FAFSA parent contribution section - no invitation received after students created accounts

This happened with me and my daughter!!! The emails sometimes take FOREVER or never come. Just log in directly to your FSA ID account and check the dashboard - you should see your sons' applications there waiting for your contribution section. The emails are super unreliable.

Thank you! I'll check my dashboard right now. Fingers crossed it shows up there. I was afraid to mess something up by going in without the invitation.

i had same problem with my kid. their system is totally broken this year. the emails either go to spam or never arrive. just log in to your account directly and u should see something like \

The new system is GARBAGE. My daughter's application has been stuck for 3 weeks because they somehow lost my contribution even though I completed it. Now they're saying we have to start over. I'm beyond furious with whoever designed this nightmare.

This is a common issue with the redesigned FAFSA system. Here's what you need to know:\n\n1. The email invitations are frequently delayed or caught in spam filters\n2. You can absolutely log in directly to studentaid.gov with your FSA ID\n3. Once logged in, navigate to the FAFSA form section and you should see your sons' applications requiring your contribution\n4. Verify your sons correctly designated you as a contributor with your exact email address\n5. If you don't see the applications in your dashboard, have your sons log in and check the status of their applications - they may need to resend the invitation\n\nThe system will recognize your relationship to the students once you log in with your FSA ID that's linked to their applications. You don't need to wait for the email invitation.

This is so helpful, thank you! I checked my dashboard and found one son's application but not the other. I'll have them both log in and check the status. At least I know I can proceed without waiting for that email invitation.

Ugh I totally understand your frustration! I waited TWO WEEKS for an invitation that never came. Try checking your spam folder first (mine wasn't there either but worth checking). When I finally logged into my FSA ID account directly, I could see my daughter's application waiting for my contribution section right on the dashboard. \n\nOne thing to note: make sure your FSA ID email exactly matches the email your sons entered when they listed you as a contributor. If there's even a slight difference, the system won't connect the accounts properly.

Thanks for this! I logged in and found one application but not the other. Maybe there was a typo in the email for one of my sons' forms. I'll have them verify what email they entered for me.

Has anyone tried calling the Federal Student Aid helpline about this? I had the EXACT same problem but could never get through to an actual person. Just curious if they have any official solution since so many people seem to be having this issue with parent contribution invites?

I spent 3+ hours on hold with FSA last week trying to resolve this same issue. After being disconnected twice, I found Claimyr.com which got me connected to an agent in about 9 minutes. They confirmed this is a widespread issue and said parents should just log in directly rather than wait for invitations. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration with the hold times.

The FAFSA system is COMPLETELY BROKEN this year!!! My son and I have been trying for WEEKS to get my parent contribution submitted. First the invitation never came, then when I finally figured out I could log in directly, the system kept crashing when I tried to enter my tax information. Now they're saying his SAI is calculated without my info which makes NO SENSE since he's a dependent student! This whole redesign is a DISASTER and is going to cost students thousands in aid!!

same here!! i finally got in after no invitation email but now the tax link thing isn't working. keeps saying

If you're having issues with the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, make sure you're waiting at least 10-15 seconds on that screen before clicking any buttons. The connection to the IRS database can be slow. Also, your tax filing information must exactly match what's on your return, including abbreviations. If manual entry is your only option, double-check line 11 on your 1040 for AGI and verify all W-2 information is entered correctly.

I had twins who applied in January and my invitation came right away. Maybe it's getting worse as more people apply? Try changing your email password and clearing your browser cache before logging in to your FSA ID account. Sometimes the system gets confused if you used the same browser for both your account and your children's accounts. Good luck!

Update for anyone with the same problem: I logged into my FSA ID account directly and found one son's application but not the other. My son checked and realized he had misspelled my email address when entering me as a contributor (he put .con instead of .com 🤦‍♀️). He fixed it and resent the invitation. Still no email, but when I logged in again this morning, both applications showed up in my dashboard! I've completed the parent contribution section for both of them now. \n\nSo yes, you CAN go ahead without waiting for the invite email! And triple check that your student entered your email correctly.

Thanks for the update! Glad you got it figured out! The .con vs .com thing is such an easy mistake to make and causes so much stress!