FAFSA showing wrong birthdate for daughter - error when trying to correct it
I'm at my wits' end with this FAFSA birthdate issue! My daughter's birthdate is wrong on her FAFSA application (system somehow has her born in 2006 instead of 2007), and every time she tries to correct it, she gets an error message saying "Unable to Complete This Action" and tells her to exit the form and try again. We've tried multiple times on different devices and browsers with the same result. When we called her school's financial aid office, they said it's a FAFSA system issue and we need to contact Federal Student Aid. But when we finally got through to someone at FSA after waiting 2+ hours, they told us the financial aid office needs to make the correction! We're caught in this ridiculous loop with her college deadlines approaching. Has anyone dealt with birthdate correction problems on FAFSA? How did you resolve it? We're seriously stressed about this holding up her entire financial aid package for next year.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
This exact problem happened to my son last year! It's actually a common issue with the FAFSA system. The financial aid office is wrong - they CAN'T fix birthdate errors. Only FSA can fix it, but you need to speak with a tier 2 support agent, not the regular customer service reps. Here's what worked for us: 1. Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 2. When the automated system answers, say "Agent" right away 3. When you get a person, specifically ask for a "birthdate correction specialist" or to be transferred to tier 2 support 4. Explain that you've already tried correcting it online and get the error They'll need to verify your daughter's identity with her FSA ID and some personal info, then they can manually override the birthdate in their system. It takes about 3-5 business days to process after they make the change.
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Talia Klein
•Thank you SO much for this detailed help! I never thought to ask for a tier 2 agent or birthdate correction specialist. We'll try calling again tomorrow morning. Did they explain why this happens? It's so frustrating that neither website clearly explains the proper process for fixing this.
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PaulineW
honestly i had a similar problem but with my name (they had my middle name as my last name lol) and it kept giving me errors when i tried to fix it online. so annoying!! financial aid people at school were useless too
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Talia Klein
•Ugh, I'm sorry you dealt with this too! Did you ever get it fixed? We're worried this is going to mess up her SAI calculation and delay everything.
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PaulineW
•yeah eventually got it fixed but took forever. had to send in like my birth certificate and stuff. make sure u save that error screenshot it might help prove u tried to fix it online
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Annabel Kimball
I work in financial aid and can clarify this situation. There's a specific process for birthdate corrections that most people (including some financial aid officers) don't understand. Birthdate errors specifically fall under what's called "non-correction data elements" in the FAFSA system. These require a different process than regular corrections. Your daughter needs to: 1. Download and complete the "FAFSA Correction Request Form" (search for it on studentaid.gov) 2. Include a copy of her government-issued ID showing the correct birthdate 3. Send these documents directly to Federal Student Aid processing center Alternatively, she can request what's called a "Special Circumstances Override" through her school's financial aid office, but they need to submit it through a system called FAA Access, not through the student portal. The reason you're seeing that error is that birthdate changes require identity verification that can't be done through the standard online correction process.
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Talia Klein
•Thank you for this expert information! Is the "FAFSA Correction Request Form" available directly on studentaid.gov? I just searched for it and couldn't find anything with that exact name. Is it called something else now with the 2025-2026 FAFSA?
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Annabel Kimball
•You're right - with the new FAFSA Simplification Act changes, they've renamed it. Look for "Federal Student Aid Correction Form" instead. If you can't find it, call FSA directly and ask them to email you the current form for birthdate corrections. The form changes frequently which is why schools sometimes give outdated information.
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Chris Elmeda
THIS HAPPENS TO SO MANY PEOPLE!!! the entire fafsa system is broken especially with the new "simplified" version 🙄 my cousins application had her birth year wrong too and we spent WEEKS trying to fix it. eventually we had to file a formal complaint through the ombudsman to get anyone to actually help us. the whole thing is ridiculous!!
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Jean Claude
After dealing with similar FAFSA errors (wrong SSN in my case), I discovered Claimyr and it was a game-changer for getting through to an actual FSA agent. Saved me hours of frustration. I was getting the same runaround between my school and FAFSA. I used it at claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Basically they wait on hold for you and call when an agent picks up. Got me through to a specialist who fixed my info right away instead of waiting for hours. Super helpful for these kinds of urgent fixes especially during peak FAFSA season when wait times are insane.
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Talia Klein
•Thank you for sharing this! After trying multiple times today and getting disconnected after 1+ hour holds, I'm desperate enough to try anything that might help us actually reach someone who can fix this. I'll check out that video.
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PaulineW
•wait this is genius, does it work for state financial aid calls too?? my california grant application is all messed up too and i cant get anyone on the phone
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Charity Cohan
Hey there - just want to double check... are you 100% sure you're using the right FSA ID when trying to make the correction? My daughter was using MY FSA ID by accident when trying to fix her info and kept getting errors. Once she logged in with her own FSA ID, she was able to make changes. Just something to check if you haven't already!
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Talia Klein
•Thanks for the suggestion! We double-checked and she's definitely using her own FSA ID. The weird thing is she can make other corrections but the birthdate specifically gives that error. We're going to try calling again with the specialist info others have suggested.
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Josef Tearle
This is actually a common issue with the 2025-2026 FAFSA form. The birthdate field has special validation rules that can trigger system errors when corrections are attempted. Based on the screenshot you shared, this is the standard error that appears when trying to update personally identifiable information (PII) that requires additional verification. Here's the correct process: 1. Print out Form FSA-CC25 (Correction Request for Personal Information) 2. Complete Sections A and C, specifically marking the birthdate correction box 3. Attach a photocopy of your daughter's birth certificate or passport 4. Mail it to the Federal Student Aid Processing Center in Iowa 5. Allow 10-15 business days for processing While waiting for this correction, contact your daughter's school financial aid office and request a temporary verification override so her application can be processed with the understanding that the birthdate correction is pending. They can place a special code in the system that will allow conditional processing. Don't worry about missing deadlines - schools have procedures for these known FAFSA system issues. Just make sure to document all your communication attempts.
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Talia Klein
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I had no idea there was a specific form for this exact purpose. Is the FSA-CC25 form available to download from studentaid.gov or do we need to request it?
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Josef Tearle
•You can download the FSA-CC25 form directly from studentaid.gov/resources. Look under the "Forms" section. If you can't find it there, call 1-800-433-3243 and select the option for "Forms and Publications" to have it mailed to you. The form was updated in January 2025 for the new FAFSA system, so make sure you're using the most current version.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
Just checking back - were you able to get this resolved? The birthdate issue is critical because it affects her SAI calculation and potentially her eligibility for age-specific grants like some state programs for first-time college students under 19.
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Talia Klein
•Update: We finally got it fixed! After trying several of the suggestions here, what ended up working was calling early morning (right when they opened) and specifically asking for a tier 2 specialist for birthdate corrections. The agent was able to verify her identity and manually override the birthdate in the system. They said it will take 3-5 days to fully update, but we can already see the correction pending in her account. Thanks everyone for your help with this frustrating situation!
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Zoe Papadopoulos
So glad to hear you got it resolved! This thread is going to be super helpful for other families dealing with the same issue. The tip about calling right when they open and asking specifically for a "tier 2 specialist for birthdate corrections" is gold - I'm bookmarking this whole conversation. The FAFSA system really needs better error messaging to guide people through these correction processes instead of just saying "Unable to Complete This Action." Thanks for sharing your update!
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