FAFSA showing "no SSN" for joint-filing spouse - can't correct error!

This EXACT same thing happened to me too!! The system accepted my tax info through the IRS retrieval tool but somehow processed everything without asking for assets. Then when I went back to fix it, my wife's SSN showed as missing even though we file jointly. It's so frustrating because it's clearly a system error on their end.

u need to call FSA directly, theres no way to fix the ssn issue online. its a common glitch in the new fafsa system

This is a known issue with the new FAFSA system. The problem is that when the IRS data transfer occurs, sometimes it doesn't properly assign the SSN to both contributors even though it successfully pulls your joint tax information. You'll need to: 1. Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 2. Explain that the system is showing "no SSN" for a contributor even though you filed jointly 3. They'll need to manually override this in their system 4. After the override, you should be able to go back in and add your asset information The good news is that since your tax information was already accepted, your daughter's SAI calculation isn't completely off - just incomplete without the assets.

i had a similar issue and spent THREE DAYS trying to call that FSA number. kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is about to pick up. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Saved me so much frustration and I got through to someone who fixed the SSN issue in like 5 minutes once I actually talked to them.

Financial aid advisor here - this is definitely a common issue with the new FAFSA system. A few important things to note: 1. When the IRS Data Retrieval Tool successfully imports your tax information, it DOES include your adjusted gross income and tax information from your joint return. This means the core income data IS there even if one spouse's SSN isn't properly linked. 2. What's missing is the asset information, which wasn't part of your tax return (things like savings accounts, investments, etc.). While important, this generally has less impact on your SAI calculation than your income data. 3. The missing SSN for a contributor who is clearly part of the tax return is a system issue that requires manual correction by a Federal Student Aid representative. 4. Important: Make sure to document all your attempts to fix this issue. Take screenshots of the error messages. This documentation can be useful if there are any delays in processing her aid package due to this technical issue.

Yes, I would recommend contacting her college's financial aid office as well. Let them know: 1. That you're experiencing a technical issue with the FAFSA (the missing SSN glitch) 2. That you're actively working with FSA to resolve it 3. Ask if they need any additional documentation from you in the meantime Many schools are aware of these FAFSA system issues and have processes in place to help students affected by them. They might be able to put a note in her file or give her a grace period while the correction is being processed.

lol welcome to FAFSA 2.0 where nothing works right 🙃 my sisters application somehow listed our DECEASED grandfather as a contributor and we literally cannot remove him

nope lol... still trying. financial aid office at her school said they've seen it happen to other people too 💀

Update: Just got off the phone with FSA after using that Claimyr service. The agent said this is happening because the system is incorrectly flagging some joint-filing spouses as "non-tax-filers" even though they clearly filed taxes together. She fixed the SSN issue and reset the contributor section so I could enter the asset information properly. The whole call took less than 15 minutes once I actually got through!

Yes - have your daughter's name, DOB, and FSA ID ready. Also your own FSA ID, SSN, and they'll ask some identity verification questions. Having a copy of your tax return handy is helpful too. Good luck!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at FSA! Used the Claimyr service that was recommended and it worked perfectly. The representative confirmed it's a known system issue where joint-filing spouses sometimes get flagged incorrectly. They fixed my husband's SSN and unlocked the contributor section so I could add our asset information. Our daughter's updated SAI should be available in 3-5 business days. Thank you everyone for your help!

So glad you got this resolved! I'm dealing with a similar issue right now where my spouse's SSN isn't showing up correctly even though we filed jointly. Just signed up for that Claimyr service you mentioned - fingers crossed I can get through to someone soon. It's so frustrating that such a basic thing like recognizing joint tax filers is causing so many problems with the new system. Thanks for sharing your experience and the solution that worked!