FAFSA system says husband already has account he never created - blocking my kids' applications

This happens more often than you'd think! My husband had the exact same issue last year. Turns out someone had used his SSN by mistake when creating their own account (possibly a typo). There are two ways to fix this: 1. Have your husband try the "Forgot Username" option using his SSN and email. Sometimes you'll discover an account was created using his info that he didn't know about. 2. If that doesn't work, you need to call FSA and specifically ask for the "FSA ID Resolution Center" - they're the only ones who can resolve SSN conflicts. The regular helpline staff usually can't help with this.

omg same thing happend to me but with my OWN ssn!! system kept saying i already had an account from like 10 yrs ago that i dont remember making. took FOREVER to fix

I used to work in financial aid, and this issue comes up frequently. Here's what's happening: The system is likely detecting either (1) Your husband previously created an FSA ID years ago for his own education or (2) Someone mistakenly entered his SSN when creating their account. The most efficient solution is contacting the FSA ID Resolution Center, but as you've discovered, reaching them by phone is extremely difficult. When calling, make sure to: - Call early in the morning (8am ET when they open) - Have your husband's SSN, DOB, and contact information ready - Specifically request the "FSA ID Resolution Center" as soon as a representative answers In the meantime, you can still gather all other application information and documentation. The SSN verification issue won't affect information collection, just the final submission.

The EXACT same thing happened to me last month!! I was ready to SCREAM after being on hold for 2+ hours and then getting disconnected THREE TIMES IN A ROW. The whole system is a disaster this year with all the changes to the FAFSA. Finally managed to get through to someone who just kept telling me to "reset the password" for an account that DOESN'T EXIST!!!! Absolutely infuriating.

not to hijack your post but I had a kinda similar problem with my exhusband's info. he wouldnt cooperate with giving his info for our son's FAFSA so we had to do this whole dependency override thing. took forever but financial aid office at the college helped us. might not help your exact situation but maybe worth asking the college financial aid offices too not just FAFSA

Try checking if your husband's email or phone is getting any account notifications. My "wife already has an account" problem turned out to be because SHE DID have an account from her own college days 15 years ago and completely forgot about it! We had to recover that old account first before we could continue.

Quick update based on the latest comments: If the FSA ID Resolution Center confirms someone else incorrectly used your husband's SSN, they can disassociate that SSN from the incorrect account. However, this process typically takes 3-5 business days to complete. Given your time constraints, I recommend also doing the following: 1. Contact each college's financial aid office to explain the situation and request additional time 2. Document all your attempts to resolve this (dates/times of calls, emails sent, complaint number) 3. Take screenshots of the error messages This documentation will help if you need to file for a professional judgment review later. Federal aid deadlines can sometimes be extended with proper documentation of technical issues.

UPDATE: I finally got through to the FSA ID Resolution Center this morning! Called right at 8am ET and only waited about 25 minutes. They confirmed someone else had mistakenly used my husband's SSN when creating their account. The agent has submitted a request to disassociate his SSN from that account, and they said it should be resolved within 3-5 business days. I've also contacted all three colleges to explain the situation, and they've been understanding. Two have granted extensions on the financial aid deadlines, and the third said they'd still consider my kids' applications complete as long as we submit within 10 days of getting the SSN issue fixed. Thank you all for the helpful advice! Will update again once everything is finally resolved.

This is such a relief to read! I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation - the FAFSA system is telling me my SSN is already associated with an account I never created, and it's blocking my son's application. I've been dreading the phone call process after reading horror stories about wait times, but your success gives me hope. Quick question - when you called and asked for the FSA ID Resolution Center, did they transfer you directly or did you have to explain the whole situation to the first person who answered? Trying to figure out the best way to phrase my request when I call tomorrow morning. Also, did they ask for any specific documentation to prove the SSN conflict? Thanks for taking the time to update us - posts like this are exactly what this community needs!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this nightmare! As someone who just went through FAFSA hell myself, I feel your pain. The SSN conflict issue seems to be happening to more families this year - I wonder if it's related to all the FAFSA system changes they made. One thing that helped me when I couldn't get through to FSA was reaching out to my kids' high school guidance counselor. She had direct contacts at some of the colleges and was able to advocate for deadline extensions while we sorted out our technical issues. High school counselors deal with these problems all the time and often have insider knowledge about workarounds. Also, if you're on social media, try reaching out to @FAFSA on Twitter with your situation. Sometimes public pressure gets faster responses than going through normal channels. Document everything and don't give up - your kids deserve that financial aid!

I'm so glad to see this thread and that you got it resolved! I'm actually a newcomer here dealing with a very similar issue - the FAFSA system is telling me I already have an account when I'm trying to help my daughter with her application, but I've never created one. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful, especially the specific advice about calling right at 8am and asking directly for the FSA ID Resolution Center. It's frustrating that this seems to be such a common problem this year. I'm wondering if the new FAFSA changes have somehow made the system more sensitive to SSN conflicts, or if there's just been an increase in data entry errors. Either way, it's reassuring to know there's a specific department that can actually fix these issues. I'm planning to follow the strategy outlined here - call first thing tomorrow morning, contact my daughter's school financial aid office to explain the situation, and document everything just in case. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. This community is a lifesaver when you're dealing with these bureaucratic nightmares!