Navigating FAFSA for the first time with my senior - feeling overwhelmed!

deep breaths! we all went thru this. the fafsa website ALWAYS crashes during peak times. try logging in super early morning like 5am. worked for me.

Thank you! I'll try the early morning trick tomorrow. Did you have issues with the FSA ID setup specifically, or just the whole site in general?

In your divorce situation, only ONE parent needs to report on the FAFSA - specifically the one your daughter lived with the most during the past 12 months. If it's exactly 50/50, then it's the parent who provided more financial support. Since you mentioned your ex makes significantly more, that might actually work in your favor if you're the reporting parent, as the SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly called EFC) would potentially be lower, qualifying for more need-based aid.\n\nAs for the FSA ID issues, try using a different browser or clearing your cache. The site does get overloaded in January-February, so persistence is key. \n\nAlso, even though your school counselor gave a February 1st deadline, the federal deadline is much later (June 30, 2026 for the 2025-2026 academic year). The February date is likely for institutional scholarships, so still important, but not the absolute final chance for federal aid.

this is actually wrong info - the new fafsa rules changed for divorced parents! now they look at who claims the kid as dependent on taxes not who they live with more. OP should double check the latest rules

You're right about the changes, and I should have been clearer. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA and beyond, the contributing parent is determined by who provided more financial support, not necessarily living arrangements. However, the tax dependency claim isn't the sole determining factor either. The FAFSA form will help determine which parent should provide information based on their specific situation. Thanks for the correction!

I just went through this with my son and it was a NIGHTMARE. The FSA ID system is garbage and kept telling me my identity couldn't be verified. Ended up having to mail in physical documentation which delayed everything by 3 weeks!! The whole system is designed to make people give up I swear.

Oh no, that's exactly what I'm afraid of! Did you eventually get everything sorted out? Did your son still receive his financial aid package on time?

Yeah eventually but we missed priority deadline for his top school and they ran out of institutional grants by the time our FAFSA processed. STILL BITTER ABOUT IT. Don't let this happen to your daughter!!!!

I'm a financial aid counselor at a community college, and I can offer some advice for your situation.\n\nFirst, for the technical issues with the FSA ID: try using a computer rather than a mobile device, use Chrome or Firefox (Internet Explorer/Edge often causes problems), and make sure you're not using a VPN or public WiFi which can interfere with the identity verification process.\n\nRegarding divorced parents: for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll need to determine which parent is the \

Thank you SO much for this detailed explanation! I didn't realize Chrome might work better - I've been using Safari which keeps freezing. One question about the contributor determination: my ex claimed her on taxes last year because we alternate years (it was his turn), but I definitely provided more day-to-day financial support. Does this mean he has to be the contributor or can we still use my information?

Great question! For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, the tax dependency claim is considered but isn't the only factor in determining the contributor. The form will ask specific questions about financial support that help determine which parent should complete the FAFSA. If you provided more overall financial support despite him claiming the tax dependency, you may still be considered the contributor. I'd recommend both of you sitting down together with your financial documents to work through the contributor questions when you start the application.\n\nAlso, keep in mind that if your daughter's schools require the CSS Profile (mainly private colleges), they may request financial information from both parents regardless of the FAFSA contributor determination.

If you're having trouble getting through on the FSA website or phone lines, try using Claimyr.com - it saved me HOURS of frustration. They connect you directly to an FSA agent so you don't have to wait on hold forever. There's a short video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ\n\nI was stuck for weeks with identity verification issues similar to yours, and finally got everything resolved in one call after using their service. The FSA agent walked me through each step of creating my FSA ID properly.

does this actually work? the fsa phone line disconnected me 4 times yesterday after waiting 40+ mins each time

Yeah it definitely worked for me! I was skeptical too but was desperate after being disconnected repeatedly. They got me through to someone who actually knew what they were talking about within about 10 minutes. The FSA agent stayed on the line while I created my account and fixed all the verification issues.

