FAFSA shows 'can't calculate SAI' error after initial processing - then mysteriously fixed itself

same thing happened to my son!! we had an SAI in february then it disappeared with no explanation. waited 3 weeks and nothing happened so I called FSA but got disconnected TWICE after waiting for 40 mins each time. gave up calling. then last week it magically fixed itself with a lower SAI too. no idea why?? this whole process is maddening

This is actually part of the Department of Education's ongoing SAI recalculation effort. Many 2024-2025 FAFSA applications are being automatically corrected and reprocessed due to a calculation error in the original formula. The good news is you don't need to do anything - the system is working as designed in this case, though I understand why it seems concerning. The temporary disappearance of your SAI occurs during the reprocessing period. The blank "Next Steps" is a known glitch that happens during recalculations. The lower SAI is likely the corrected calculation, which is working in your favor.

I DONT TRUST THIS AT ALL!!! How do we know these "corrections" are even accurate?? My daughter's SAI disappeared for THREE WEEKS then came back with a number that was $4200 HIGHER!! No explanation, no way to see what changed. Called FSA six times and got disconnected or hung up on every single time. This system is GARBAGE and designed to confuse families. Has anyone successfully gotten an explanation about what these "corrections" actually are???

my fafsa got all messed up too but in my case it went from approved to rejected and back to approved again lol. the financial aid person at my community college said its happening to tons of people this year because of the new formula. just be glad yours went down instead of up like mine did 😩

I had the exact same issue with my FAFSA application, and after trying to call the Federal Student Aid helpline for days with no success (constant busy signals, disconnections, endless holds), I finally got through using Claimyr.com. It basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. They have a video demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent explained that the system is automatically recalculating SAIs as part of a massive correction effort. The temporary disappearance is normal during reprocessing. In my case, they were able to confirm exactly what had changed in the calculation - turns out my retirement contributions were being counted incorrectly in the first calculation.

This is completely normal and happening to thousands of families right now. The Department of Education is implementing corrections to the SAI calculation formula, which is causing temporary status changes in the system. Here's what's happening specifically: 1. Your original application was processed correctly 2. The DoE identified calculation adjustments needed across all applications 3. During reprocessing, the system shows the "unable to calculate" message 4. Once reprocessing completes, a new (and generally more accurate) SAI appears The blank Next Steps page is a known technical issue during recalculation. The fact that your SAI decreased is good news - it means your twins may qualify for more aid than originally calculated. I recommend checking if the colleges your twins are considering have received the updated SAI information. Some schools' systems take 3-5 business days to sync with the new FAFSA data.

lol welcome to FAFSA chaos 2024!! my daughters application has changed like 3 different times with no explanation. first it was processed, then it said there was an error, then it said it was selected for verification, then that disappeared and now its just normal again with a different SAI than before. nobody at her school can explain why and we've just given up trying to understand it

Just to follow up on your question about whether this could happen again - the Department of Education has indicated that most recalculations should be completed by early May, but there may be additional targeted corrections for specific scenarios through June. If your twins' applications were recalculated once, it's possible but less likely they'll be adjusted again. To stay informed, I recommend: 1. Checking your StudentAid.gov account weekly 2. Reading all emails from Federal Student Aid carefully 3. Staying in contact with the financial aid offices at your twins' chosen schools Schools are being advised on how to handle these recalculations, and many are being flexible with financial aid deadlines as a result.

This whole situation is honestly a nightmare for families trying to make college decisions! I'm dealing with something similar - my daughter's FAFSA has been a rollercoaster. It was initially processed in March, then showed "pending" for weeks, then suddenly got reprocessed with a completely different SAI last week. No communication from FSA about what was happening during those weeks of uncertainty. What's really frustrating is that colleges are asking for deposit decisions while our financial aid picture keeps changing. I've had to reach out to three different schools to explain the FAFSA chaos and ask for deadline extensions. Thankfully most have been understanding, but it shouldn't be this stressful! At least your twins' SAI went down - that's a silver lining in all this confusion. I'd definitely recommend screenshotting everything and keeping records of all the changes, just in case you need to reference them later with the schools.