FAFSA asset sections grayed out - can I update after submission or start over?

The new streamlined FAFSA doesn't require asset information from most families with adjusted gross incomes under $60,000. If your AGI is above that threshold and the system isn't prompting you for asset information, it's likely that your tax return information is being used to determine your Student Aid Index (SAI). If you want to be 100% sure, I'd recommend completing and submitting the current application rather than starting over. After submission, if you discover any errors, you'll have the option to make corrections. The Department of Education allows amendments to submitted applications throughout the aid year.

DONT START OVER!!1! I did that twice already and it just made everything worse. The first time it glitched and the second time it locked me out for 3 days for "suspicious activity" or something.

Same thing happened to me with my daughter's application. I was so confused by the grayed-out sections! What I eventually figured out is that the new FAFSA is using the data from your tax return to calculate certain things automatically without making you enter it manually. Since you selected the tax data transfer option, the system is probably using your reported investments from your tax documents. They're trying to streamline the process but honestly it just creates more confusion when they don't explain what's happening behind the scenes.

I had this EXACT problem!!! I was freaking out because I couldn't enter our 529 plan values anywhere. I called the Federal Student Aid line to ask about it and got nowhere - was on hold for 2.5 hours before getting disconnected. So frustrating! I ended up just submitting it anyway and my son's university financial aid office told me later they would contact me if they needed additional asset information. They did end up asking for it later through their own financial aid portal, so it worked out, but the whole process was incredibly stressful.

Financial aid counselor here. This is actually normal with the redesigned FAFSA. The system implements what's called a "simplified formula" for many families, and it's automatically determining whether you need to report assets based on your tax information. The grayed-out sections indicate that the system has determined those sections aren't required for your application. My recommendation: 1. Complete and submit the application as is 2. Print or save a copy of your confirmation page 3. If you're concerned, contact your son's college financial aid office directly after submission - they can request additional information if needed Starting over would just delay processing, and with priority deadlines approaching, you want to get your application in the queue as soon as possible.

I wonder if this is because of the new FAFSA Simplification Act? I've heard they changed a bunch of stuff about how assets are calculated for the SAI (which replaced the old EFC). Maybe they're just not asking certain families about assets anymore?

The updated FAFSA has been a disaster tbh. Half the functions don't work properly, and they keep changing things without clear communication. My son almost missed his school's priority deadline because of all the glitches and system outages. My advice - take screenshots of EVERYTHING as you go through the process. Document what sections you can and can't access. If there are problems later, at least you'll have proof that the system wasn't letting you enter certain information.

just submit it man, my cousin works in financial aid and she says they're used to dealing with weird FAFSA issues this year. the schools can usually fix stuff on their end if something's missing

I'm going through the exact same thing right now with my daughter's FAFSA! The grayed-out asset sections had me second-guessing everything. After reading through all these responses, I think I'm going to follow the financial aid counselor's advice and just submit it as is. One thing I did was check our state's financial aid website to see if they had any additional guidance about the new FAFSA changes. Some states have been putting out clarifications about what to expect with the simplified process. It might be worth checking your state's higher education department website too - they sometimes have FAQs that address these specific technical issues. Good luck with the submission! Sounds like we're all navigating this new system together.

I'm a newcomer to this community but going through the exact same situation with my daughter's FAFSA! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. Based on what the financial aid counselor explained about the simplified formula and hearing from others who successfully submitted with grayed-out sections, I'm feeling much more confident about moving forward. It's such a relief to know this isn't just happening to us and that the system is apparently working as intended (even if it's confusing). I'll definitely take the advice about taking screenshots and submitting as-is rather than starting over. The priority deadline stress is real! Thanks for creating this thread - it's exactly what I needed to see today.

New to this community but dealing with the exact same FAFSA frustration! I'm submitting my son's application and also have those grayed-out asset sections that won't let me enter our savings or investment information. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly reassuring - especially hearing from the financial aid counselor about the simplified formula. I had no idea that the new FAFSA was designed to skip asset reporting for certain families based on the tax data transfer. I was definitely leaning toward starting over (thankfully saw Lauren's warning about getting locked out!), but now I'm convinced to just submit as-is and follow up with the school if they need additional info. The screenshot advice is genius too - will definitely document everything before hitting submit. Thanks for posting this question - it's exactly what I needed to find today with the priority deadline looming!

Just joined this community and wow, what perfect timing to find this thread! I'm going through the exact same thing with my son's 2025-2026 FAFSA - those grayed-out asset sections had me convinced I was doing something wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the financial aid counselor's explanation about the simplified formula, has been such a huge relief. I had no idea the new FAFSA was designed to automatically skip asset reporting for certain families based on the tax information. Makes so much more sense now why those sections are inaccessible rather than just blank. I was seriously considering starting over until I saw the warnings about getting locked out - definitely don't want to risk that with the deadline approaching! Going to follow the advice here: take screenshots of everything, submit as-is, and follow up with the school's financial aid office if they need additional information. Thanks so much for posting this question and to everyone who shared their experiences. It's oddly comforting to know we're all struggling through this redesigned system together!

New member here and dealing with the exact same FAFSA nightmare! Those grayed-out asset sections had me convinced I was somehow breaking the system. I've been stressing about this for days, wondering if I should abandon the whole thing and start fresh. After reading through all these responses, especially from the financial aid counselor explaining the simplified formula, I feel so much better about just submitting as-is. I had no idea the new FAFSA was designed to automatically skip certain sections based on your tax data - they really should explain this somewhere in the interface! The screenshot advice is brilliant, and I'm definitely not risking the lockout situation that Lauren described. Going to document everything and hit submit before the deadline. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is exactly what I needed to find today!

New member here and experiencing the exact same FAFSA frustration! I've been staring at those grayed-out asset sections for my daughter's application, convinced I was somehow missing a critical step in the process. This thread has been an absolute godsend - especially the financial aid counselor's clear explanation about the simplified formula automatically determining which sections are required based on tax data. It makes total sense now, though I agree they really should include some kind of explanation in the interface itself to prevent all this parent panic! I was definitely leaning toward the "start over" approach until reading about the potential lockout issues. The screenshot documentation advice is so smart too - I'll definitely be capturing everything before I submit. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's incredibly reassuring to know we're all navigating this confusing new system together, and that submitting with grayed-out sections is actually normal and expected. Off to finish the application with much more confidence now!