FAFSA for twins - do I (single parent) submit one form or complete parent portion twice?
So confused about the FAFSA submission process for my twins starting college next fall. I'm a single mom and both kids are filling out their individual FAFSA applications, but I'm not clear if I need to complete my own separate parent FAFSA or just fill out the parent information section on each of their applications? The studentaid.gov website isn't very clear on this specific situation. Anyone gone through this with multiple kids at once? Do I need to create my own FSA ID and complete something separate, or am I just helping with their forms? Feeling overwhelmed with all this financial aid paperwork!
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Mateo Gonzalez
You only need to complete the parent section on each of your twins' FAFSA applications - you don't submit a separate parent FAFSA form. However, you DO need your own FSA ID to sign both of their forms electronically. Each of your twins will create their own FSA ID, and you'll create one as the parent. When they list you as their parent in their FAFSA applications, you'll use your FSA ID to sign both forms. The system will recognize that the same parent is contributing to multiple applications.
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MoonlightSonata
•Thank you so much! That makes sense. So I create my FSA ID once, and then use it to complete and sign both of their forms? Will I need to enter all my financial information twice (once on each application) or can I somehow link them?
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Nia Williams
I went thru this with triplets last yr! U definitely need ur own FSA ID as the parent. You'll have to enter all ur info 2x (once for each kid). Its super annoying tbh. Make sure u use EXACTLY the same info on both or it can flag for verification which is a nightmare!!! Good luck!
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Luca Ricci
•omg triplets in college at once?? how did u survive the tuition bills?? 😱
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Aisha Mohammed
The 2025-2026 FAFSA simplification has actually made this process a bit easier for parents with multiple students. You'll need: 1. Your own FSA ID (different from your children's) 2. You'll complete the parent information section on each child's FAFSA 3. Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on each application to autofill your tax information 4. Your SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation will account for multiple children in college The system doesn't let you "clone" applications, unfortunately. But once you've done the first one, the second goes faster. Make sure you keep track of each application's confirmation number.
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MoonlightSonata
•This is really helpful, thank you! I didn't know about the IRS Data Retrieval Tool - that should save some time. I've got my tax returns ready but automatic is even better. Glad to hear the new system accounts for multiple kids in college.
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Ethan Campbell
not to get off topic but want to say ur doing AMAZING as a single mom getting twins to college!!! My mom was single too and couldn't figure any of this out. I had to do all by myself and missed lots of aid deadlines. ur kids r lucky to have u helping them!!!
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MoonlightSonata
•That's so kind of you to say! It's definitely been challenging but worth it. I'm sorry you had to navigate it alone - the system is really not user-friendly. I'm determined to make sure they get all the aid they qualify for!
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Yuki Watanabe
I spent THREE HOURS on hold with FAFSA last month trying to get this exact question answered!!! The whole system is designed to be as confusing as possible I swear. They finally told me the same thing - parent just needs one FSA ID but has to fill out parent section for each kid separately. So frustrating!!!
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Carmen Sanchez
•Next time you need to reach FAFSA, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in the same situation and used it to get through to a real person in minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. It saved me so much time when I was trying to figure out how to report my 529 plans for multiple kids.
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Aisha Mohammed
One more important thing: If both twins will be in college simultaneously, this positively affects your SAI calculation. Make sure both FAFSA applications correctly indicate the number of family members who will be in college. The form asks this specifically, and it's a major factor in determining aid eligibility. With twins, you'll likely qualify for more aid than if they were in different academic years.
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MoonlightSonata
•That's great to know! I'll definitely make sure that information is correct on both applications. I've heard having multiple kids in college helps with aid but wasn't sure exactly how it worked. Thank you!
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Luca Ricci
quick question: are ur twins going to the same school? if yes some colleges have special twin scholarships! my friend's twins got half off at [redacted] university just for being twins lol
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MoonlightSonata
•They're actually applying to different schools - one wants engineering and the other is looking at business programs. But that's a great tip! I should check if any of their potential schools offer sibling discounts even if they're not twins-specific.
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Mei Chen
Just wanted to add that you should also check the specific deadlines for each school your twins are applying to! Even though you'll be filling out federal FAFSA forms, many colleges have their own priority deadlines for institutional aid that can be earlier than the federal deadline. With twins applying to different schools, you'll want to make a calendar of all the important dates so you don't miss any opportunities for additional grants or scholarships. Also, some schools require CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA, so double-check those requirements too. You're doing great navigating all this!
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Dylan Fisher
•This is such helpful advice! I hadn't thought about the different deadlines for each school. You're absolutely right - I should make a master calendar with all the dates. Do you know if there's a good resource for tracking all these different deadlines? And yes, I've heard about CSS Profile but wasn't sure which schools require it. I'll definitely check with each of their target schools. Thank you for the encouragement - some days this feels impossible but comments like yours remind me I can figure this out!
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