Here's what I did when I was in your exact situation last year with my twins:\n\n1) Download the FAFSA mobile app instead of using the website - WAY less crashes\n2) Create your FSA ID and your daughter's FSA ID separately (you each need your own)\n3) Gather these documents before starting: your 2023 tax return, W-2s, current bank statements, investment info if applicable\n4) For the divorce situation - my ex and I were also 50/50, and I ended up being the contributor parent since I paid for most of my kids' expenses despite lower income\n5) Submit even if it's not perfect! You can make corrections later\n\nAlso, don't stress too much about the February 1st deadline - that's probably just your school's priority date. The federal deadline isn't until June 30th, 2026 for the 2025-2026 school year.\n\nYou'll get through this!! It feels overwhelming but once you get past the FSA ID setup, the actual form isn't that bad.

Thank you for breaking it down into steps like this! I didn't know there was a mobile app - that might solve my problems with the website crashing. Did you find that the SAI calculation was better using your information versus your ex's higher income? My biggest fear is that she won't qualify for need-based aid if they consider his income.

Yes, our SAI was definitely lower with me as the contributor parent! My income is about half of my ex's, and my twins qualified for significant grants they wouldn't have gotten otherwise. The system is designed to calculate based on the contributing parent's financial situation, so if that's you with the lower income, it works in your favor. \n\nOne tip: make sure your daughter lists her dream/reach schools FIRST on the FAFSA school list. Some schools give priority to students who list them higher on their FAFSA (not all schools do this, but some still do). Good luck!

The whole system is RIGGED anyway. My son had perfect grades, was valedictorian, and STILL didn't get enough financial aid because they said I made \

Same happened to my daughter. They don't take into account your ACTUAL financial situation, just what's on paper. We made too much for aid but too little to actually afford college without massive loans. The middle class always gets squeezed.

I understand the frustration with the federal aid formulas. While the FAFSA doesn't account for medical debt directly, there is a process called Professional Judgment (sometimes called a Special Circumstances appeal) that your son could have requested through his college's financial aid office. This allows for consideration of circumstances like medical expenses, job loss, or other situations not reflected on the FAFSA. \n\nI'd encourage both of you to look into this option at your students' schools if you haven't already. Each school handles these appeals differently, but most have a form and process for requesting reconsideration based on special circumstances.

my daughter just went thru the process and we found out you need separate email addresses for the parent and student FSA IDs! they dont tell u this until after it fails. make sure u and ur daughter use different emails or it won't work.

Omg thank you for this tip!! I was trying to use the same email for both of us. No wonder it kept giving me errors!

One important thing to remember that I haven't seen mentioned yet - the 2025-2026 FAFSA uses your 2023 tax information (from taxes filed in 2024), not your current income. If your financial situation has changed significantly since then, you'll need to file what's called a Special Circumstances form with each college's financial aid office after you receive the initial aid offers.\n\nAlso, watch out for verification! About 30% of FAFSA filers get selected for verification, where you have to submit additional documentation to prove the information on your FAFSA is correct. If you're selected, respond quickly as this can hold up your daughter's financial aid package.

That's really helpful to know about the tax year - 2023 was actually a higher income year for me than this year, so I might need to do that Special Circumstances form. How long after submitting FAFSA do they typically notify you about verification? Is there any way to prepare for it in advance?

Verification notification usually happens within 2-4 weeks after your FAFSA is processed. You can actually see if you've been selected by checking your Student Aid Report (SAR) - there will be an asterisk next to your SAI if you've been selected.\n\nTo prepare in advance: keep copies of your 2023 tax returns, W-2s, and records of any untaxed income. Some schools also verify assets, so have recent bank statements ready. Each college handles verification differently, but having these documents organized will save you time if you're selected. \n\nFor your income reduction situation, start documenting the change now - pay stubs showing current income, termination letter if applicable, or any documentation showing why 2023 isn't representative of your current situation.

lol just wait til u get to the actual financial aid packages they're so confusing!!! my daughters school sent her what looked like a huge scholarship but in tiny print it said half was loans ugh so misleading

That's so frustrating! I'm already worried about deciphering what's a grant versus what's a loan. Did you find any good resources for understanding the aid packages when they arrive?

honestly we just called the financial aid office directly and made them explain everything. They kept trying to make the parent plus loans sound like