FAFSA tax sharing bug - parent contribution stuck processing since March

Same problem here! The parent contribution section has been buggy for like everyone I know. My daughter's application has been stuck since February because of the tax sharing glitch. The invitation shows up in my account but when I click accept it just loads forever then times out. So frustrating!

This is unfortunately a widespread issue with the FAFSA redesign. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool integration is experiencing intermittent failures in the parent contribution section. Three things that have worked for some families: 1. Try accessing the site between 2-5am ET when server load is lowest 2. Use a different browser (Firefox seems to work better than Chrome for the tax sharing function) 3. Clear your cache completely, then try logging in from an incognito/private window If none of those work, request that your school issue a provisional financial aid package based on your previous year's information while you continue working with FSA to resolve the technical issues.

have you tried using a different device? my wife couldnt get the tax sharing thing to work on her laptop for weeks but when she tried on her phone it worked first try. weird but worth a shot

I work in a university financial aid office, and we're seeing this issue with about 30% of our incoming freshman applications. The tax sharing function has been problematic since the FAFSA redesign launched. Here's what I recommend: 1. Your son should immediately contact his school's financial aid office and request a "FAFSA Technical Delay Form" - most schools have created one due to these widespread issues 2. The school can issue a provisional aid package based on estimated figures to hold his housing spot 3. Document every attempt to resolve the issue (screenshots of errors, dates of calls to FSA) 4. Continue attempting the tax sharing process weekly, as the system is being patched regularly The Department of Education has acknowledged these issues and instructed schools to use professional judgment for students caught in technical limbo.

THE ENTIRE FAFSA SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND THEY DON'T CARE!!! My twins are both starting college this fall and we've been trying since JANUARY to get this stupid tax sharing thing to work. Called FSA over 20 times and either get disconnected or told "we're working on it" - WORKING ON IT FOR 5 MONTHS?? How is this acceptable?? Meanwhile my kids might lose scholarships because these incompetent government systems can't handle basic technology. This redesign has been a complete disaster and no one is being held accountable!

After dealing with this exact tax sharing issue for weeks, I finally got through to an actual FSA agent who helped resolve it on the spot. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with a real person instead of waiting on hold forever. They have this service that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent was able to manually verify my tax information and override the system error. Our application was fully processed 48 hours later. Might be worth trying since you're up against that June 15th deadline!

my cousin had this happen and his school just used his SAI from last year as an estimate until the system got fixed. maybe ask if they can do that for your son?

Update: I tried the early morning thing that someone suggested (logged in at 3:30am) and the tax sharing actually worked!!! My husband's contribution finally went through. Maybe the servers really are less busy then?

Quick update based on information released yesterday: The Department of Education has acknowledged this specific tax sharing bug and announced they'll be implementing a fix by June 5th. In the meantime, they've instructed all schools to use alternative documentation (like uploaded tax returns) for affected students. Have your son email his financial aid office specifically referencing the "Parent Contributor Tax Retrieval Error #FSA-2526" and request accommodation under the new guidance.

Has anyone figured out if this affects your SAI calculation? My daughter's finally went through after weeks of the tax glitch but her SAI seems way higher than expected based on our income...