Need face-to-face help with FAFSA corrections - stuck in endless cycle for months

The FAFSA is seriously complicated with split households. I had a similar issue last year and finally got help through my community college's TRIO program. Even though they had a waitlist, they squeezed me in when I explained how urgent it was. Have you checked if your school has TRIO or something similar? They specialize in helping first-gen and low-income students navigate financial aid.

omg the fafsa is THE WORST with divorced parents!! i spent like 2 months on mine too, kept getting errors about mismatched tax info. ended up bringing ALL my docs (moms taxes, dads taxes, my W2) to the library where they have free tax volunteers this time of year. the lady helped me finish it in like 45 min!!!

For a divorce situation, here's what matters for the FAFSA: 1. The parent you lived with MORE during the past 12 months is your contributor (regardless of financial support) 2. If equal time, then the parent who provided MORE financial support 3. If that parent is remarried, the step-parent's information MUST be included For the housing error, you need to select either "With Parent" or "Off-Campus" - can't indicate both. Choose based on where you live MOST of the time. Regarding face-to-face help, besides your school's aid office, consider: - State higher education agencies (most offer free FAFSA completion workshops) - Local college access organizations (search "college access [your city]") - Some H&R Block locations offer free FAFSA help during tax season Make sure to bring all tax documents, your FSA ID login, and a list of schools you're applying to.

Have you tried calling your school's financial aid office instead of waiting for an appointment? Sometimes they can answer quick questions over the phone to get you unstuck without needing a full appointment.

The Federal Student Aid helpline should be able to help with this but getting through to them is a NIGHTMARE. After dealing with disconnects and 2+ hour hold times, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual FSA agent. They connected me directly to an FSA rep who walked me through fixing my parent contribution errors step by step. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ that shows how it works. Saved me from missing my school's priority deadline when I was stuck in FAFSA verification hell.

THE FAFSA IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THIS YEAR!!!! They completely redesigned the system and NOBODY knows how to use it properly!!! Even the financial aid people at my daughter's school admitted they're confused by some of the new changes! This is people's EDUCATIONS on the line and they roll out a half-baked system?!?!? Anyway... if you need in-person help, check local community colleges. They often have FAFSA workshops open to ANYONE, not just their students. My daughter attended one at our local CC and got more help there than from her actual university.

I had a similar issue with my FAFSA last year (parents separated but not legally divorced). Found out many nonprofit organizations offer free FAFSA completion assistance. I used College Goal Sunday in my state and they helped me finish everything in one sitting. Google "College Goal FAFSA events" plus your state name to find upcoming workshops.

One more option - many high schools offer FAFSA help even to former students. My brother graduated two years ago but was able to go back to his high school counselor for help with his FAFSA issues. They had dedicated financial aid nights where counselors stayed late specifically to help with FAFSA completion. Worth checking if your old high school offers something similar!

Just want to follow up on the divorce situation since that seems to be a major sticking point: the FAFSA's definition of "contributor" is very specific and often confuses people. The actual rule is: - If parents are divorced/separated, you report information ONLY for the parent you lived with more during the past 12 months - If you lived with both equally, then you report the parent who provided more financial support - Child support and alimony ARE counted as income for the parent who receives it - If your custodial parent is remarried, your step-parent's information MUST be included The most common mistake is including information from both biological parents when divorced, which causes verification flags. The system is designed to only collect data from the household you actually live in, not both parents.

whatever you do DONT miss the priority deadline for your schools!!! my son did last year and lost out on like $4000 in institutional grants even though his fafsa eventually went through. some schools are super strict about those dates!!