FAFSA parent accounts for twins - Do I need separate FSA IDs or can I use one account for both?

You only need ONE FSA ID as a parent/contributor. You can use the same FSA ID to access and complete the contributor section for both of your twins. When each of your children sends you a contributor invitation, you'll accept both invitations using the same FSA ID login. The system recognizes you're the same person contributing to multiple students' applications. Just make sure you complete both contributor sections separately and thoroughly - the information should be identical for both twins since you're reporting the same financial information, but you need to go through the process for each child's application.

My triplets started college last year and I only needed to make 1 FSA ID for myself. Used it for all three kids applications. Much easier!!

Just to add some clarity around the technical aspects: When your twins each create their FAFSA applications, they'll generate unique contributor invitations for you. You'll receive separate emails with different links, but you'll log in with the same FSA ID credentials each time. After logging in, you'll see a dashboard that shows all the students who have invited you as a contributor. You'll need to complete each contribution separately, but all your basic profile information will already be there - you'll just need to enter the financial information for each student's application. Remember that for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll be reporting your 2023 tax information for both applications.

UGHHH this FAFSA system is so frustrating!!! I had the EXACT same situation with my twins last year. I tried using one FSA ID for both kids and the system kept glitching out. I'd complete one kid's form and then when I tried to do the second one, it would sometimes show information from the first application or give errors. I ended up having to create a SECOND FSA ID with a different email just to get it to work properly. The whole system is a MESS since they redesigned it!

When I was trying to complete my twins FAFSA last year I couldn't get through on the phone for WEEKS when having technical problems. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected. Eventually I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a FAFSA rep in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Might be worth keeping in your back pocket if you run into issues with the system or have questions about your twins' applications. They connected me directly to someone who could help navigate the multiple student situation.

make sure ur twins each create their own seperate fsa id's! thats super important. but ya you only need 1 for yourself as the parent.

One additional tip specific to twins: Make sure both of your children indicate on their FAFSA applications that they have a twin who is also attending college. This information is important because the number of family members in college simultaneously impacts the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation, which determines financial aid eligibility. Having multiple students in college at the same time typically increases aid eligibility for each student, as the family's financial contribution is considered to be split among the students. Just be consistent with all the household information across both applications.

After dealing with this exact situation last year, I can confirm that you only need one FSA ID as a parent. However, I strongly recommend taking screenshots of the confirmation page after completing each twin's contributor section. The new FAFSA system sometimes doesn't send confirmation emails reliably, and with multiple applications, it's easy to get confused about which ones you've completed. Also, set calendar reminders to check both applications' status regularly. Sometimes one application processes faster than the other even when submitted on the same day.

As someone who just went through this process with my own twins this year, I can confirm what others have said - you definitely only need ONE FSA ID as the parent! The system is actually designed pretty well for this situation once you understand how it works. Here's what worked smoothly for me: After my twins each sent me contributor invitations, I logged in with my single FSA ID and could see both pending requests in my dashboard. I completed each one separately (took about 20 minutes each), and the financial information was the same for both since it's all about our family's finances. One tip that saved me time: Have your 2023 tax return handy before you start either application. Even though you're entering the same info twice, having everything organized made the process much faster. Good luck with your twins' college journey!