FAFSA stuck on 'missing signature' status + received wrong year SAR for my sophomore

exact same thing happened with my daughter!! missing signature for weeks then got SAR for wrong year too. so frustrating!!!

Did you figure out how to fix it? I tried calling FSA but got disconnected after waiting 45 minutes 😡

This sounds like two separate issues. The 'missing signature' status is common with the new FAFSA system. You need to go back into the application and check specifically which signature is missing - it might be that only one of you completed the signature process. Look for a banner at the top of your account dashboard.\n\nAs for receiving a 2023-2024 SAR, that's unusual. Is it possible your son had an incomplete application from last year that was just processed? Or did you perhaps log into an old account when starting the new application?

Thanks for the help! We checked and you're right - apparently I (the parent) didn't complete the full signature process. But I'm still confused about the SAR for the wrong year. We definitely didn't have an incomplete application - he's already receiving aid for this current year. Could the system have just sent the wrong one accidentally?

It's possible, but unlikely that they'd send the wrong year SAR accidentally. More likely there was some activity on the 23-24 application (maybe a correction or update) that triggered the SAR to be sent. I'd recommend completing the signature process for the 25-26 FAFSA first, then if you don't receive the correct SAR within 3-5 business days, call FSA to inquire specifically about that.

Will do that today. Thanks again!

I had this EXACT problem last month!!! The signature thing is super confusing with the new FAFSA. For me, I thought I signed it but actually I only created my FSA ID and didn't finish the actual signature part. You have to click through like 3 more screens AFTER they send the verification code. Did you both get confirmation emails that your signatures were accepted?

No, I didn't get a confirmation email about my signature being accepted. I think that's the issue. I'll go back and see if I can complete those extra steps. This new system is so much more complicated than it needs to be!

the new fasfa is trash lol. my brother's app was stuck on \

After spending hours on the phone trying to get through to FSA for a similar issue, I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an agent in about 10 minutes. They have a service that basically waits on hold for you then calls when an agent is available. Saved me so much frustration. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. The agent I spoke with was able to tell me exactly which signature was missing and what steps to take.

I've never heard of that service before. Did they actually solve your problem? I'm desperate at this point since we keep getting disconnected when calling directly.

Yes, the FSA agent I got connected to was able to see exactly which part of our application was stuck and walked me through fixing it. Much better than guessing what the problem might be. It's worth trying if you're stuck in the phone queue loop.

I'll definitely look into that, thanks. At this point I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved before the priority deadline.

This kind of issue is unfortunately common with the redesigned FAFSA. Here's what you need to do:\n\n1. Log into studentaid.gov using YOUR FSA ID (the parent), not your son's\n2. Go to the 'My FAFSA' section\n3. Find the 2025-2026 application in progress\n4. There should be a banner or notification showing which signature is missing\n5. Complete the signature process - which includes confirming personal information, agreeing to terms, AND entering the confirmation code sent to your email or phone\n\nRegarding the wrong year SAR: Once you fix the signature issue, you should receive the correct SAR within 3-5 days. If your son had any activity on his 2023-2024 FAFSA (even automated recalculations), it could have triggered the old SAR to be sent. Don't worry too much about that unless you don't receive the correct one after fixing the signature issue.

this is good advice 👍 the parent signature part is where most ppl mess up

Thank you for these detailed steps! I just checked using my FSA ID and you're absolutely right - it shows MY signature is what's missing. I remember entering the verification code but must have closed the browser before completing all steps. Going to fix this right now.

Great! Once you complete that, the application should process within a few days. Make sure to check both your email and your son's for confirmation. If you continue having issues, take screenshots of any error messages - they're helpful when calling for support.

I work in a financial aid office and we're seeing these kinds of issues constantly with the new FAFSA. The signature process is definitely confusing families. Here's what might have happened with the wrong SAR: Did your son recently access his 2023-2024 FAFSA data for any reason? Even viewing it can sometimes trigger a new SAR to be generated. \n\nRegarding the missing signature, even if you completed your part as the parent contributor, there's a separate signature section that must be completed by both student and parent. The parent contributor needs both an FSA ID and to complete the signature attestation. They're different steps in the process.\n\nAlso, make sure that the FAFSA is showing your son as a 'continuing student' rather than first-year, as that could affect how his application is processed.

Thank you for this insider perspective! We did look at last year's data when starting the new application, so that explains the old SAR being sent. I've completed my signature now, and it's showing as processing. You're right that it had me listed as 'contributor' separate from the signature part - that was confusing. Appreciate your help!

Happy to help! Yes, the contributor section and the signature section being separate has confused many families. Watch for an email confirmation of successful submission within 24-48 hours. If you don't receive one, log back in to double-check the status. The new system is definitely experiencing growing pains.

update on my situation - after waiting for ONE MONTH with the signature stuck thing, i called and they said we needed to start over!!!! all that time wasted and they never sent an email to tell us.

Oh no! That's awful. Did you have to redo the entire application or just the signature part?

the entire application!!! and then it was processed in like 2 days. so annoying they couldnt just tell us it was broken instead of making us wait.

UPDATE: Problem solved! Following everyone's advice, I logged in with my FSA ID and found I needed to complete additional signature steps that weren't obvious during the original submission. After completing those steps, the application status changed to

Great news! Glad you got it resolved in time for your priority deadline. The signature process is definitely not intuitive with the redesigned system.

nice! 👍 i wish theyd make these forms easier to understand lol