To summarize the correct 2025-2026 FAFSA process: 1. Student creates FSA ID (if they don't already have one) 2. Student begins FAFSA application using their FSA ID 3. Student completes their portion and reaches the parent information section 4. Parent creates their own FSA ID (if they don't already have one) 5. Parent completes their portion of the student's FAFSA 6. Student signs the FAFSA first 7. Parent signs the FAFSA second Both FSA IDs must be verified before signing. If you're having trouble, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

As someone who just went through this process successfully for 2025-2026, I can confirm that following PrinceJoe's step-by-step guide worked perfectly for us! The key thing I learned is that it's really important to wait for FSA ID verification to complete before attempting to sign - we made the mistake of rushing this step initially and had to start over. Also, double-check that your information matches your Social Security records EXACTLY (including middle initials, spaces, etc.). The new FAFSA system seems much more strict about this than previous years. Good luck to everyone still working through this!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly valuable this entire discussion has been! I'm a California student who was completely lost when I encountered this question on my FAFSA yesterday. Like so many others here, I've been on Medi-Cal my whole life but had never heard it referred to as "Medicaid" before. I was literally googling "is Medi-Cal the same as Medicare" when I found this thread! Reading through everyone's experiences has been such an eye-opener - not just about the terminology, but about how these benefit indicators can actually impact your aid through the simplified needs test. I had no idea these weren't just demographic questions! It's honestly frustrating that the federal forms don't make it clearer that state programs are just local versions of federal ones, but I'm so grateful for this community where students help each other figure it out. Thank you especially to @Madison King for the professional insight about why this matters for aid calculations, and to everyone who shared their stories and mistakes. I'm going back to correct my FAFSA right now to make sure I have Medicaid properly indicated. This thread should be pinned for all California students!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful I found this thread! I'm a California student who just started my FAFSA application and hit the exact same wall with this benefits question. My family has been on Medi-Cal for about 4 years, but I was completely baffled when I couldn't find it anywhere on the form. I actually spent about an hour going back and forth between sections thinking I was looking in the wrong place! Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it's such a relief to know that so many other California students have dealt with this same terminology confusion. The explanation that Medi-Cal is just California's version of the federal Medicaid program makes perfect sense now, but wow, they really should make that connection more obvious on the forms. What really caught my attention was learning from @Madison King about how correctly indicating these benefits can impact your Student Aid Index through the simplified needs test. I had absolutely no idea these weren't just basic demographic questions! As someone from a low-income family, knowing that getting this right could potentially mean more financial aid is huge. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and advice - this community is amazing for helping students navigate these confusing processes. I'm heading back to my FAFSA now to make sure I check the Medicaid box correctly!

I'm in a very similar situation with my son who's starting college this fall! We have about $4K excess after tuition and I've been stressed about whether we'd actually see that money. Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring and informative. One thing I wanted to add based on my research - if your daughter's school participates in something called BankMobile or similar services, they might automatically set up one of those fee-heavy prepaid cards unless you specifically opt out. I almost missed this detail when reviewing our school's refund process. Make sure to log into the student portal and actively choose direct deposit to avoid those unnecessary fees eating into your refund. Also, regarding the timing for sophomore housing deposits that someone mentioned - I called our school's housing office and they said deposits for returning students are usually due in February/March, but they do offer payment plans for the deposit if you can't pay it all upfront. Might be worth asking your daughter's school about that option so you don't have to stress about having cash ready before the refund comes through. The fact that you're thinking ahead like this puts you way ahead of where I was with my older kids! Your daughter is lucky to have such thoughtful financial planning.

This thread has been incredibly helpful for someone new to college financial aid! I'm facing a similar situation with my daughter starting college in the fall. We have about $3,500 in excess aid after tuition, and like you, we're planning to have her commute freshman year to save money. One thing I learned from calling our school's student accounts office is that they process refunds in "waves" - usually the first wave happens about 10 days after classes start, then they do another wave 2 weeks later for any adjustments. They told me to expect our refund in the second wave since we're not enrolled in the meal plan (which apparently affects their processing timeline). Also wanted to mention - our school's financial aid counselor suggested we could request a "professional judgment review" if our family's financial situation changes during the year. She said this could potentially increase aid for future years if needed, which might be helpful to know as backup if housing costs become more challenging than expected. Your plan to save the refund for sophomore housing is exactly what we're doing too. It feels good to have a strategy rather than just hoping everything works out! Best of luck navigating this whole process.

