Which FAFSA account to create first - student or parent? Confused about 2025-2026 changes

Don't sweat it! The process has changed, but here's the correct order: 1. Both students need their own FSA IDs first (so your son needs to create one, and your daughter should use her existing one) 2. You need your own FSA ID as the contributor (separate from theirs) 3. Each student starts their own FAFSA application 4. They'll add you as a contributor and you'll get notified 5. You complete your portion for each student separately Unfortunately, there's still no way to link applications for multiple students - you'll need to enter your information twice. The good news is the new FAFSA is supposedly faster. Make sure everyone has their own email address and phone number for the FSA IDs - trying to share contact info causes major headaches.

its confusing af i did it last mo for my 2 kids. system crashed 3x while we were doing it. if u start with the kids ids first it makes more sense. good luck lol

The order is critical with the new system. Students MUST create their FSA IDs first before parents. Each student submits their own form and then grants permission to the parent/contributor. Your daughter's existing FSA ID should work fine, but she might need to update security questions or contact info if those have changed. One correction to an earlier comment - the new FAFSA isn't necessarily faster for everyone. While some sections are streamlined, many families report the contributor section is more detailed than before, especially regarding assets and investments. Be aware that for the 2025-2026 application, they're using 2023 tax information. Have your 2023 tax returns ready, though much of it may transfer automatically through the IRS data retrieval tool.

Made this mistake last week - tried to create my account first as parent and the whole thing got stuck in an error loop. Definitely have your kids create their accounts first, then you do yours, THEN they start their applications and add you as a contributor.

I'm in the same boat! My twins are seniors and I've been putting off doing the FAFSA because it looks so different from when I did it for my oldest. Has anyone successfully completed it using a mobile device? Or is desktop still the way to go?

After 6 HOURS of trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid to fix our application errors, I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to a real FSA agent in under 20 minutes! Seriously saved my sanity. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ My advice? Start the FAFSA process early because WHEN (not if) you hit technical issues, you'll need time to resolve them. And definitely keep all your 2023 tax docs handy.

DONT FORGET BOTH KIDS NEED THEIR OWN EMAIL ADDRESSES!!!!! This tripped us up so bad. My son tried using same email as before and system kept rejecting everything. Also the SAI calculation is totally different now so don't freak out when you see numbers that look nothing like the old EFC numbers.

To answer your question about estimating your SAI before submitting - yes, there are SAI calculators online. The College Board has one, and many universities have updated their net price calculators to reflect the new formula. Keep in mind that while the FAFSA itself might be required for merit aid consideration, most true merit scholarships (based on academics rather than need) don't actually use your SAI number - they just require that you've completed the FAFSA. The merit awards are typically based on GPA, test scores, and other achievements. One more tip: Once you submit, both your son and daughter will receive a Student Aid Index (SAI) on their SAR (Student Aid Report). This typically takes 3-5 days, but with system issues, some students are waiting 2+ weeks. Plan accordingly if your son has application deadlines coming up.

my kid just started at State and we had to do this. whatever u do DONT try to use the same phone # for multiple FSA IDs. my husband and son used same # and now were locked out of both accounts. its so stupid.

For everyone in this thread - one crucial thing to remember is to regularly save your progress as you complete the FAFSA. The system has been known to time out unexpectedly, and there's nothing worse than losing an hour of work. Also, your son will need his Social Security Number, driver's license (if he has one), and access to his email/phone while creating his FSA ID. The verification process is more stringent with the new system. Lastly, watch out for the asset questions in your contributor section. They've changed how they ask about investments, and many parents report accidentally including retirement accounts that should be excluded.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this process last month with two kids! The order everyone mentioned is spot on - students first, then parent FSA ID, then applications. One thing I wish someone had told me: when your kids add you as a contributor, you'll get separate email notifications for each child's FAFSA. Don't panic thinking you missed something if you only see one at first - they don't always come at the same time. Also, make sure you have your bank statements handy when you do the contributor section. The new system asks for current account balances (as of the day you're filling it out), not just what was on your tax return. This caught me off guard since the old FAFSA didn't ask for this level of detail about liquid assets. Good luck! The system definitely has its quirks but once you get through the first one, the second child's FAFSA will feel much more manageable.