FAFSA name mismatch with Social Security - need to delete & restart application?

omg same thing happened to me!! i got married last yr and forgot what name i used when i first created my fsa id years ago. tried like 5 times to submit and kept getting rejected. sooo frustrating

What did you end up doing? Did you ever get it fixed or are you still stuck too?

You can't completely delete an application that's been started, but you can make corrections. Log into studentaid.gov, click on \

I tried the corrections route already, but the system won't let me update certain fields. It keeps locking me out when I try to submit the corrections. I feel like I'm in some weird catch-22 situation.

this system is GARBAGE!!! i had similar problems and wasted 2 MONTHS trying to fix it myself. eventually i just went to my college financial aid office and they helped me fill out a paper form. maybe try that?

That's actually not a bad idea. I didn't realize paper forms were still an option. I'll check with my school's financial aid office tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!

There's actually a specific process for handling name mismatches with your FSA ID. You need to:\n\n1. Update your name with the Social Security Administration first (if your SS card doesn't match what you want to use)\n2. Wait 3-5 business days for SSA's database to update\n3. Update your FSA ID with the correct name that matches your SS card\n4. Wait another 3 days for the FSA ID system to verify with SSA\n5. Only then start a new FAFSA or correct your existing one\n\nIf your SS card already has your current legal name, make sure your FSA ID matches it exactly. The FAFSA application itself can have your preferred name, but the FSA ID absolutely must match SSA records.

Thank you for laying out the process! My SS card has my maiden name, but my FSA ID has my married name. So I should update my FSA ID to match my SS card, wait 3 days, and then try again with the FAFSA corrections? Does this often work for people?

Yes, update your FSA ID to match your SS card exactly. And yes, this typically resolves the issue for most people. The key is making sure your FSA ID matches SSA records first, then dealing with the FAFSA application.\n\nAlso, I'd recommend checking that your date of birth and SSN are entered correctly in both places. Even a single digit being off can cause these verification failures.

This is the answer!! My daughter had the EXACT same problem. Her SS card has her first+middle+maiden name, but she was trying to use her married name on everything. We fixed her FSA ID to match her SS card and the problem went away after the waiting period.

I had the exact same issue last month with the name mismatch. After spending hours trying to get through to FAFSA on the phone and getting nowhere, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an actual FAFSA agent in about 15 minutes who fixed the issue on their end. There's a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ\n\nThe agent explained that name mismatches are one of the most common issues they deal with, and sometimes they need to manually override the system when it gets stuck in verification loops.

I've never heard of this service before. Did they require a lot of personal information to use it? I'm desperate at this point but also cautious about random services.

No, they just need your phone number to connect the call. You still talk directly with the official FAFSA agents, they just help you skip the wait time. All the personal verification stuff happens directly with the FAFSA agent, not through the service. It was the only way I could finally get someone on the phone after days of trying.

i used them 2 for verification issues and it worked but took like 25 min to connect not 15...still WAY better than the 3+ hrs i waited before lol. the fafsa ppl can fix sooo many things if u actually reach them

Your situation is actually pretty common, especially for people who've changed names due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons. While you technically cannot

I didn't realize creating a completely new FSA ID was even possible (though I understand it's not recommended). I'll try the proper route first - updating my FSA ID to match my SS card and waiting. If that doesn't work, I'll try Claimyr to reach an agent who can help with a manual override. Thank you!

dont forget that ur financial aid package might get messed up if u dont fix this soon!!! my friend had this problem and ended up missing priority deadlines and got wayyy less money. fix this ASAP!!

That's exactly what I'm worried about! My school's priority deadline is March 15th, so I've got about 2 weeks to get this fixed. I'm going to try updating my FSA ID today and if that doesn't work, I'll use Claimyr by the end of the week to talk to an agent directly.

One more thing to consider: when you update your FSA ID to match your SS card, make sure you're using the LEGAL name on your SS card, not a nickname. For example, if your SS card says \

That's really helpful - thank you! My SS card has my full middle name spelled out, so I'll make sure to include that exactly in my FSA ID update. I'll update here once I get this resolved in case it helps someone else with the same problem.

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! The FSA ID/SS card name mismatch is so common but the system makes it feel impossible to fix. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Updated my FSA ID to match my SS card EXACTLY (including middle name spelled out completely) 2. Waited the full 3 business days (don't try to rush this step!) 3. Called the school's financial aid office while waiting - they were able to put a note on my file about the delay so I wouldn't miss priority consideration 4. After the waiting period, the FAFSA corrections went through smoothly The waiting is agonizing when deadlines are looming, but skipping the wait time just makes it fail again. Also definitely contact your school's aid office - they deal with this constantly and can often work with you on deadlines when it's a known FAFSA system issue, not student procrastination. Good luck! You're so close to getting this resolved.