FAFSA application stuck 'pending' since December - need working customer service number ASAP

same boat here!!! been pending since 1/3 and i cant get thru to ANYONE. the phone system is absolute garbage

Call early in the morning, like RIGHT when they open (8am Eastern). That's how I finally got through after our application was stuck for weeks. The agent told me there was a flag on our tax information that needed verification, but the system never sent us any notification about it. Once we knew what the problem was, we were able to upload the documents they needed and it was processed within 3 days.

The whole FAFSA system is so messed up this year with the new "simplified" form 🙄 My son's application was stuck for 6 weeks because of a glitch with how they were calculating his dependent status even though we completed everything correctly. When I finally got through to someone they told me thousands of applications are stuck in processing limbo due to system issues.

have u tried the my student aid app? sometimes u can see more info there than on the website

I had a similar issue last month and after weeks of frustration, I found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual FSA agent within minutes instead of hours. They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. I was skeptical at first but it worked perfectly - the agent was able to tell me exactly what was wrong with our application and how to fix it. Here's their website if you want to check it out: claimyr.com They also have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Hope this helps! Dealing with FAFSA delays is so stressful especially with college deadlines approaching.

When you finally get through to someone, make sure to ask them for a direct extension or case number. I've been through this nightmare 3 years in a row with my kids, and I've learned that if you get a case number, you can reference it in future calls which helps tremendously. Also, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - the date/time of each call, the name of any representative you speak with, and any case numbers they provide. This documentation can be crucial if you need to request deadline extensions from colleges. And yes, definitely contact each college's financial aid office directly to let them know about the delay. Many schools have emergency protocols for students affected by FAFSA processing delays.

did u check if ur getting the verification flag? my brothers app got stuck cuz he got selected for verification but the email went to his spam folder lol

Financial aid counselor here. This is unfortunately very common with the new FAFSA this year. A few recommendations: 1) Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 between 8-11am Eastern when wait times are shortest 2) Email your student's college financial aid offices explaining the delay - we're aware of these issues and many schools are making accommodations 3) Check if your FSA ID is working correctly - some pending applications are due to verification issues with the FSA ID system 4) Look for any "Action Required" notices on the studentaid.gov dashboard (sometimes these don't generate emails) 5) Verify all contributor information is correct - many delays are happening due to mismatches with contributor (parent) information Hang in there! Most of these issues are getting resolved, just more slowly than anyone would like.

just wondering - did u file taxes with a filing extension last year? my cousins fafsa got stuck bcuz of that

UPDATE: Just called using the Claimyr service someone mentioned above and FINALLY got through to a real person! Our application was flagged because we have income from multiple states (I work remotely for a company in another state). The agent was able to add notes to our file and told me it should be processed within 3-5 business days now. Keeping my fingers crossed but at least now I know what's happening!