This entire thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm currently dealing with my own FAFSA nightmare - my parents divorced last year and I had no idea the residence rule was different from who claims you as a dependent. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been like having a whole team of advisors walk me through the process. @Dananyl - I really hope you were able to get everything sorted out with your dad's tax information! Did the IRS Data Retrieval Tool work once you switched to using his info instead of your mom's? I'm in a similar situation and feeling so much more confident about tackling it now thanks to all the amazing advice in this thread. The checklist idea, the browser cache clearing tip, and knowing about the live chat option are game-changers. This community is absolutely incredible - I've learned more practical FAFSA knowledge from this one discussion than from hours of trying to navigate the official resources on my own!

I just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this exact same situation last year! The divorced parent rules are SO confusing and poorly explained everywhere. I made the same mistake initially - used my mom's info because she claimed me on taxes, when I should have been using my dad's since I lived with him more. A couple additional tips that helped me beyond what everyone else has already mentioned: 1. Make sure you're looking at the RIGHT year's tax return - for 2025-2026 FAFSA you need 2023 taxes, not 2024 2. If your dad filed an extension or amended return, that can sometimes cause issues with the IRS tool too 3. Try logging out completely and logging back in before attempting the IRS Data Retrieval Tool again - sometimes the system gets stuck The fact that you're getting this sorted out now with a week to spare is actually pretty good timing! I submitted mine literally the day before my school's deadline last year and everything worked out fine. With your dad's correct tax info and all the troubleshooting steps people have shared here, you're definitely going to get this done. This community really is the best resource for navigating these FAFSA nightmares!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here and just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences in this thread. I'm 36 and trying to return to school after finishing my degree in 2008, and I got that exact same panic-inducing "SSN already in use" message earlier today. Like literally everyone else here, my immediate reaction was pure terror about identity theft! But reading through all these detailed success stories has completely transformed my anxiety into confidence. It's absolutely incredible how many returning students face this identical challenge - this thread has been like finding a support group I didn't even know I needed! I've already started preparing based on all the fantastic advice shared here: gathering old addresses from my college days, school information, and I even managed to locate some financial aid documents from over 15 years ago. The consistent feedback that Federal Student Aid representatives deal with this situation multiple times daily and that it's typically a straightforward 20-30 minute verification process has given me tremendous peace of mind. I'm planning to call 1-800-433-3243 bright and early tomorrow morning around 8 AM with all my documentation organized and ready. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories and practical tips - this community's willingness to help fellow returning students navigate these complex systems is truly amazing. What seemed like an impossible problem this morning now feels like a completely manageable step in my educational journey!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful and reassuring this entire thread has been. I'm 34 and trying to return to school after finishing my degree in 2012, and I got that exact same panic-inducing "SSN already in use" message earlier today. Like literally everyone else who's commented here, my immediate thought was identity theft and I was genuinely terrified! But reading through all these detailed success stories has been such a game-changer - it's amazing how this one post has brought together so many returning students facing the identical challenge. The collective wisdom about calling 1-800-433-3243 early in the morning (around 8-8:30 AM) with all documentation ready is invaluable. I've already started gathering my old information: previous addresses from my college days, school names and dates, and even found some financial aid paperwork from over 12 years ago! The consistent message that Federal Student Aid representatives handle this situation daily and that it's typically a 20-30 minute verification process has given me so much confidence. It's incredible how what felt like an insurmountable problem this afternoon now seems like a completely manageable next step. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and practical tips - this community's support for fellow returning students is truly amazing. Here's to all of us successfully recovering our ancient FAFSA accounts and pursuing our educational goals!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this incredibly stressful situation! As a newcomer to this community, I'm honestly shocked by how many families seem to experience these sudden Pell Grant revocations. Reading through everyone's stories here has been both eye-opening and reassuring - while it's terrible that this happens so frequently, the fact that most people eventually get their aid reinstated gives me hope for your situation. Based on all the experiences shared, it really does sound like verification issues or email communication breakdowns are the most common culprits. Since you mentioned using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and your son maintaining good grades, this sounds more like an administrative problem than an actual eligibility issue. For Monday's call, I'd suggest asking for: 1) The specific federal reason code for the revocation, 2) A detailed timeline of any verification requests (including exact dates and email addresses used), 3) Whether you can speak directly with someone from the verification department rather than general financial aid staff, and 4) What emergency payment options might be available while this gets resolved. Also definitely have your son check his student portal tonight in addition to email - sometimes notifications get posted there but don't get emailed out properly. The advice about documenting everything and getting reference numbers is spot-on too. Try to stay hopeful over the weekend - from all these stories, it really seems like persistence and the right paperwork usually lead to resolution. Looking forward to hearing your update after Monday's call!

