How to completely delete FAFSA application and restart from scratch?

pretty sure you cant delete it completely. once its in there system its in there. you have to do the corrections thing

You actually cannot completely delete a submitted FAFSA application. Once it's been processed in the Federal Student Aid system, you're limited to the corrections option. However, there are a few things you can do to essentially "reset" most of the information: 1. Use the corrections feature to systematically go through EVERY section, even ones you think are correct 2. Print out a blank FAFSA worksheet first, fill it out correctly on paper, then transfer all that information to the corrections form 3. Contact your daughter's college financial aid office - they can sometimes help reset certain portions on their end 4. Make sure you're using the correct FSA ID (yours vs. your daughter's) when making corrections The SAI changing makes sense if you're adjusting income figures. Each correction recalculates the entire formula.

omg i had the same thing happen last year with my son's application!! it was a nightmare! we kept correcting things and it kept getting worse. turns out we were using my FSA ID when we should have been using his for some sections and mine for others. so confusing!!!!

While you can't technically delete a FAFSA application, here's what I had to do in a similar situation with my twins last year: 1. Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-433-3243) directly and explain the situation. They can sometimes help "reset" certain sections if you explain why. 2. Unfortunately, I spent 3 HOURS on hold trying to reach them. After multiple disconnected calls, I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual human at FSA in under 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ 3. Once I reached someone, they walked me through exactly which corrections needed to be made and how to properly do it without creating more errors. The phone support was actually really helpful once I finally got through to them!

Financial aid counselor here. You definitely cannot delete a FAFSA once it's been submitted, but there are a few important things to know: 1. Colleges only see the most recent version of your FAFSA data, not all your correction attempts 2. For investment accounts, double-check if they should be reported at all - many retirement accounts are EXCLUDED from FAFSA reporting (like 401k, IRA, pensions) 3. For the summer job income, make sure you're entering it in the correct tax year section 4. The SAI changes are normal with corrections - it's recalculating based on new information Most importantly, contact your daughter's school's financial aid office DIRECTLY. They deal with these issues constantly and can often help walk you through the exact corrections needed for their systems. They want to help you get this right!

This entire FAFSA system is RIDICULOUS!! They completely redesigned it this year and it's a TOTAL DISASTER. My daughter and I have been stuck in the same corrections nightmare for weeks. The help section is useless and the phone lines never connect to actual humans. I'm convinced the whole thing is designed to be so frustrating that people just give up on getting financial aid. Why can't they make a system that actually WORKS?? And why is there no simple "start over" button?? EVERY other website in existence has this basic functionality!! Sorry for the rant, but I'm just as frustrated as you are. This system is broken.

Following up on my earlier comment - here's a systematic approach that has worked for many families I've helped: 1. First, gather ALL the correct documentation before starting corrections: - Tax returns from the correct year (2024-2025 FAFSA uses 2022 taxes) - W-2 forms for all jobs - Current bank statements - Investment account statements (excluding retirement accounts) - Records of untaxed income if applicable 2. Set aside at least 2 hours of uninterrupted time to make ALL corrections at once 3. Use both parent and student FSA IDs correctly: - Parent sections must be signed with parent FSA ID - Student sections must be signed with student FSA ID 4. Go through EVERY screen, even if you think it's correct 5. Save frequently as you go Doing it all at once in a systematic way minimizes the chance of creating new errors while fixing others.

im having a similar issue but with my own fafsa. i accidentally put my step dads info instead of my real dad, but now i cant change the contributor information at all! the system wont let me delete anything just "correct" which doesnt help when the whole contributor section is wrong. has anyone figured out how to change contributor information after submitting?

UPDATE: We followed the advice here and it worked! We: 1. Printed out a blank FAFSA worksheet and filled it out correctly first 2. Called the college's financial aid office (they were super helpful!) 3. Set aside a full afternoon to make ALL corrections at once 4. Double-checked which FSA ID to use for each section The SAI score actually improved after we fixed everything properly. It took some work, but her application is now completely accurate. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

Congratulations on getting it sorted out! Your success story is really encouraging for others dealing with the same frustration. The systematic approach you described - especially printing out the worksheet first and getting the college involved - seems to be the key. For anyone else reading this thread, it's worth noting that Evelyn's experience shows that even when the FAFSA corrections process feels impossible, persistence and the right strategy can work. The college financial aid offices really are your best ally in this process since they deal with these issues daily and have direct communication channels with the federal processors. Thanks for coming back to share your success - it helps the whole community!