Missing family size number on FAFSA submission - need to resubmit?

this hapend to me last cycle!! the FSA site was glitching when I submitted and somehow dropped my family size too. I had to make a correction and resubmit. took about 10 days to get the new SAI calculation but it didn't cause any other problems with my schools

You should definitely make the correction right away. Family size is a critical factor in your SAI calculation, and schools won't be able to properly process your daughter's aid package if it's missing. Log into studentaid.gov, go to your application, and select 'Make FAFSA Correction.' Then navigate to the household information section and input the correct family size. The correction typically takes 3-5 business days to reprocess, though it can occasionally take up to 2 weeks during peak periods. Make sure to click submit after making the change!

The same thing literally just happened to my son's application! I could have sworn I put 4 for family size but when I checked last week it was blank. I think theres a glitch in their system that sometimes erases that field. Super annoying.

Financial aid counselor here. This is actually a known issue with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The system occasionally fails to save the family size field during submission. You absolutely need to correct this - family size is a major factor in calculating your Student Aid Index (SAI). To make the correction: 1. Log into studentaid.gov 2. Select your 2025-2026 FAFSA 3. Click on "Make FAFSA Correction" 4. Navigate to the Household Information section 5. Enter the correct family size 6. Continue through the rest of the application (you don't need to change anything else) 7. Sign and submit Processing time is currently averaging 4-7 business days for corrections. This shouldn't delay your daughter's aid packages as long as you make the correction promptly.

I had to call FSA about a different issue last month and spent HOURS trying to get through to someone. The wait times are insane right now with the new FAFSA system. If you need to talk to a real person about this family size issue, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is ready. Saved me literally 3+ hours of waiting on hold. They have a video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

OMG THE FAMILY SIZE FIELD IS SO IMPORTANT!!! When my brother applied last year, he accidentally put 1 instead of 5 for family size and his SAI was RIDICULOUSLY high. Like $30,000 higher than it should have been. Schools were offering basically no aid. We had to correct it and redo everything, and fight with the financial aid offices to reconsider his packages. TOTAL NIGHTMARE.

btw make sure u also double check that ur family members' contribution info is correct too... my boyfriend's dad's section got all messed up in the new system and they had to submit corrections twice 🙄

One more thing to consider: after you make the correction, download and save a PDF copy of your corrected FAFSA as proof. Some schools might ask for documentation if they notice the change in SAI between your original and corrected submission. Having the PDF with the correct information will make it easier to explain what happened if questions arise.

does this new fafsa system ever work right? feels like everyone i know has had some kind of problem with it

Just wanted to add - if you're worried about timing, you can also reach out directly to your daughter's schools' financial aid offices to let them know you're making a FAFSA correction. Most schools are understanding about these technical glitches and can make a note in her file. Some will even process a preliminary aid package based on the corrected information once you provide them with the updated SAI, rather than waiting for the official reprocessing to complete. It might save you a few days and give you peace of mind!

I just went through this exact same issue with my son's FAFSA! The family size field was completely blank even though I specifically remember entering it. I made the correction about two weeks ago and it processed in 5 business days. The corrected SAI came back significantly lower (which was expected since we have 4 people in our household). The schools were totally understanding when I contacted them - apparently they're seeing this glitch pretty frequently. One school even told me they automatically flag applications with missing family size info to check if it's the known system error. Don't stress too much about it, just get the correction in ASAP and you should be fine!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My FAFSA shows everything completed except the family size field is mysteriously blank. I know I filled it out because I remember double-checking it before submitting. It's so frustrating that this is apparently a widespread glitch with the new system. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's really helpful to know I'm not the only one and that the correction process isn't too complicated. I'm going to log in tonight and make the correction following the steps that Danielle outlined. Fingers crossed it processes quickly!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this nightmare last year! My daughter's FAFSA had the same family size glitch - the field was completely empty even though I triple-checked it before submitting. What made it worse was that I didn't notice for almost 3 weeks because I assumed everything was fine after the initial submission went through. By the time I caught it, some schools had already started processing aid packages with the wrong (basically non-existent) family size info. The correction itself was straightforward using the steps others have mentioned here, but I learned the hard way to also immediately email each school's financial aid office with a brief explanation and the corrected SAI once it processed. Most were super understanding and just updated their records, but one school required me to submit a formal appeal with documentation. My advice: make the correction ASAP (tonight if possible), and don't wait for the reprocessing to finish before contacting the schools. Just give them a heads up that you discovered the glitch and submitted a correction. It shows you're being proactive and helps avoid any delays on their end. The whole thing stressed me out for weeks, but in the end my daughter got all her aid packages without any major issues. You've got this!