them 4 times and keep getting disconnected after being on hold forever. Did you have trouble getting through to them too?
0 coins
Olivia Evans
This is a common issue we see. The simplest solution is to have your son log into studentaid.gov, go to his FSA ID profile settings, and change the phone number to his own. Once he does that, wait about 30 minutes for the system to process the change, then you can create your own FSA ID with your phone number. This won't affect his application status at all, as long as you complete your portion before any deadlines. Make sure both of you are using separate email addresses too - that's another common problem.
0 coins
Caleb Stone
AuthorThank you! That's reassuring. I was worried changing anything might reset or delete his application entirely. We do have separate emails, thankfully. I'll have him change his phone number tonight.
0 coins
Sophia Bennett
my kid did the opposite lol. put her number on MY account so now neither of us can get in!!! the whole system is sooooo stupid if u ask me. why cant they just let us use the same number??? they already have our SSN and birthdays to tell us apart!!!!
0 coins
Aiden Chen
Ikr? The FAFSA system is a nightmare. Took me literally WEEKS last year to get my account issues fixed. Their security seems designed to lock legitimate users out more than anything.
0 coins
Zoey Bianchi
I work with families on FAFSA applications, and this is actually a very common issue. Here's what you need to do: 1. Have your son log into his FSA ID account 2. Go to Profile Settings > Contact Information 3. Update his phone number to his actual mobile number 4. Wait 30-60 minutes for the system to update (sometimes it takes longer) 5. Then you can create your own FSA ID with your phone number This won't affect his application at all. The phone number is purely for account access, not for application evaluation. Just make sure you complete your parent portion before his school's priority deadline (3 weeks from now). Also, when you create your FSA ID, be sure to select "I am a parent" when asked about your role. This helps link your account properly to his application.
0 coins
Caleb Stone
AuthorThis is so helpful, thank you! One other question - when I do create my FSA ID, will it automatically link to his application or will I need some kind of code from him?
0 coins
Christopher Morgan
Omg I had this EXACT same problem with my twins last year!!!!! And the absolute WORST part is I couldn't get through to anyone on the FSA helpline. I sat on hold for literaly 2 and half hours only to get disconnected. THREE TIMES!!! I was ready to throw my phone through a window. Finally my son's counselor at school helped us fix it.
0 coins
Aurora St.Pierre
I had the same experience with the FSA helpline - it's basically impossible to reach a human. If you're still having trouble getting through, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me connect with an actual FSA agent without the eternal hold times. I was skeptical but it worked perfectly - got me through to an agent in about 10 minutes. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Was worth it to get my son's verification issues resolved quickly.
0 coins
Zoey Bianchi
To answer your follow-up question: You'll need your son to log in to the FAFSA application and add you as a contributor. He'll need to provide your name and email address. You'll then receive an email with instructions on how to access that specific FAFSA application. This is separate from creating your FSA ID. The sequence is: 1. Fix the phone number issue 2. Create your own FSA ID 3. Have your son add you as a contributor to his specific FAFSA application 4. Use your new FSA ID to access and complete your portion The system is designed to keep everyone's information separate and secure, which is good for privacy but can certainly be frustrating when these issues come up!
0 coins
Caleb Stone
AuthorThank you for explaining this so clearly! This makes so much more sense now. I'll make sure to follow these steps exactly.
0 coins
Sophia Bennett
anyone know if it matters which parents phone # is used? me and my husband are both doing the parent part and dont know if it matters which one of us uses our number??
0 coins
Zoey Bianchi
For divorced/separated parents, only one parent needs to complete the FAFSA (typically whoever the student lived with more in the past 12 months). If you're married to each other, either parent can create the FSA ID and complete the parent portion - just make sure to include both parents' financial information on the application regardless of which parent creates the account.
0 coins
Caleb Stone
UPDATE: We got it fixed! Had my son change his phone number in his FSA ID profile last night, and this morning I was able to create my own account with my number. Currently working through my portion of his FAFSA now. Thanks everyone for your help!
0 coins
Daniel Price
That's great! Glad it worked out for you. Good luck with the rest of the application process!
0 coins
Marilyn Dixon
So glad you got it sorted out! This is definitely one of the most frustrating parts of the FAFSA process - the phone number conflicts seem to trip up so many families. Your experience will probably help other parents who run into the same issue. Hope the rest of your son's financial aid process goes smoothly!
0 coins