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!

As someone new to this community and navigating financial aid for the first time, this entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm a single parent considering going back to school for my teaching certification while my daughter is a high school senior preparing for college applications. Reading through everyone's experiences with the new FAFSA changes has given me such valuable insight into what we'll be facing next year. The clear consensus that withdrawing applications won't help under the new SAI system is crucial information that could have saved us from making a costly mistake. @Anastasia Popova - I'm really hoping you'll share an update on how your daughter's appeal process went! Your situation with the low SAI (8426) but unexpectedly low aid package has been such a learning experience for all of us following along. Whether it was the CSS Profile issue or another factor, knowing the outcome could help so many other families. What I'm taking away as key action items for when we go through this process: 1. Submit both FAFSA and CSS Profile if required by the school 2. Keep all applications active - don't withdraw thinking it will help the other family member 3. Prepare thorough documentation for appeals 4. Ask specifically about institutional grants for multiple students 5. Check state aid programs that might still consider multiple family members Thank you to everyone who shared their expertise and real-world experiences. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these complex changes possible!

As someone completely new to this community and the financial aid world, this thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! I'm a 35-year-old considering going back to school for a career change while my teenage son will be starting college in a couple of years, so understanding these FAFSA changes is crucial for our planning. The overwhelming consensus here that withdrawing your FAFSA application won't help your daughter under the new SAI system is such important information - I had no idea the formula had changed so dramatically from the old EFC system. It's clear that the strategies that worked for families even just a few years ago don't apply anymore. @Anastasia Popova - I'm really hoping you'll update us on how your daughter's appeal went! Your original question has sparked such a comprehensive discussion about navigating these new rules. Whether the CSS Profile turned out to be the missing piece or if there were other factors, your experience could help so many families facing similar confusion. What strikes me most is how this discussion shows that success now requires much more proactive research and advocacy - checking for CSS Profile requirements, appealing with documentation, asking about institutional grants, and understanding that each school may have different policies. It's more complex than before, but clearly there are still opportunities for those willing to do the work. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise here. This is exactly the kind of community knowledge that makes navigating these challenging changes possible for families like mine!

ok so weird suggestion but maybe try changing ur password then logging back in? this worked for me when i had issues with my verification docs not uploading properly. sometimes the system just needs a refresh or something idk

Glad to hear you got it resolved! For anyone else still struggling with this issue, I'd also recommend documenting everything when you call FSA - write down the date, time, representative name if they give it, and what they told you. I had to escalate my case through their complaint process because I kept getting different answers from different agents. Also, if you're applying to competitive programs or schools with early deadlines, most financial aid offices have been really understanding about FAFSA delays this year. Don't be afraid to reach out to them directly - they often have workarounds or can note your file that you're having technical difficulties.