FAFSA login error: 'Records don't match' preventing application submission - 3 attempts failed

We had the EXACT same problem last month!! For us, it turned out my son had accidentally used his middle name on the original FSA ID creation but was trying to log in with his first name. The system is super picky about matching EVERYTHING exactly as it appears on Social Security records. Did she double-check that her name matches her Social Security card exactly?

When you get the "records don't match" error, it's almost always related to one of these issues: 1. Name mismatch: The name must EXACTLY match what's on the Social Security card (including hyphens, apostrophes, etc.) 2. SSN incorrect: Double-check all 9 digits, this is the most common issue 3. Date of birth mismatch: Sometimes students accidentally put the current year instead of birth year 4. Special characters: If her name has special characters (Ñ, é, etc.), try both with and without them Also important: if she's getting this error creating a new account, it might mean her information is already associated with an existing FSA ID she's forgotten about. Try the "Forgot Username" and "Forgot Password" options with her verified email and mobile number.

my cousin had this problem 2weeks ago. wat fixed it was clearing browsers cookies n history. then restart whole computer not just browser. shes need 2 use Chrome or Edge not safari if shes on iphone or mac

I work at a college financial aid office, and we see this issue frequently. The "records don't match" error often means there's a discrepancy between what's entered and what's in the Social Security Administration database. Besides what others mentioned, another common problem is having multiple FSA IDs. If she tried creating a new account, the system may be detecting that her SSN is already associated with an existing account. If none of the suggestions work, you need to contact Federal Student Aid directly at 1-800-433-3243. Be prepared for very long wait times (30-90 minutes). They can verify her identity and resolve the account issues, but it requires speaking to an actual person.

Another thing to check - is your daughter 18 yet? If she's still 17, there are additional verification steps that might cause this error. Also, if she's using any VPN services or ad-blockers, try disabling those as the FAFSA site sometimes has issues with them. The most reliable fix I've found for the "records don't match" error is to: 1. Use an incognito/private browsing window 2. Make sure to enter her SSN WITHOUT dashes 3. Use her LEGAL name exactly as it appears on government documents (not nicknames or shortened versions) 4. Try at a different time of day (the system gets overloaded during peak hours) Hope this helps!

This whole FAFSA system is GARBAGE!!! Same thing happened to my son last year and we missed priority deadline for his school because of these stupid technical problems. The website is poorly designed and their customer service is a joke. You literally cannot get through to anyone helpful. This is why college is so inaccessible - they make the financial aid process deliberately complicated! You would think with all our tax dollars they could build a functioning website!!! 😡

UPDATE: We finally figured it out! It was actually two separate issues happening at once. First, she was indeed entering her hyphenated last name inconsistently. Second, she was using Safari on her MacBook which apparently doesn't work well with the FAFSA site. What worked: Using Chrome in incognito mode on our desktop PC, and being super careful with the exact formatting of her name. She had to use the "Forgot Username" option to recover her original account since she had already created one earlier this year and forgotten about it. Thanks everyone for all your help! Application is finally submitted! 🎉

my bro had this happen when he moved apartments but didnt update his adress with social security. if u moved recently thats another thing that causes the error

As someone new to the FAFSA process, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm helping my nephew with his application next month and had no idea there were so many technical pitfalls to watch out for. The browser compatibility issues alone seem like a major hurdle - it's crazy that something as important as financial aid depends on using the "right" browser. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions. I'm definitely bookmarking this for reference and will make sure we have his Social Security card handy to double-check every detail before starting. It's reassuring to know this community exists to help navigate these frustrating technical problems!