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - the stress must be overwhelming, especially with the timing right before a holiday weekend! As someone new to navigating financial aid, reading through all these experiences has been both alarming and educational. It's shocking how common these mid-semester Pell Grant revocations seem to be, but also reassuring that so many families have eventually gotten their aid reinstated. From everything shared here, it really sounds like verification issues or email communication problems are the main culprits. Since you used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and your son has good grades, this definitely sounds like an administrative issue rather than a real eligibility problem. When you call Monday, I'd recommend asking for: 1) The specific federal reason code for the revocation, 2) A complete timeline of verification requests with dates and email addresses used, 3) To speak directly with the verification department, and 4) About emergency payment plans while this gets sorted out. Also make sure your son checks his student portal tonight - it sounds like notifications sometimes get posted there but don't get emailed properly. The advice about getting everything in writing and documenting names/reference numbers is really smart too. Try to stay hopeful over the weekend - from all these stories, persistence and proper documentation usually lead to resolution. We're all rooting for you and looking forward to hopefully hearing good news after your call Monday!

I'm completely new to this community but so grateful I found this thread! I'm dealing with the exact same TAP situation right now - my son got accepted to several NY schools and I made the same mistake of only listing one school on the original application. I was absolutely panicking about how to get his TAP information to all the other schools before decision deadlines. Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has been incredibly reassuring and helpful! I just logged into my HESC account and successfully found the "Change My College Choice" option - you're all right that it's much more straightforward than it initially seems. I'm updating his list right now with all 5 schools he's considering, putting the most expensive private school first as Hassan suggested. The practical advice about calling financial aid offices directly with the TAP ID number, taking screenshots for documentation, and optimal calling times has been invaluable. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your real experiences - this thread has completely transformed what felt like an impossible crisis into a manageable process. This community support during such a stressful time in the college decision process is amazing!

Welcome to the community! As someone who just went through this exact TAP situation with my daughter last month, I can definitely relate to the panic you're feeling right now. The good news is that you've already received your award amount ($5,800 - that's excellent!), and updating your college choices is actually much more straightforward than it initially appears. Here's what worked for me: Log into your HESC account and look for "Change My College Choice" in your dashboard. You can list up to 8 NY schools there, and definitely put them in order of preference with the most expensive option first (as Hassan mentioned earlier). The system typically notifies schools within 3-5 business days, but during this peak season it can take up to 10 days. As a backup strategy, I also called each financial aid office directly with our TAP ID number. Most schools can look up your eligibility immediately and factor it into their aid packages right away, which really helped speed up the process during decision season. One thing I wish I had known earlier: take a screenshot of your confirmation page when you update the college list online. It shows the date of your update and can be helpful if there are any processing delays. Also, calling financial aid offices in the morning (9-10 AM) tends to have much shorter wait times. Don't stress too much - this is a very common situation and the colleges are used to handling TAP updates during decision season. Your son will have all the financial aid information he needs to make his choice!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my sincere gratitude for this incredibly comprehensive and helpful discussion! I'm also a non-custodial parent with a 529 plan for my son, and I was really stressed about whether my savings efforts might inadvertently harm his financial aid prospects. Reading through all these responses has been tremendously reassuring - learning that non-custodial parent 529s don't get reported on the FAFSA is exactly the clarity I needed. Since my ex has custody and lower income than I do, this arrangement should actually work to our son's advantage for federal aid calculations. I'm documenting all the strategic insights shared here, particularly about making direct payments to schools from the 529 rather than distributing funds to my son first. Understanding that 50% assessment rate on student income versus avoiding it entirely through direct payments is crucial knowledge I wouldn't have discovered on my own. The information about CSS Profile requirements at private schools is also extremely valuable since we're considering several. I'll definitely get all my financial documentation organized proactively in case I need to complete the non-custodial parent portion. One aspect I'm curious about - for those who have navigated this process successfully, do you have any recommendations for keeping organized records throughout the college years? I want to make sure I'm tracking contributions and withdrawals in a way that will be helpful if any questions arise down the road. Thank you to everyone for sharing such practical, real-world experiences - discovering this supportive community has made tackling this complex process feel much more achievable!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for creating such an incredibly helpful and detailed discussion! I'm also a non-custodial parent with a 529 for my daughter, and I was honestly panicking about whether my years of contributions would end up hurting her financial aid eligibility. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - learning that non-custodial parent 529s don't need to be reported on the FAFSA is exactly what I needed to hear. My ex has custody and significantly lower income than me, so this should actually work in our daughter's favor. I'm taking notes on all the strategic advice shared here, especially about paying schools directly from the 529 rather than giving money to my daughter first, and being mindful of withdrawal timing. The CSS Profile information is also super valuable since we're looking at private schools. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who have been through this process, how far in advance do you typically start coordinating with the custodial parent about payment timing? I want to be helpful and organized without being intrusive. Should I reach out when FAFSA season starts, or wait until we know which school she'll attend? Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, real-world experiences. Finding this community where parents actually understand these complex situations has been invaluable!