I just went through this nightmare situation a few months ago! The SSN error is so frustrating because it feels like you're stuck in an endless loop. Here's what finally worked for me after trying everything else: First, definitely call that 1-800-433-3243 number that @Ethan Clark mentioned - but here's a pro tip: call right when they open at 8am EST. The wait times are much shorter in the morning. Second, when you do get through, ask them to do a "data match correction" - that's the specific term they use. They'll walk you through providing documentation, but it's usually just a clear photo of your Social Security card sent through their secure portal. The whole process took about a week for me, but once it was fixed, I could finally edit my FAFSA normally. Don't give up - this is totally fixable! Just remember to stay patient with the phone reps, they're actually pretty helpful once you get through to them. Good luck! 🍀

I'm dealing with a similar issue right now and this thread is giving me so much hope! 😭 I've been stressing about this for weeks thinking my financial aid was doomed. The advice about calling at 8am EST and asking specifically for a "data match correction" is gold - I never would have known that terminology. One quick question for those who've been through this - did you have to resubmit your entire FAFSA after the SSN correction, or were you able to just edit the existing one? I'm worried about messing up my application timeline since some of my schools have pretty tight deadlines coming up. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this community is amazing! 💙

Update: I finally got through to someone at FSA! The agent explained that the multiple signature requests happen when different verification processes complete at different times. For anyone dealing with this - they told me to clear my browser cache completely, use a private/incognito window, and try again. That actually worked! The signature finally went through properly. For anyone wondering about skipping FAFSA for a final semester - I've decided to push through and complete it. Between the Pell Grant and subsidized loans, it's about $6,500 for his final semester that we would have lost. Thanks everyone for talking me down from my frustration!

So glad you were able to get through and resolve the signature issue! That's a huge relief, and you definitely made the right call pushing through the frustration. $6,500 is substantial money to leave on the table, especially for just dealing with some technical glitches. Your experience will probably help other parents who are facing the same signature loop - the private/incognito browser tip is golden! It's frustrating that the system has these issues, but at least there are workarounds. Hope your son's final semester goes smoothly and congratulations to him on almost finishing his degree!

Hi there! I'm new to this community and this thread has been absolutely invaluable as I'm helping my younger sister navigate financial aid for next year. She'll be starting at Texas State and we're dealing with the exact same Hazlewood/FAFSA situation - low federal aid offer despite what seemed like it should qualify for more. What I'm realizing from everyone's experiences here is that I need to completely shift my expectations about how these programs work together. I was thinking of them as additive benefits, but it sounds like they're really calculated as a comprehensive package where one affects the other. The advice about contacting the Veterans Affairs office separately from financial aid is something I definitely wouldn't have thought of on my own. And the professional judgment review option could be huge for us since my brother-in-law's VA disability compensation might be skewing their financial picture. I'm curious though - for those who have been through appeals or reviews, do you recommend doing them before the semester starts, or is it possible to adjust aid after classes begin if you discover issues? We're trying to plan out our timeline for all these steps. Thanks so much to everyone who has shared their knowledge here - this community is such a lifesaver for military families trying to figure out this complex system!

Hi! I'm new to this community and this entire thread has been so incredibly helpful. My daughter will be starting at UT Dallas this fall and we're in almost the exact same situation - my husband is a disabled veteran, we qualified for Hazlewood, but her FAFSA aid was much lower than expected with an SAI around 18,000. Reading through everyone's experiences has completely changed my understanding of how these programs interact. I initially thought we were being shortchanged, but now I see it's really about the need-based calculation after tuition is already covered by Hazlewood. The explanation about SAI and remaining need makes so much sense! I'm definitely going to pursue several of the strategies mentioned here: requesting a professional judgment review (since VA disability compensation probably makes our income look higher than our actual disposable income), connecting with the Veterans Affairs office on campus during orientation, and looking into institutional scholarships and work-study programs. One thing I'm wondering - has anyone had success with appealing the initial aid package by explaining the unique financial circumstances military families face? Or is the professional judgment review the better route for that? Thanks to everyone who has shared their knowledge and experiences. It's so reassuring to know there are other military families navigating this same complex system, and that there are still options to explore beyond that initial disappointing aid offer!

@OP I fixed the same mistake on my FAFSA last year! If you submit and realize you accidentally included grandma's SSI, you can make a correction afterward. Just log back into studentaid.gov, go to your FAFSA, and click "Make FAFSA Corrections." But doing it right the first time is wayyy easier!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I wanted to add that it's really important to keep documentation of everything! I saved screenshots of the official FAFSA instructions about SSI exclusions, and when my school's financial aid office questioned some of my info, having those references made the conversation go much smoother. Also, if your grandmother does help with any of your educational expenses directly (like paying for textbooks or tuition), make sure to track those amounts separately since they might need to be reported differently than her general household contributions. The key is being able to show exactly where every dollar came from if asked!

I'm a high school counselor and I've been helping families navigate this exact issue all month! The family size field glitch is unfortunately very common with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. What's happening is the system sometimes fails to save that specific field even when everything else processes correctly. Here's what I always tell families: Don't panic, but do act quickly. The correction process is straightforward and schools are very familiar with this issue. I'd also recommend screenshotting your current FAFSA summary page (with the blank family size) before making the correction - just as documentation that this was a system error, not user error. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: when you make the correction, double-check that your dependency status didn't change as well. Sometimes the system glitches affect multiple fields in the household section. Also, make sure all your contributors (if any) are still showing as complete. You're catching this at a good time - most schools haven't finalized their aid packages yet, so the correction shouldn't cause any major delays. Just be sure to monitor your student aid report after the reprocessing to confirm everything looks correct!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just checked my daughter's FAFSA last night and the family size field is completely blank even though I'm 100% sure I filled it out. It's honestly a relief to see so many other people dealing with this - I was starting to think I was losing my mind! Reading through all these responses has been super helpful. I'm planning to make the correction this weekend following Danielle's step-by-step instructions, and I'll definitely reach out to the schools proactively like Simon suggested. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for navigating all these FAFSA headaches!