FAFSA shows 'SAI cannot be calculated' error after January submission - tried everything!

Yeah, I had this same error last month with my daughter's application. The 'SAI cannot be calculated' message is super common this year because of all the FAFSA changes. In our case, it turned out there was a mismatch between our reported assets and our tax return information (even though we used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool). What finally worked was submitting a correction to the FAFSA. Log into studentaid.gov, click on "Make FAFSA Corrections" and review EVERY single field, especially the household size, number in college, and the asset questions. Even if everything looks correct, sometimes just resubmitting those sections forces their system to recalculate. My daughter's SAI was calculated about 4 days after we submitted the correction.

this happnd to us 2!! the chat ppl kept sayng diffrnt things each time. one said wait 3-5 days, next 1 said 2 weeks, another said we filed wrong. so frustrating!!!

Former college financial aid counselor here. The "SAI cannot be calculated" error is frustratingly common this year with the new FAFSA rollout. There are usually three main causes: 1. **Data mismatch**: The IRS data and what you manually entered don't align 2. **System glitch**: Sometimes their processing system flags applications incorrectly 3. **Specific situation flags**: Certain unusual household or tax situations trigger review flags The fastest resolution is usually to contact Federal Student Aid directly and speak with a level 2 support agent who can see exactly what's flagging your application. However, getting through to them is incredibly difficult right now with call volumes.

I had the same thing happen with my FAFSA submission! After wasting literally DAYS trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid, I finally found Claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual FSA agent in about 15 minutes. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and then call when an agent is ready. I was skeptical but their video demo (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) convinced me to try it. The FSA agent identified the exact problem (in my case it was a mismatch between reported household members and tax dependents) and helped me fix it right on the call. My SAI was calculated by the next day. Saved me so much frustration!

THIS NEW FAFSA IS A DISASTER!!!!! I've been dealing with this EXACT SAME ISSUE since DECEMBER!! Called 23 times (YES I COUNTED) and every single agent tells me something different. One says it's processing normally, next says there's an error, next says resubmit. The Dept of Ed knows they messed up big time with this "simpler" FAFSA rollout but they won't admit it. Millions of students are stuck in limbo while their college decisions are due. It's CRIMINAL how badly they've handled this!!

Have you tried checking if you have a "processing" status or an actual error? There's a difference between: 1. "Your FAFSA is processing" (normal delay) 2. "SAI cannot be calculated" (actual error) If it's the second one, there's almost always something specific causing it. Looking at the issues you mentioned: - Tax information should auto-import through the IRS Data Retrieval Tool - Family size questions are tricky in the new FAFSA - make sure you're counting ONLY people who receive 50%+ financial support from you - Asset questions might need verification One solution that worked for us: have your son call FSA directly (not you as the parent). Sometimes they're more helpful when it's the student. Ask specifically for a "processing error code" which will tell you exactly what's wrong.

Quick update on my earlier comment - my daughter needed her SAI for a similar deadline, and when the correction didn't process fast enough, her school's financial aid office was able to help. They have a special portal to check FAFSA status and sometimes can see more details about what's causing the hold-up. They submitted an override request that got the SAI calculated within 24 hours. Might be worth contacting your son's school again and specifically asking if they can submit an administrative override or processing escalation request.

did u try using a different browser?? my cousin said chrome messes up fafsa sometimes lol

Just so you're aware, if you can't get this resolved in time for the scholarship deadline, many scholarship committees understand the FAFSA issues this year. Have your son contact the scholarship committee directly, explain the situation, and ask if he can submit his application with a note that the SAI is pending due to documented FAFSA processing issues. Many are offering extensions or conditional reviews this year because of the widespread problems.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My daughter's FAFSA has been stuck with the "SAI cannot be calculated" error since mid-February. What I've learned from going through this nightmare is that the error is often triggered by inconsistencies between different sections of the FAFSA, even when everything looks correct on our end. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - check if you reported any untaxed income (like child support, veterans benefits, etc.) in the wrong section. The new FAFSA has moved these questions around and it's easy to double-report or miss reporting certain income types. Also, if you have any business or farm assets, those calculations can cause processing delays. I'm still waiting for resolution myself, but wanted to share what I've learned in case it helps. The whole system is clearly broken this year and it's incredibly stressful when our kids' futures are hanging in the balance. Hang in there!

I went through this exact same nightmare in January! After weeks of frustration, what finally worked for me was discovering that the error was caused by a tiny discrepancy in how I reported my household size versus the number of people I claimed would be in college. Here's what I'd recommend trying immediately: 1. **Log into your FSA account and look for any orange warning triangles** - sometimes there are error messages buried in sections that aren't obvious 2. **Check the "household size" vs "number in college" numbers** - these have to align perfectly with your tax filing status 3. **Verify your state of legal residence matches your tax return state** - this was actually my issue! The good news is once you identify and fix the specific problem, the SAI usually calculates within 24-48 hours. Given your tight deadline, I'd also suggest having your son email the scholarship committee TODAY explaining the situation and asking for a brief extension - most are being very understanding about FAFSA delays this year. Don't give up! The error means there's something specific that can be fixed, it's just a matter of finding what's triggering it.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress right before a scholarship deadline! I just went through something similar with my son's FAFSA. The "SAI cannot be calculated" error drove me absolutely crazy for weeks. What finally resolved it for us was realizing we had made an error in the "parents' marital status" section. Even though we're married and file jointly, we had accidentally selected "unmarried and both parents living together" during one of our many correction attempts. This tiny mistake cascaded into calculation errors throughout the rest of the form. Here's my advice with your 5-day deadline: 1. **Print out your FAFSA and go through it line by line with your tax return** - look for ANY discrepancies, no matter how small 2. **Pay special attention to marital status, household size, and dependency questions** - these drive all the other calculations 3. **Contact the scholarship committee immediately** - explain the FAFSA processing issues and ask if they can accept the application with a pending SAI notation Also, if you submitted corrections recently, sometimes it takes 3-5 business days for the SAI to recalculate even after you fix the underlying issue. The timing might be tight, but don't lose hope! Good luck - I'm rooting for you and your son to get this resolved! 🤞