FAFSA parent section confusion - does my son need separate account?

Your son definitely needs to complete his own student section of the FAFSA. However, he needs to create his own FSA ID (not just an account) at studentaid.gov first. Then he'll log in separately with his own FSA ID to complete the student portion. You can't do this part for him - the system requires separate FSA IDs for security reasons. Don't worry though, it's a common question! The process goes like this: 1. Parent creates FSA ID and completes parent section 2. Student creates separate FSA ID 3. Student logs in with their FSA ID and completes student section 4. FAFSA combines both portions for a complete application

he needs his own FSA ID not just an account. new rules this year, everyone needs their own login stuff. parents cant do it all anymore

To clarify my earlier response: after you complete the parent contribution section, you'll be asked to provide information about the student who will need to complete their section. The system will send them an email notification with instructions on how to access and complete their portion. They'll need their own FSA ID to do this, but the system handles connecting the parent and student sections automatically using the information you provide. No need for confirmation numbers.

UGH this new FAFSA system is driving me CRAZY!!! My daughter and I had to create separate FSA IDs and it took FOREVER because the system kept timing out. Then after I finished my part it didn't even notify her properly and we almost missed the priority deadline!!! Make sure you follow up with your son directly to confirm he got the email. Don't trust the system to work correctly!!

One important thing that hasn't been mentioned: make sure you use DIFFERENT email addresses for your FSA ID and your son's FSA ID. This is a common mistake that causes problems later. Also, both of you need to remember your FSA ID username and password - write them down somewhere secure. You'll need them again for next year's FAFSA and for accessing other financial aid tools.

If you're having trouble getting through to a Federal Student Aid agent for clarification (which I did multiple times), I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to FSA in under 20 minutes when I was stuck with FSA ID verification issues. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and their website is claimyr.com. Definitely worth it when you're up against submission deadlines and need immediate help.

jst make sure u both use diffrent emails and phone #s for ur FSA IDs or it gets all messed up. Learned that the hard way lol

The new FAFSA process is actually trying to be more secure by requiring separate FSA IDs, which is good! But it does create confusion. One thing that helped us was going through the process together with my daughter - I did my part first while she watched, then she immediately did her part while I was there to help. Made the whole thing much less stressful.

oh and remember the SAI score is what matters now not the EFC like it used to be. totally different calculation this year

To summarize the correct process based on the discussion: 1. You (parent) create your FSA ID with your email and phone number 2. You complete the parent section of the FAFSA 3. At the end of your section, you'll provide details for your son 4. Your son creates his own FSA ID using his own email and phone number 5. He'll receive instructions to complete his portion 6. Once both sections are completed, the FAFSA is submitted And if you run into technical issues or have questions about your SAI calculation later, remember you can contact Federal Student Aid directly or use services that help connect you with agents.

As someone who just went through this process last month, I can confirm everything James summarized is correct! One additional tip: when your son creates his FSA ID, make sure he has his Social Security card and driver's license handy for the identity verification process. The system will ask him to verify his identity using information from these documents, and having them ready will make the process much smoother. Also, don't be surprised if the FSA ID creation takes 1-3 business days to fully activate - this is normal and part of the security verification process.