FAFSA account nightmare - SSN attached to daughter's account, stuck in endless loop

I had a similar issue last year. What finally worked was having my son create an entirely new FSA ID with a different email address that had never been used in the system before. Then we had to call and specifically ask for a "FSA ID cross-reference resolution specialist" - not just any regular agent. They had to manually remove the SSN link in their backend system. It took about 48 hours after that call for everything to process correctly.

omg same thing hapnd to us!!! me and my son tryed for like 2 weeks and nobdy could help. its crazy how they make it so hard just to apply for money we need for school!

I work at a university financial aid office, and unfortunately this is a common issue with the new FAFSA system. The problem is that the SSN verification system sometimes creates these cross-linkages between parent and student accounts, especially if you've ever filed your own FAFSA in the past or if your daughter used your email at any point. Here's what I recommend: 1. Both you AND your daughter need to clear browser caches and use incognito mode for all log-in attempts 2. Your daughter should create an entirely new email address solely for FAFSA purposes 3. Request specifically for a "dependency linkage review" - this is different than account recovery 4. Ask them to check if there's an "SSN verification conflict" flag on the account 5. If they say they've sent it to their "backend team," ask for a case number and expected resolution timeframe Don't accept vague answers about it being "in process." They can give you a specific timeframe.

The FAFSA system is a JOKE!!!! I spent 6 weeks trying to fix my son's account last year and missed priority deadlines at 2 schools because of it. They don't care about us regular people trying to get our kids through college. The whole system is designed to FAIL so fewer people get financial aid!!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr to reach Federal Student Aid? I was stuck in the same endless transfer cycle with FAFSA for weeks trying to resolve an account issue. Someone recommended Claimyr to me and it got me through to an actual agent who could help in about 20 minutes instead of hours on hold. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Helped me finally get my SAI calculation corrected after weeks of frustration. Worth checking out at claimyr.com if you're still stuck in the phone loop.

my daughter had this same issue she couldnt submit her fafsa becuz my ssn was somehow linked to her account from when i did my own fafsa years ago for my classes. we got it fixed but took forever

This is a documented issue with the FAFSA system that happens when: 1. A parent previously created their own FSA ID for their education 2. A parent and student used the same email address at any point 3. There was a prior FAFSA correction that created database conflicts The most efficient solution is to perform a complete account reset: 1. Both parent and student should create brand new email addresses 2. Call the FSA ID helpline at 1-800-433-3243 3. Request an "SSN disassociation process" specifically 4. Mention "cross-reference code 156" which indicates an SSN linkage problem 5. After they process this (usually 24-72 hours), create new FSA IDs with your new emails 6. Do NOT attempt any logins during the waiting period This specific process has worked for many families I've advised through my college planning practice.

UPDATE: Success finally! Wanted to share what worked in case anyone else faces this nightmare. Used the advice from several people here: 1. Called early morning (8:30am) and specifically asked for someone who could handle an "SSN disassociation process" and mentioned "cross-reference code 156" 2. Created completely new email addresses for both of us 3. Used Claimyr to avoid the 2-hour hold times (definitely worth it after wasting so many hours previously) 4. Got transferred to a specialist who confirmed it was because I had my own FSA ID from when I took classes years ago 5. They did a complete reset on both accounts and we had to wait 48 hours 6. We created new FSA IDs with our new emails and everything works now! My daughter's FAFSA is finally submitted! Thank you to everyone who helped - this forum saved us!