FAFSA parent section nightmare - can't reach anyone by phone for help

omg same!! ive called like 6 times this week. either busy signal or the automated system just hangs up on me after 20 min. so frustrating

The parent section can definitely be tricky, especially with divorced parents. For the AGI mismatch, double-check that your dad is entering his AGI exactly as it appears on his 2023 tax return (line 11 on Form 1040). Even a single digit off will cause the error. Also make sure he's using his own FSA ID, not yours, when completing his section. If you keep getting the error, you might need to request a tax transcript from the IRS to verify the correct numbers.

U should try calling right when they open at 8am EST. Thats when I finally got through last week after trying for days. Still had to wait like 30 min but at least someone picked up!

I had a NIGHTMARE with the parent section too!! What worked for me was using Claimyr.com - it holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me from wasting hours on hold. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. I was skeptical but it connected me to a FAFSA agent in about 40 minutes while I was in class. The agent walked my dad through fixing the tax info mismatch issue.

This is a common issue with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. I work in a college financial aid office, and we're seeing lots of students with parent section problems, especially with the AGI verification. Here are the main solutions we're recommending: 1. Verify that the parent is using their own FSA ID (not yours) 2. Confirm the parent is entering their AGI from the correct tax year (2023 for the 2025-2026 FAFSA) 3. Check for any amended tax returns that might cause a mismatch 4. Make sure the name on the tax return EXACTLY matches the FSA ID name (even middle initials matter) 5. If all else fails, you can submit your FAFSA without the parent contribution section and then submit documentation directly to your school's financial aid office explaining the technical issues Don't panic about the deadline - if you've created and saved your FAFSA application (even incomplete), most schools will work with you if you explain the technical difficulties.

the entire fafsa system is GARBAGE this year!!! my parents tried for TWO MONTHS to get their section done. ended up having to go IN PERSON to my college financial aid office to get help. total disaster. the government should be embarrassed by this trash website!!

Keep trying with the phone number. I know it's frustrating but I finally got through after 13 attempts over 3 weeks. The most surprising thing is that different agents gave me completely different answers. The first two couldn't help with the parent AGI issue, but the third one immediately knew what was wrong and fixed it in minutes. Apparently there was a glitch with how the system was reading my mom's married name vs. her name on her tax return. Might be worth checking if that's your issue too - even a hyphen or middle initial difference can cause the mismatch error.

have you tried using the live chat on the studentaid.gov website? sometimes its faster than calling

If your school's deadline is in 18 days, I would strongly recommend contacting your school's financial aid office directly. Explain the technical issues you're having with the parent section. Most schools have processes in place for FAFSA technical difficulties, especially with all the problems in the new system. They may be able to hold your aid package or give you a deadline extension while you resolve the issues. Don't wait until after the deadline to do this!

One more thing to check - make sure your parent is using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if possible. This automatically pulls the tax information directly from the IRS, which eliminates the possibility of manual entry errors with the AGI. About 30% of the parent section issues we see are resolved by using this tool rather than manual entry.