FAFSA won't let me update family size or financial info - stuck mid-application

Yep, happened to me too! The system locked certain sections after I submitted the first part. I tried contacting support but waited 2 hours and gave up. Ended up deleting and starting over. Super annoying but at least the second time went faster since I knew what info I needed.

this hapens when u go past certian checkpoints in the form, once u hit submit on some sections they lock and u cant go back. its stupid design tbh

This is actually by design. FAFSA has implemented a new progressive disclosure format for 2025-2026. Once you complete certain sections and move forward, those sections lock to prevent inconsistent information. For household size specifically, you need to contact Federal Student Aid directly to request an update to locked fields. They should be able to unlock those fields or make the correction for you. The new Better FAFSA system has definitely created some confusion with these locked sections.

Has anyone actually gotten through to FSA on the phone? I've been calling for THREE DAYS trying to fix my parent contribution section and keep getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Is there a better number to call than the main one???

THE WHOLE FAFSA SYSTEM IS BROKEN THIS YEAR!!! I've had to restart my application THREE TIMES because of different glitches. First my parent couldn't link their tax info, then my SAI calculation was wrong, now this locked field problem. I'm about ready to forget college altogether!!

Here's what you should do: 1. Take screenshots of all completed sections first (for reference) 2. Call FSA at 1-800-433-3243 and specifically request a "field unlock" for the household size section 3. Mention that you've completed the contributor information but need to update dependency information 4. If they can't unlock it, ask them to make the correction directly in their system 5. Get a confirmation number for any changes they make The Better FAFSA update introduced these locked sections to reduce errors, but it's creating problems for people who need to make corrections. Don't start over until you've tried contacting them.

i had this exact problem!! my spouse moved in after i started the app but before i finished it. couldn't update household size no matter what i tried. ended up having to submit as-is then do a correction after submission which was approved in about 2 weeks.

Update: I called FSA using the Claimyr service that someone suggested, and got through to an agent in about 25 minutes! The agent explained that the fields lock after completing the contributor section, but they were able to manually update my family size in their system. I don't have to start over! She said the update should show in my application within 3-5 business days, and I can continue working on the other sections while I wait. Thanks everyone for your help!

This is super helpful to see the resolution! I'm dealing with a similar issue where I accidentally put the wrong number of people in my household (included my older brother who moved out for work). Good to know that FSA can manually update these locked fields rather than having to restart everything. Going to try the Claimyr service too since regular calling seems like a nightmare. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Just wanted to add another solution that worked for me - if you're still having trouble getting through to FSA even with the callback services, you can also try contacting your school's financial aid office directly. They have a direct line to FSA and can often get these field unlocks processed faster than individual calls. My financial aid counselor was able to submit the correction request on my behalf and it was processed within 48 hours. Not all schools offer this service, but it's worth asking! Also, keep in mind that these locked field issues seem to happen most often when people save and return to their FAFSA later - if possible, try to complete it in one sitting to avoid the problem altogether.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got to the financial section, saved my progress, and now I can't edit my parent's bank account information that I entered incorrectly. It's so frustrating that they lock these sections - I understand wanting to prevent errors, but what about when we need to fix actual mistakes? Reading through all these responses gives me hope though. I'm going to try calling FSA first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work, I'll definitely look into that Claimyr service or contact my school's financial aid office. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!