FAFSA already processed - Can I delete parent section and resubmit?

you cant delete just part of it. gotta do a correction for the whole thing. log into studentaid.gov and look for the correction option

You need to submit a correction rather than trying to delete portions of the application. When you log into the studentaid.gov portal with your FSA ID, you'll see an option to "Make FAFSA Corrections." You can update the specific financial information that was incorrect without starting over completely. The good news is that corrections don't send you completely to the back of the processing line. The correction will be processed faster than a new application, though it will still take some time. Make sure to document what you're changing and why, especially if it's related to retirement assets that shouldn't have been included in the first place.

This happened to me last year! Totally panicked when I realized I double-counted some income. The correction took about 10 days to process for us, but that was during a slower period. Sending good vibes your way!

Current FAFSA correction processing times are running about 3-5 business days for most straightforward changes like yours, but it can sometimes take up to 2 weeks during peak periods. Since we're currently in a high-volume application season, I'd plan for the longer timeframe. Make sure to contact your daughter's financial aid office directly to let them know you've submitted a correction. They often can make provisional aid decisions while waiting for the updated SAI calculation, especially if you explain it was an error related to retirement assets (which are protected from FAFSA calculations).

When my son applied last year I did the same exact thing!! Included my 401k by accident and his SAI was crazy high. We did the correction thing but I swear it took FOREVER to get processed and we kept getting disconnected when trying to call FSA to check on status. So frustrating!!

To clarify a few technical details: 1. You're absolutely right that retirement assets (401k, IRA, pension plans) should NOT be included on the FAFSA. This is a common error. 2. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, corrections are being processed within 3-7 business days according to official FSA guidance, though actual times may vary. 3. When making your correction, be very specific about the retirement accounts you're removing. Write down the exact changes you're making for your records. 4. After submitting the correction, your daughter's SAI will be recalculated. Schools will automatically receive the new SAI, but as others suggested, notifying the financial aid offices proactively is best practice. 5. Email the financial aid office with your daughter's ID number, the date of your correction submission, and a brief explanation of what was corrected. Follow up with a phone call if you don't receive confirmation within 48 hours. Most importantly, don't worry! This is a very common correction and won't negatively impact her eligibility as long as it's handled before the school's internal aid deadlines.

Am I the only one who thinks it's RIDICULOUS that the FAFSA system makes it so easy to make these kinds of mistakes?? The questions about assets are so confusing and they don't clearly explain what should and shouldn't be included!! Then we have to jump through all these hoops to fix their poorly designed system. And god forbid you try to call them - I spent 3 HOURS on hold last month!!

my daughter got her pell grant after we fixed our income info, it took like 8 days for correction to go thru but worked out fine in the end. def worth fixing

Update: I submitted the correction yesterday afternoon and called the financial aid office this morning. They were super helpful and made a note in my daughter's file about the pending correction. They said they'd make a provisional aid package based on our explanation of the error while waiting for the official update. Thank you all for the advice and encouragement!