FAFSA error when parent tries to sign - says account exists but we've never used it before

Happened to me too!! The new FAFSA system is sooo glitchy. Try having ur dad do the "forgot password" option for that email. Maybe the system automatically created an account for him when u added him as contributor?

This is actually a known issue with the new FAFSA. What's happening is that your parent's information might have been used on another student's FAFSA (possibly a sibling or even by mistake by someone with a similar name/SSN). Here's what you need to do: 1. Have your parent try the "Forgot Password" option first 2. If that doesn't work, call Federal Student Aid at 1-800-433-3243 3. Explain that your parent is getting an error that their email/SSN is already associated with an account they never created 4. They can verify their identity and either gain access to the existing account or create a new profile after removing the incorrect association The important thing is not to create a new email address just to get around this - that can cause problems later with account verification.

I had this exact same problem! My mom got the same message even though she'd never created an account. Turns out when my older cousin applied years ago, she accidentally put my mom's info instead of my aunt's (they have similar names). We called FAFSA but kept getting disconnected after 2+ hours on hold. We finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback from a FAFSA agent instead of waiting on hold. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent was able to see that my mom's SSN was linked to another student's account from 2019. They unlinked it and we completed the application that same day. Definitely worth checking if someone accidentally used your dad's info!

FAFSA IS THE WORST!!!! This new system is complete GARBAGE and I'm sick of it!!!! I've been trying for TWO MONTHS to get my mom's contributor signature and keep hitting roadblocks. First they couldn't verify her identity, then her account was locked for "security reasons," now they're saying her email is linked to another account. HOW CAN THEY EXPECT STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THIS WHEN NOTHING WORKS?!?!?! I'm about to lose my scholarship because of their incompetence. Sorry for the rant but I'm literally pulling my hair out over this.

The contributor signup issues are happening to lots of people. I work at a college financial aid office, and here's the most common causes we're seeing: 1. Your parent's information was previously used on a FAFSA (maybe a sibling, relative, or error) 2. The system is incorrectly matching partial SSNs or names to existing accounts 3. Your parent might have created an FSA ID years ago and forgotten If the forgot password option doesn't work, you have two options: A) Call FSA directly at 1-800-433-3243 (but expect long wait times) B) Have your parent visit your school's financial aid office with ID and proof of SSN - many schools have direct lines to FSA and can help resolve this quickly Don't panic about the deadline - schools understand these issues are happening and may grant extensions if you document your attempts to resolve it. Email your financial aid office immediately explaining the situation.

my dad had the same issue. we just made a new email account for him and used that instead. worked fine lol

My sister went through something similar and it turned out our dad already had an account from when he went back to school a few years ago. He completely forgot about it! Might be worth asking if your parent maybe took any classes or considered going back to school at some point?

did you try using a different browser?? sometimes the website glitches in chrome but works in safari or firefox. also clearing your cookies might help!

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My mom is getting the "account already exists" error even though she's never touched FAFSA before. What's really frustrating is that the system won't even let us proceed to see what information might be conflicting. I found out from my school's financial aid office that this is happening because the new FAFSA system has stricter matching algorithms that sometimes create false positives. They told me that even partial matches on SSN digits or similar names can trigger this error. One thing that helped us was having my mom try to log in using variations of her name (like if she goes by "Elizabeth" but her legal name is "Beth" or vice versa). Sometimes the system has old records with slightly different name formats. Also, make sure you're entering her SSN exactly as it appears on her Social Security card - no dashes or spaces. If all else fails, document every attempt you make (screenshots, dates, times) because schools can use this as proof that you tried to complete the FAFSA on time if you need an extension. Don't lose hope - this is fixable!

I just went through this exact same issue last month! The "account already exists" error is super common with the new FAFSA system. Here's what worked for me: First, try the "forgot password" option with your dad's email - sometimes the system auto-creates accounts when you add contributors and you don't even know it exists. If that doesn't work, call the Federal Student Aid hotline at 1-800-433-3243 early in the morning (like 8 AM) to avoid the worst wait times. When you get through, explain that your parent is getting an error saying their email/SSN is already in use but they've never created an account. The agent can see if their info is linked to another student's FAFSA (this happens more than you'd think - sometimes siblings or cousins accidentally use the wrong parent info). Most importantly - email your school's financial aid office RIGHT NOW explaining the situation. They deal with this constantly and can often help resolve it faster than going through FSA directly. Plus, they can note in your file that you're having technical difficulties so your deadline won't be affected. Don't panic - this is totally fixable and you're not alone! The new system has so many glitches but there are workarounds.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress right now! As someone who just went through FAFSA hell myself, I totally feel your panic. The "account already exists" error is unfortunately super common with the new system. Here's what I'd recommend trying in order: 1. Have your dad try the "forgot password" option first - like others mentioned, sometimes accounts get auto-created when you add contributors 2. If that doesn't work, try different variations of his name (with/without middle initial, nicknames vs full name, etc.) 3. Make sure you're entering his SSN exactly as it appears on his Social Security card If none of that works, definitely call FSA at 1-800-433-3243 early morning for shorter wait times. But honestly, your best bet might be visiting your school's financial aid office in person with your dad - they often have direct lines to resolve these issues quickly. Most importantly - email your financial aid office TODAY explaining the technical difficulties. Schools are used to FAFSA glitches and can often grant extensions or note that you attempted to complete it on time. You've got this! This is totally solvable and you're not the first student to hit this roadblock. Don't let the broken system stress you out more than necessary.

This happened to my family too! My dad got the exact same error message even though he's never touched FAFSA before either. What we discovered is that sometimes when you enter someone as a contributor, the system automatically creates a "shadow account" with their info, and then when they try to actually sign up, it conflicts with that pre-existing record. Here's what finally worked for us after days of frustration: 1. Have your dad go to studentaid.gov and click "Log In" 2. Use his email and click "Forgot Password" 3. If a password reset email comes through, that means there IS an account - he can reset it and log in 4. If no email comes, then try calling FSA at 1-800-433-3243 (call right at 8 AM for shorter wait times) Also PLEASE contact your school's financial aid office immediately! They can put a note on your file that you're experiencing technical difficulties, which protects you if you miss the deadline due to system issues. Most schools are super understanding about FAFSA glitches this year. Don't stress too much - this is happening to tons of students and it's definitely fixable! The new system is just really buggy but there are ways around it.