FAFSA application stuck when adding spouse without SSN - joint tax filers issue

Hola, I just went through this with my daughter's FAFSA. If your husband doesn't have an SSN either, you need to enter all zeros (000-00-0000) in the SSN field. But if he does have an SSN, he needs to create his own FSA ID first before you can add him as a contributor. The system is super confusing for families in our situation!

This is a common issue with the new FAFSA system when dealing with mixed-status families. There are two possible solutions: 1. Wait 1-3 business days after creating the FSA ID before trying to link it to the application. The system needs time to verify the FSA ID with the Social Security Administration. 2. If you've already waited and still having issues, your husband may need to complete the "contributor" section separately by logging into studentaid.gov with his own FSA ID, then selecting the option to complete his portion of your child's application. Also, make sure the name on his FSA ID EXACTLY matches what's on his Social Security card - even a missing middle initial can cause this error.

i went thru the same thing last month!! so frustrating!! the fafsa website keeps crashin too which makes evrything worse. after like 5 days of trying i finally got my husband's info to go thru but only after i called the fafsa people like 20 times

I know this is incredibly frustrating. The new FAFSA system has been having serious issues with contributor sections, especially in situations with joint tax filing where one person doesn't have an SSN. One thing to check: when your husband created his FSA ID, did he get a confirmation email saying it was fully verified? Sometimes there's a partial verification that allows login but not full FAFSA contribution. Also, are you using the English version of the site? Sometimes the Spanish version has sync issues with contributor information. Try switching languages and see if that helps.

I've been trying to reach FSA for 3 weeks about a similar issue! Calling them is impossible - always 2+ hour waits and then I get disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a live agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent told me for joint filers where one spouse doesn't have SSN, there's a specific sequence you need to follow. For me, the issue was that my husband's name format in the FAFSA system didn't match exactly how it appears on our tax return.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS GARBAGE!!!!!! My daughter might lose her financial aid because we can't get through this stupid process!! We have similar situation - I'm citizen, wife has ITIN only, we file jointly. Been stuck for WEEKS. School deadline is coming up. This is RIDICULOUS!!!

UPDATE: The Department of Education just released a fix for this specific issue yesterday. If your spouse has an SSN but you don't, try these steps: 1. Log out completely and clear your browser cache 2. Have your spouse log in with their FSA ID first 3. Then have them select the "Complete contributor information" option 4. They should enter their information including SSN 5. Once they complete their section, then you can log back in to finish the application This bypasses the error that happens when trying to add a contributor from your account directly.

I faced this exact issue last month. The key thing that worked for me was making sure my husband's name was entered EXACTLY as it appears on his Social Security card, not as it appears on our tax return (which has his second last name included). Also, after creating the FSA ID, we had to wait a full 3 days before it would link properly. The system is very picky about these details for joint filers with one person lacking SSN. Hope this helps! The new FAFSA is so much harder for families like ours compared to previous years.