Not related to the divorce situation but when I was doing my FAFSA I accidentally put my mom's income as $54,000 when it was actually $45,000 (dyslexia problems lol) and it completely messed up my SAI calculation. Just triple check ALL the numbers you enter!

I'm going through the exact same nightmare with my FAFSA! My parents divorced 3 years ago and I've been stuck on the contributor section for weeks. The system keeps rejecting my mom's info even though she provides more support. I called the FSA hotline 4 times and got different answers each time - one rep told me to use my dad's info, another said my mom's, and the third said I needed some form I'd never heard of. The IRS data retrieval tool crashes every time I try to use it. At this point I'm considering just manually entering everything and hoping for the best. The whole system feels like it was designed by people who have never actually filled out a FAFSA themselves. Really hoping they fix these issues before next year because this is beyond frustrating for families already dealing with financial stress!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm preparing to fill out my FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year and had the exact same concerns about my personal debt affecting my aid eligibility. It's such a relief to learn that credit card debt, car loans, and other personal debts aren't reported on the FAFSA at all. I was losing sleep over my $9,000 in credit card debt from some family emergencies last year, thinking it would hurt my chances of getting financial aid. The explanations about how the SAI calculation actually works - focusing on income and certain assets rather than debts - really helped clarify things for me. And the tips about having tax documents ready early and using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool are going to save me so much time and stress. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. It's amazing how much clearer this process seems now!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! I was in the exact same boat as Javier - panicking about my $12,000 in credit card debt and how it might impact my FAFSA application. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief. I had no idea that personal debts simply aren't part of the equation at all. I've been putting off starting my application because I was so worried about this, but now I feel confident enough to actually begin the process. The information about the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and getting tax documents ready early is super helpful too. I'm definitely going to look into whether my school offers any FAFSA workshops like Elijah mentioned - it sounds like having that extra guidance could be really valuable. Thanks again everyone for creating such a supportive and informative discussion!

I went through this exact same situation with my daughter last year! The verification process can be really nerve-wracking, especially when you're waiting on admission decisions. One thing that helped us was creating a spreadsheet to track the status of everything - FAFSA verification, school application deadlines, financial aid office contacts, etc. It kept me organized and less anxious about missing something important. Also, don't hesitate to call the financial aid offices directly if you have questions about how the verification delay might affect your aid package. Most of them are really understanding about FAFSA processing delays this time of year. You're doing everything right by staying on top of it and communicating with the schools!

I'm also new to this process and was confused about the SAI for weeks! What really helped me was understanding that the SAI isn't automatically emailed to you - you have to actively log back into studentaid.gov to find it in your Student Aid Report. Also, if you're still in verification like it sounds like you are, your SAI won't show up until that's completely resolved. I'd recommend calling the FSA help line first thing in the morning (they're usually less busy then) to check on your verification status. Don't panic though - many families are dealing with processing delays this year and the schools are generally understanding about it affecting financial aid timelines.

The whole student loan system is RIDICULOUS! Graduate students can borrow unlimited amounts through PLUS loans but undergrads are restricted to these tiny amounts that haven't changed in YEARS despite tuition increasing EVERY SINGLE YEAR! My daughter graduated with $32,000 in debt which was the absolute minimum possible even with us helping! The system is BROKEN!

I went through this exact same confusion last year with my son! The federal loan limits are definitely confusing, especially when you hear about other students getting much higher amounts. One thing that helped us was meeting with the financial aid office in person - they walked through all our options including work-study programs, emergency grants, and even payment deferment plans we didn't know existed. Also double-check if your daughter qualifies for any state-specific aid programs for seniors - some states have last-dollar scholarships specifically for students in their final year. The combination of Parent PLUS loans and these smaller funding sources ended up covering the gap for us.

Did you verify that your dad's name is entered EXACTLY the same on the FAFSA as it appears on his FSA ID account? Even small differences (like using a middle initial in one place but not the other) can cause the signature verification to fail silently. Worth double-checking this if you haven't already.

Hey, I'm dealing with something similar right now! My mom's signature page has been acting up for the past week. One thing that helped us was making sure we're using the exact same device and browser that was originally used to start the FAFSA. Apparently the system sometimes "remembers" which device initiated the application and gets confused if you switch. Also, try disabling any ad blockers or privacy extensions temporarily - sometimes they interfere with the signature verification process. If you're still stuck, document everything with screenshots so you have proof of the technical issue when you contact your school's financial aid office. They're usually pretty understanding about FAFSA glitches since they happen so frequently!