FAFSA account recovery stuck for 3 weeks - can't reach anyone by phone!

same here! account locked since jan 28, still waiting. they are SO BAD at customer service this year!

The account recovery system is completely backed up right now due to the new FAFSA changes. I went through this last month and finally got my issue resolved. Here's what worked for me: 1. Call exactly at 8:00 AM Eastern time when they first open 2. Use the option for "technical support" not the general FAFSA questions 3. Have your FSA ID information and the email you used to file the recovery request ready 4. Ask specifically for a "manual account review" - this bypasses the automated system It still took about 20 minutes on hold, but I finally got through and they unlocked my account within 24 hours after verifying my identity.

i had to call 9 times before i got thru. the new simplified fafsa is a JOKE, nothing works right. ended up missing my priority deadline bc of this garbage system 😡

I had a similar issue last month and was about to pull my hair out trying to reach someone. After spending hours on hold and getting disconnected repeatedly, I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual FAFSA agent in about 20 minutes. They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Totally worth it for me since I was desperate with deadlines approaching. You can check it out at claimyr.com - there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Seriously saved me from missing my priority deadline.

Everyone is experiencing these problems with FAFSA this year. The Department of Education completely botched the rollout of the "simplified" FAFSA. Account recovery requests are taking 2-4 weeks to process because their system is overwhelmed. For your immediate problem: Contact your school's financial aid office ASAP and explain the situation. Most schools are offering deadline extensions because they're aware of the widespread FAFSA issues. They may be able to grant you a temporary extension while you resolve the account access issue. To speed up account recovery: 1. Call 1-800-433-3243 multiple times (yes, it's frustrating) 2. Email FSAFeedback@ed.gov with your case number and mark it URGENT 3. Contact your congressional representative's office - surprisingly effective The CSS Profile is separate from FAFSA, so you should still be able to complete that through the College Board website without needing FAFSA access. Don't delay on that one!

Current FSA agent here. The backlog is real, and we're working overtime to clear it. Some insider tips: - Account recovery requests are actually being processed in batches every Tuesday and Friday. If you submitted on Feb 2nd, you should be in this Friday's batch (Feb 23rd). - When you call, use these exact phrases to navigate the system faster: "technical account access issue" and "FSA ID verification problem" - Many schools are automatically granting extensions for affected students. The Department of Education has issued guidance to schools about flexibility with deadlines. - For CSS Profile, that's managed by College Board, not Federal Student Aid, so you can complete that separately while waiting for FAFSA access. Hang in there - I know it's incredibly frustrating, but your application won't be penalized for these system issues.

After my daughter struggled with account access, we contacted our university's financial aid office directly. They gave her a 3-week extension on her FAFSA deadline and provided an alternative form for preliminary aid calculations while we waited for the account issues to be fixed. Most schools understand these problems aren't your fault!

UPDATE: After trying everything suggested here, I FINALLY got through to someone at FSA using the Claimyr service mentioned above. The agent told me that account recovery requests from early February got stuck in a processing backlog due to a system error. They were able to manually push my account recovery through, and I got access back within 36 hours. If anyone else is facing this same issue, don't wait for the automated system - you need to talk to an actual human agent who can manually verify your identity and push the recovery request through the system.

I'm so sorry you're going through this! I just joined this community because I'm having similar issues with my FAFSA account being locked out. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful - I had no idea that so many people were experiencing the same problems with the new system. I'm definitely going to try calling right at 8 AM tomorrow using those specific phrases that Leila mentioned ("technical account access issue" and "FSA ID verification problem"). It's reassuring to know that there are actual FSA agents working on clearing the backlog and that schools are being understanding about extensions. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this thread is like a lifeline for those of us stuck in FAFSA limbo!