FAFSA parent contribution section driving me crazy - am I the last one struggling with 2025-2026 form?

ur definitely not alone lol. took me like 3 weeks to get the parent part done. the new system is trash

I work at a college financial aid office, and I can assure you that MANY parents are struggling with the 2025-2026 FAFSA contributor sections. The new SAI calculation system has technical issues that FSA is still working to resolve. Here are a few things that have worked for some families: 1. Try completing your section between 11pm-6am when server traffic is lower 2. Make sure your FSA ID was created more than 48 hours before attempting to use it 3. Double-check that your name/DOB/SSN exactly match your Social Security card 4. Use the 'Forget Password' option and reset your FSA ID password If none of those work, don't panic about the deadline. Most schools are being extremely flexible with FAFSA deadlines this year because of the widespread system issues.

I'M LITERALLY GOING THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW!!! The contributor section is BROKEN. I've been trying for TWO MONTHS. Called 12 times and either get disconnected or told "the system is experiencing high volume" WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?? My son is going to miss his scholarship deadline because of this garbage system. Why did they have to change everything?? The old FAFSA worked fine!

I finally got through the contributor section last week but only after completely wiping my browser history/cookies and creating a brand new FSA ID for myself. My old one just would not work no matter what. The whole direct contributor system is completely flawed. I also found out that if you're using any VPN, it can trigger security blocks in their system.

I had this exact same problem! After weeks of frustration, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual FSA agent without the 2+ hour wait. The agent manually fixed something on the backend of my account that was causing the contributor section to freeze. Here's their site: claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ After the agent fixed my account, I was able to complete the contributor section in about 20 minutes. Apparently there's a known issue with accounts that were migrated from the old system.

my daughter just decided to skip fafsa entirely cuz of these problems. shes doing scholarships and working instead. the system is broken beyond repair

Update for everyone following this thread: FSA just released a patch yesterday that addresses many of the contributor section glitches. If you haven't tried in the last 24 hours, it might be worth attempting again. They specifically fixed issues related to: 1. Browser freezing after FSA ID entry 2. Error messages when parent/contributor information doesn't exactly match IRS records 3. Problems with the parent income transfer tool If you're still experiencing issues, contact your student's school financial aid office directly. Many are accepting alternative documentation or incomplete FAFSA submissions with notes about technical difficulties.

now u just gotta wait for the SAI calculation which took like another 2 weeks for me lol

Welcome to the FAFSA struggle club! 🥲 I'm a new parent going through this nightmare for the first time and honestly thought I was losing my mind. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes me feel so much better - misery loves company, right? The fact that they completely overhauled the system and it's THIS broken is infuriating. My kid keeps asking if I've finished "the form" yet and I'm like... honey, this isn't just "a form," this is psychological warfare disguised as financial aid paperwork. Really grateful for all the tips shared here, especially about the recent patch. Going to try again tonight during off-peak hours. Fingers crossed! 🤞