As a newcomer to this process, I'm so grateful to have found this thread! I'm just starting college applications with my child and was completely lost about why different forms were asking for different income numbers. Reading through everyone's explanations has been such a relief - now I understand that Common App wants total gross income (all sources before deductions) while FAFSA uses the AGI from line 11 of the tax return. I was really worried that having different numbers would look inconsistent or suspicious to colleges, but learning that they actually expect and use these variations to get a complete financial picture has taken so much stress off my shoulders. Thank you to all the experienced parents and professionals who took the time to explain this - it's made what seemed like an overwhelming process much more manageable for first-time families like mine!

As someone who just discovered this thread while researching this exact question, I can't thank everyone enough for all these detailed explanations! I'm a newcomer to the college application process with my son and was getting so confused about why Common App and FAFSA seemed to want different income information. Reading through all the responses has made it crystal clear that Common App wants total gross income (all income sources before any deductions or adjustments) while FAFSA uses the AGI from line 11 of our tax return. It's such a huge relief to understand that these numbers are supposed to be different and that colleges actually expect this variation! I was losing sleep worrying that reporting different amounts might flag our application as inconsistent or somehow hurt his chances for financial aid. This community is amazing for helping confused parents like me navigate what initially seemed like an impossible maze of forms and requirements. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - you've transformed my stress into confidence!

I'm currently going through this exact same issue and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My husband and I are in the same boat - I completed most of the parent section yesterday but had to close the browser due to a work call, and now when I logged back in it's asking for him to complete a separate section too. Reading everyone's experiences here really confirms this is a widespread glitch rather than something we did wrong. I think we're going to follow the advice from multiple people here and just have him complete his section this evening rather than wait for any potential fixes. The consensus seems clear that his portion will be relatively quick (15-20 minutes) and mostly verification of what I already entered. I really appreciate how supportive this community is - dealing with FAFSA stress is so much easier when you know other families are going through the same technical headaches. Will definitely use incognito mode and make sure he has his FSA ID ready to go. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same frustrating issue right now! My daughter and I spent hours on her FAFSA application last weekend, and I was almost done with the parent section when my laptop battery died. When I logged back in the next day, suddenly it's asking for my wife to complete a separate parent contributor section even though we definitely selected "married filing jointly" initially. Reading through all these responses is such a relief - I was starting to think we had somehow broken the application! Based on everyone's advice here, I think we're just going to bite the bullet and have my wife complete her section this week rather than waiting for the system patch. It sounds like the separate parent section really is just verification and electronic signature, not re-entering all our financial information. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions - this community is incredibly helpful for navigating these technical nightmares! Definitely going to use incognito mode and make sure we complete everything in one sitting this time.

As someone who just went through this process with my own daughter last year, I wanted to share a few additional tips that might help! First, if your daughter is planning to use her 5th year for completing both majors, make sure to get written confirmation from her academic advisor that both degrees will indeed be completed by the end of that year. Financial aid offices sometimes want to see a clear graduation timeline before approving aid for extended enrollment. Second, consider having your daughter meet with a financial aid counselor in addition to the general financial aid office - many schools have specialized counselors who focus specifically on non-traditional academic paths like double majors, extended enrollment, etc. They often know about funding opportunities that the general staff might not immediately think of. Finally, if you do end up with a funding gap for that final year, look into whether her field of study qualifies for any professional organization scholarships. Many industry groups offer small scholarships specifically for students completing degrees in their field, and the competition is often less intense than major national scholarships. The most important thing is that 5th year students CAN and DO get financial aid - it just requires a bit more planning and advocacy. You're asking the right questions at the right time!

As someone new to this community but currently going through a very similar situation with my own child, I wanted to add my perspective and ask a follow-up question. My son is also pursuing a double major (computer science and mathematics) and will need a 5th year to complete both degrees. Reading through all these detailed responses has been incredibly helpful - especially the breakdown of the different federal aid limits and the distinction between federal vs. institutional aid policies. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen addressed yet: if a student has been receiving work-study funds throughout their college career, are there similar time limits on work-study eligibility? My son has relied on his work-study job not just for the financial support, but also for valuable experience in his field. I'm wondering if he'd still be eligible for work-study in his 5th year, or if that program has different restrictions. Also, for those who've successfully navigated the 5th year funding - did you find that having the double major actually helped make the case for continued aid eligibility? I'm wondering if schools view the academic rigor and commitment of completing two majors as a positive factor when reviewing extended enrollment requests. Thank you all for sharing such detailed and practical advice. This thread has given me a much clearer roadmap for approaching our own conversations with the financial aid office!

This thread has been a lifesaver! I'm in almost the exact same situation as the original poster - one kid already in college and another high school senior applying now. The step-by-step breakdown everyone provided is so much clearer than anything I found on the official FAFSA website. I especially appreciate the real-world tips like making sure everyone has their own unique email address and sitting with your student when they create their FSA ID. Those are the kinds of practical details that can save you from major headaches later! One thing I learned from reading through all these responses is that I need to start gathering documents NOW - Social Security cards, 2023 tax returns, bank statements, etc. I was planning to wing it, but it sounds like being prepared ahead of time makes the whole process much smoother. For anyone else reading this who's feeling overwhelmed like I was, this community really shows how helpful it is to learn from parents who've already been through the process. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and tips!

As someone who just helped my nephew through this exact process two weeks ago, I can confirm what everyone has said about the order! The student (your high school senior) absolutely needs to create their FSA ID first and start the application. One thing that really helped us was doing a "dry run" the day before we actually started. We gathered all our documents, made sure we had the right email addresses for everyone, and even watched a few YouTube videos about the new FAFSA process. When we actually sat down to do it for real, everything went so much smoother because we weren't figuring things out as we went. Also, don't stress too much if you make small mistakes - the system allows corrections after submission. The most important thing is just getting it submitted by the priority deadlines. Your high school senior starts, adds you as contributor, you complete your part with your existing FSA ID, and your college sophomore handles their renewal separately. You've definitely got this!

As a financial aid counselor who's helped hundreds of families through the FAFSA process, I wanted to jump in with some additional clarification since this is such a common source of confusion. The separate email requirement isn't just bureaucratic red tape - it's actually designed to protect both you and your daughter throughout her entire college journey. Here's something many parents don't realize: your daughter's FSA ID will be her primary way to access federal student aid information for potentially decades, not just during college. She'll use it to check loan balances, apply for income-driven repayment plans, and even access tax benefits related to education. Teaching her to manage this responsibility now (with your support through email forwarding) sets her up for financial independence later. One pro tip I always share: have your daughter write down the security questions and answers you choose together in a physical notebook that you both can access. I've seen too many students get locked out of their accounts years later because they can't remember the name of their first pet or their favorite teacher from childhood. The FSA ID recovery process can take weeks and potentially delay important financial aid deadlines. Also, make sure she uses a password she'll actually remember but that's also secure. A combination of a meaningful phrase plus numbers/symbols that relate to her graduation year or college plans often works well.

As someone who just completed this process with my daughter last month, I can confirm everything everyone has said about needing separate emails. What really helped us was setting up her college email to automatically forward to a shared family Gmail account that we both have access to. This way she maintains ownership of her FSA ID (which is required), but I don't miss any critical deadlines or verification requests. Also, make sure to enable two-factor authentication on her FSA ID for extra security - the last thing you want is someone else accessing her financial aid information. The 2025-2026 FAFSA has been much more stable than previous years, so once you get the email situation sorted, the rest should go smoothly!