FAFSA rejecting correct SSN - can't update or contact anyone at 18

We had the EXACT same problem with my daughter. Her SSN was correct but FAFSA kept rejecting it. After 3 weeks of trying, we finally figured out that her legal name on her Social Security card had her middle name spelled differently than what we entered on FAFSA (we used her birth certificate spelling). Even though the SSN was correct, the name mismatch was causing the error. Have your son check if his name on the FAFSA matches EXACTLY how it appears on his Social Security card - including middle name, hyphens, suffixes, etc.

OMG the new FAFSA is the WORST!!! My twins are both having similar problems. One of them got through finally but the other is stuck in verification hell. Honestly I think the whole system is just broken this year. My advice? Keep trying to call, try at different times of day. Early morning (right when they open) worked best for us.

This is unfortunately a common issue with the new FAFSA system this year. The SSN verification process is connected to both the Social Security Administration and IRS databases. When there's a mismatch between any of your son's identifying information across these systems, the verification fails - even if the SSN itself is correct. Some potential solutions: 1. Verify ALL information exactly matches his Social Security card (as mentioned above) 2. Check if his tax filing status could be causing issues (if he filed taxes) 3. Have him log in with his own FSA ID and try to create a new FAFSA application 4. Request an appointment with your college's financial aid office - they can often help troubleshoot 5. As a last resort, you may need to request a correction by submitting documentation directly to Federal Student Aid

I had a similar situation with my FAFSA application last month. After days of frustration trying to call FSA, I found a service called Claimyr that helped me finally get through to a real person. They basically hold your place in line with the FAFSA phone system and call you back when an agent is ready. Saved me hours of hold time. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check their demo video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I got through to an agent, they were able to verify my info and manually override the SSN verification issue in about 10 minutes. Worth considering if you're still stuck!

have u tried going to the social security office? sometimes they can give u a letter right there that verifies the ssn. my brother had to do this for his fafsa and it worked

I'm a financial aid counselor at a community college, and we're seeing this issue with dozens of students. The SSN verification problem is usually caused by one of these issues: 1. Name mismatch (as mentioned) 2. Date of birth discrepancy 3. Citizenship status verification problem 4. Special characters in names that the system can't process The frustrating part is that most of these are system errors, not user errors. Your son should: 1. Try accessing his Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov to verify exactly how his information appears in their system 2. Contact his school's financial aid office directly - we have special access channels to resolve these issues 3. If he gets through by phone, request a manual override for the SSN verification Also, reminder to everyone: document EVERYTHING. Keep screenshots, confirmation numbers, names of representatives spoken with, etc. This will be crucial if you need to file an appeal later.

my cousins daughter had the same problem but it was because she got married and changed her last name!!! maybe your son changed his name or something? just a thought

Quick update on this issue: Federal Student Aid just announced they're implementing a temporary workaround for SSN verification problems. Students experiencing this issue should: 1. Email studentaid@ed.gov with subject line "SSN Verification Override Request" 2. Include student's name, FSA ID (not password), and last 4 digits of SSN 3. Briefly explain the verification issue 4. Attach a photo/scan of Social Security card (with full SSN) and government-issued ID They're promising 5-7 business day review times. This is their new official process for handling these widespread verification issues.

UPDATE: Has your son tried logging into studentaid.gov in incognito/private browsing mode? This fixed the SSN issue for my younger brother! Apparently the site stores some verification data in browser cookies, and when they conflict with new information, it can cause these bizarre errors. Worth a try!

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare! My daughter's FAFSA has been stuck in SSN verification limbo for over a month now. What's really frustrating is that we can see her SSN is correct in our tax documents and everywhere else, but the FAFSA system just won't accept it. We've tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache, even having her create a completely new FSA ID. Nothing works. The phone lines are absolutely useless - either busy signals or 3+ hour hold times that end in disconnections. I feel like we're being punished for their broken system. At least it's somewhat reassuring to know we're not alone in this mess, but it doesn't help with the anxiety of potentially missing financial aid deadlines while their system sorts itself out.