FAFSA keeps hanging up on me - submitted in February with no updates & now getting 'incomplete' emails?!

Omg same!!! Ive been calling for WEEKS and either get hung up on or wait for like 2 hours only to get disconnected. My son needs to decide on his school by June 1 and we have NO IDEA what the financial aid will be. The new system is a total disaster.

The email you received about an incomplete application is likely related to one of three things: 1. The contributor section (what used to be called parent section) might not be fully completed by both you and your ex-husband 2. There could be a technical glitch where your paper submission wasn't properly linked to your FSA IDs 3. The new system requires both parents to actively confirm their sections even after paper submission I recommend trying to log in to studentaid.gov (not creating a new account) and check the status. The dashboard should show which specific portions are incomplete. The paper applications often have processing delays, especially with the new SAI calculation system implementation.

this whole FSA Id thing is stupid imo. back in my day u just filled out the paper and sent it in. now u need 50 accounts and passwords and emails just to apply for college money. smh

I work in a college financial aid office and can share some insight on what's happening. The 2025-2026 FAFSA rollout has been extremely problematic. Paper applications are taking 3-4 months to process (not the usual 2-3 weeks). The "incomplete application" emails are often triggered when: 1. The system can't match parent/contributor FSA IDs with the student application 2. One required field is missing or flagged for verification 3. The system detects a potential conflict between tax information and what was reported Two suggestions that might help: 1. Contact your daughter's college financial aid office directly - they often have dedicated channels to FAFSA and can check the status on their end 2. Try logging in during non-peak hours (very early morning like 4-5am) when the system isn't overloaded Also, for the verification email issue - check spam folders and add studentaid.gov to your safe senders list.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a FAFSA agent? It worked for me after weeks of failed attempts. The service basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. Their site is claimyr.com and you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ I was skeptical at first but was desperate after getting the same runaround with my son's FAFSA verification issues. Finally got through to someone who could actually help resolve everything.

The real problem is theyre using a new SAI system instead of the old EFC and the whole thing is a DISASTER!! My niece got denied aid because they calculated our family contribution at $25k more than last year WITH NO CHANGE IN INCOME!!! This is robbery and theyre ignoring everyone who complains!!!

For what it's worth, we had a similar issue where the system kept showing our application as incomplete even though we submitted everything correctly. The problem turned out to be that my husband and I had different answers to one of the household questions (I said 4 people, he said 5 because he included our college student). When we finally got through to a human agent, they explained that even a single discrepancy like this can flag the entire application. They helped us correct it over the phone, and our daughter's SAI score was generated within 48 hours. That said, it took us calling repeatedly at exactly 8:00 AM Eastern time when their phone lines open to finally get through. Be prepared to set an alarm and be ready to dial the second they open.

has ne1 tried going in person? like is there an actual office u can go to and talk to a real person???

UPDATE: Success at last! I took everyone's advice here and: 1. Called at exactly 8:00 AM this morning 2. Got through after only a 45 minute wait (miracle!) 3. Spoke with an agent who confirmed our application WAS in the system The problem? Both my ex-husband and I had to complete separate contributor sections, and while I did mine correctly, my ex apparently never finished his part (despite claiming he did). The agent was able to send him a direct link to complete just his portion. Also learned our daughter's school can actually process a "provisional" financial aid package based on last year's information while we get this sorted out. THANK YOU all for the help and commiseration. This system is still a nightmare, but at least we're making progress now!

This is such a relief to read your update! I've been following this thread because I'm going through the exact same nightmare with my twin daughters' applications. The tip about calling right at 8 AM is gold - I'm setting my alarm for tomorrow morning. It's ridiculous that the system doesn't clearly communicate when a contributor hasn't finished their section. How are parents supposed to know if there's no notification? At least now I know what to ask about when I (hopefully) get through to someone. Did the agent mention anything about how long it typically takes once both contributors complete their sections? My girls' enrollment deadlines are coming up fast too and I'm starting to panic.