FAFSA account locked due to incorrect birth year - can't update personal info

omg my daughter had the EXACT same problem last month!! so frustrating. we tried everything - different browsers, different devices, clearing cache, etc. nothing worked. ended up just making a whole new account with correct info but then that caused other issues bc the old one was still in the system 🙄

This is actually a known issue with the studentaid.gov system. The error happens because the system checks your son's information against Social Security records, and when there's a mismatch (like the birth year), it won't allow updates to protect against fraud. Unfortunately, this creates a catch-22 situation where you can't fix the very error causing the problem. You need to speak with a FSA agent directly to manually verify his identity and update the information. They can override the system restriction after confirming his identity through other means.

I went through something similar with my incorrect SSN. After wasting days on hold, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes. They basically hold your place in line and call you when they reach a human. Saved me so much frustration! Check out their site at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I finally spoke with an agent, they verified my identity and fixed the SSN issue immediately. The agent told me birth year corrections are actually one of the most common issues they handle.

This is a common FAFSA issue, and there are specific steps to fix it: 1. First, try using the "Forgot Username" recovery option instead of trying to edit the profile directly. Sometimes this triggers a different verification path that will allow corrections. 2. If that doesn't work, you'll need to contact FSA directly. Before calling, gather these documents: - Your son's Social Security card - Birth certificate - Government-issued ID - The email address used for the FAFSA account 3. When you reach an agent, request a "manual identity verification and date of birth correction." This is an official procedure they have for exactly this situation. 4. After correction, wait 24-48 hours before attempting to log in again. Important: Do NOT create a new account as some have suggested. This will trigger a fraud alert and could delay processing by weeks or even months during peak season.

THE ENTIRE FAFSA SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!!!!! My daughter had FOUR different issues with her account, spent WEEKS trying to resolve, and STILL ended up missing priority deadline at her top school which cost her $8000 in potential scholarships!!!!!! The fact that they make it THIS HARD to correct a simple typo is ABSURD. The govt needs to fix this disaster of a system. They completely redesigned it for 2025-2026 and somehow made it WORSE than before.

when I was filling out my fafsa last month i put my moms income in the wrong box and had to call them 2. we were on hold for like 4 hours and they hung up twice lol. ended up going to my school financial aid office and they helped me submit a correction form bypassing the online system completely. maybe try that?

Following up on your situation - did you manage to get this resolved? If you're still having issues, contact your son's school financial aid office immediately. They deal with FAFSA problems constantly and often have direct channels to resolve these issues. Also, while you're working on this, make sure your son continues completing the rest of his FAFSA (income information, school selections, etc.). The birth year issue won't prevent him from completing the application, even though it needs to be fixed. This way, once the birth year is corrected, everything else will already be in place, and you won't miss the priority deadline.

That's such great news that you got it resolved! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now where my daughter accidentally entered her middle initial in the wrong field and now can't update her name. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful - I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service and also reach out to her school's financial aid office. It's reassuring to know that FSA agents can manually fix these verification issues once you actually get through to them. Thanks for updating us on how it worked out!