How to actually get a REAL PERSON on the phone at FAFSA? Getting desperate!

same problem last week!!! tried calling like 15 times got disconnected every time. website is useless too keeps giving error messages when I try to update anything.

The FAFSA phone system is deliberately designed to prevent you from reaching humans. They're understaffed and overwhelmed. Try emailing instead - at least you'll get an auto-response confirming they received it. That said, for SAI issues, you might need to file a formal appeal through your daughter's school financial aid office rather than directly with FAFSA. The school has more power to adjust aid packages based on recent income changes.

Have you tried calling your daughter's school financial aid office directly? They often have dedicated staff who can interpret your SAI calculation and explain what might be causing the issues. They can also initiate a professional judgment review if your income has changed significantly since the tax year used for the FAFSA. This is actually faster than trying to reach FAFSA directly in many cases. If you absolutely need to reach Federal Student Aid by phone, be very strategic: 1. Call exactly when they open at 8:00 AM Eastern 2. When prompted by the automated system, choose options related to "FSA ID issues" as those tend to be routed to agents faster 3. Have your daughter's FSA ID, SSN, and DOB ready 4. Be prepared to wait at least 30-45 minutes Also worth noting - the new FAFSA has changed from EFC to SAI, but the calculation still considers assets and multiple income factors. If your income dropped recently, that's exactly the kind of situation where a professional judgment review through the school is your best option.

I literally just went through this exact nightmare last week trying to fix an error on my son's FAFSA that was causing his verification to be held up. After 5 failed attempts using the regular number, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually worked! Basically, they hold your place in line and call you back when they have an agent on the line. I was skeptical, but they connected me to an actual FSA agent in about 40 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. They have a video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Once I got through to the agent, they were able to help me understand why my son's SAI calculation seemed off (turned out I had accidentally included some retirement assets that should have been excluded). Saved us thousands in potential aid!

I'm a financial aid counselor at a community college, and I just want to add some context to this discussion. The new FAFSA rollout this year has been extremely problematic, and FSA is genuinely overwhelmed with calls right now. For your specific situation with the SAI calculation, here's what you should know: 1. The new SAI formula is different from the old EFC - it protects more income for basic living expenses but can treat certain assets differently 2. If your income decreased significantly from the tax year used on the FAFSA, this is 100% a case for special circumstances review (sometimes called professional judgment) through your DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL, not through FAFSA directly 3. To do this, contact the financial aid office at her school and ask about their "income adjustment appeal" process - every school has different forms and documentation requirements 4. You'll likely need to provide documentation of your current income (pay stubs, unemployment benefits, etc.) compared to the tax year used Don't waste more time trying to get FAFSA on the phone for this particular issue - they can't change your SAI calculation based on more recent information anyway. Only the school has that authority through professional judgment.

Ask for their "special circumstances form" or "income adjustment appeal" process - different schools use different terminology, but they'll know what you mean. Before calling, gather these documents: 1. Documentation of your income reduction (termination letter, unemployment benefits, recent pay stubs) 2. A written statement explaining when and why your income changed from the tax year on the FAFSA 3. Your most recent tax return 4. An estimate of your current annual income Most schools have a specific form where you'll report your projected income for the year. The more documentation you have ready, the faster they can help you.

not to go off topic but the whole fafsa system is RIGGED anyway. my parents make decent money on paper but have tons of debt so they can't help me at ALL with college, yet fafsa expects them to contribute like $20k/year?!? and you cant even get anyone on the phone to explain how they come up with these ridiculous numbers. the whole system is designed to force students into massive loan debt. good luck getting any actual help from them

UPDATE: You all were right about contacting the school directly! I finally spoke with my daughter's financial aid office this morning, and they were actually super helpful. They're sending us their Special Circumstances form where we can document our income change from last year. The counselor I spoke with said this happens all the time and they can likely adjust her aid package once we submit the documentation. I'm still annoyed that FAFSA's phone system is so terrible, but at least we have a path forward now. Thanks to everyone who helped point me in the right direction!