Hi! I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I literally just went through this same situation a few weeks ago! I accidentally reported my dad's military TSP account as a regular investment and our SAI was completely out of control. Here's what I learned that might help calm your nerves: 1. The correction process is actually super user-friendly - way better than the original FAFSA interface. It clearly shows you what you're updating and guides you through each section. 2. My correction processed in just 4 days and my SAI dropped by $21,000! I went from getting zero aid offers to qualifying for grants I never dreamed I'd see. 3. One tip I wish I'd known - after you submit the correction, download and save your updated Student Aid Report (SAR) as soon as it's available. Some schools ask for this when there's been a significant SAI change. 4. The financial aid office at my school was incredibly understanding when I explained the situation. They said retirement account reporting errors are probably the most common FAFSA mistake they see every year. 5. Pro tip: While you're in there fixing the retirement account issue, double-check your household size and number of family members in college - I caught another small error that would have required a second correction later! With 2 weeks until your priority deadline, you have plenty of time for this to process and for your school to adjust your aid package. Don't let the anxiety keep you from logging in tonight - you're about to save yourself thousands in aid eligibility! This is totally fixable and you're going to be so relieved once you see that corrected SAI. You've got this! 🌟

Hi! I'm new to this community but wanted to jump in because I went through this exact same situation just a couple months ago! I accidentally reported my mom's 457(b) retirement plan as a taxable investment and our SAI was absolutely ridiculous - like $28,000 higher than it should have been. Here's what worked for me and some additional tips that might help: 1. The correction process is honestly way more intuitive than the original FAFSA. When you log into studentaid.gov and click "Make FAFSA Corrections," it walks you through each section clearly and shows exactly what you're changing. 2. My correction processed in 5 days and my SAI dropped by over $23,000! I went from thinking I'd get basically no financial aid to qualifying for a substantial Pell Grant and state grants. 3. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here - when you're making the correction, take your time to review the entire parent financial section. I ended up catching two other small errors that would have required additional corrections later. 4. After submitting the correction, I called my school's financial aid office the next day to give them a heads up. They were super appreciative and put a note on my file to expedite the review once the updated FAFSA came through. 5. Keep all your confirmation emails and take screenshots - having that documentation made follow-up conversations with financial aid so much smoother. With 2 weeks until your priority deadline, you're in perfect shape timing-wise. This is such a common mistake (especially with all the different types of retirement accounts), and every financial aid office has seen it dozens of times. Don't let the stress paralyze you - just log in tonight and get it fixed. You're about to save yourself thousands in aid eligibility! You've absolutely got this! 💪

I just went through this exact same situation with my husband traveling for work during our FAFSA process! The new system definitely caught me off guard too. Yes, both parents now need to complete separate identity verification even when married filing jointly - it's a security feature, not related to your tax status. Your husband can absolutely complete his portion from his phone while traveling. He'll need about 15-20 minutes, his SSN, phone number, and email address. Since you've already entered all the financial info from your joint return, he's literally just verifying his identity (answering questions about previous addresses, employment history, etc.) and giving consent to share the tax data. The myStudentAid app works well on mobile if he prefers that over browser. I'd recommend having him create his FSA ID now before traveling if possible - that's usually the most time-consuming part. Once he gets the verification email, he should complete it ASAP rather than waiting until he returns, especially with your daughter's scholarship deadlines. The whole FAFSA typically processes within 3-5 business days once both parents finish their portions. It's definitely more annoying than the old system, but totally manageable even with his travel schedule!

I'm a complete newcomer to the FAFSA process and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I had no idea about these new requirements for both parents to verify separately when married filing jointly. Reading through everyone's experiences has really helped me understand that this is about identity verification and fraud prevention, not about our tax filing status. The key takeaways I'm getting are: 1) Have my spouse create his FSA ID proactively before any travel, 2) The verification can be done on mobile in 15-20 minutes with just SSN, phone, and email, 3) No financial documents needed since I'll handle that part with our joint return, and 4) Complete it immediately when the email arrives to avoid delays. It's reassuring to know that processing only takes 3-5 days once both parents finish. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that makes navigating these changes so much easier!