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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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UPDATE: It's working again for me now! Just got in no problem. Try again, the site might be back to normal!
Just tried again and it worked! FINALLY! Thanks for the update. Looks like whatever issues they were having must be resolved now.
I'm dealing with the exact same issue! Been trying to log in for hours with no luck. Really glad to see from the recent updates that it's working again for some people - I'll keep trying. This whole FAFSA redesign has been such a nightmare this year. For anyone still having trouble, I've also heard that sometimes clearing your browser's stored passwords and typing everything manually can help, especially if there are any hidden characters or spaces saved in your login info. Fingers crossed this gets fully resolved soon!
Thanks for the tip about clearing stored passwords! I actually just got in after reading the recent updates here - it seems like the system is finally stabilized. The manual typing suggestion is really smart, especially since someone mentioned earlier that autofill was adding invisible spaces. It's crazy how many workarounds we have to figure out just to access a basic government service. Hope you get in soon too!
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That's awesome news! I'm so glad the browser switch worked for you. It's crazy how something as simple as using a different browser can fix such a major glitch. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread because I know I'll be helping other parents with FAFSA issues throughout the season. Your experience is going to help so many families who run into this same problem. Congrats on getting through what sounds like a really frustrating process!
This is such valuable information! I'm a college-bound senior and was dreading filling out the FAFSA after hearing all the horror stories about the new system. Reading through this thread has been super helpful - I'll definitely start with Firefox instead of Chrome and make sure to take screenshots of everything. It's really reassuring to see how supportive this community is when people run into these technical issues. Thanks for sharing your solution, it's going to save so many of us time and stress!
Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else who might find this thread! I had a similar issue where my daughter's dependency status kept switching back and forth between dependent and independent. What finally worked for us was clearing the browser cache AND logging out of any other government websites (like IRS, SSA) that we had open in other tabs. Apparently having multiple federal sites open simultaneously can cause session conflicts that mess with the FAFSA data. Also, if you're using a password manager, try temporarily disabling auto-fill for the FAFSA site - sometimes those can interfere with the form's JavaScript. The new FAFSA system is definitely buggy but these little tricks seem to help avoid the worst glitches!
Thanks for sharing these additional tips! The part about logging out of other government sites is really interesting - I never would have thought that could cause conflicts. I'm actually getting ready to help my younger sibling with their FAFSA next year, so I'm taking notes on all these workarounds. It's frustrating that we need so many tricks just to get a government form to work properly, but at least this community is great at sharing solutions. The password manager tip is especially helpful since I use one for everything. Really appreciate you adding to the knowledge base here!
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Yes, being an independent student helps in your situation! For independent students, the SAI calculation treats spousal income differently than it would for dependent students with parental income. You can use the Federal Student Aid Estimator (https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/) to run scenarios. Enter his information as an independent married student with both incomes to see the potential impact. Also, many aid programs like Pell Grants have their own thresholds. If his EFC/SAI is still within certain ranges, the change in aid might be less dramatic than you fear. Institutional aid (aid from the college itself) varies widely in how it's awarded - some schools have more flexibility than others.
This is super helpful! We'll definitely use that estimator to see what we're facing. I feel a bit better knowing he's independent already. Hopefully his school will be understanding with the professional judgment review if needed. Thanks everyone for all the advice!
Just wanted to add that timing matters for the professional judgment review too. Don't wait until the last minute - submit your FAFSA as soon as it opens in October, then immediately contact the financial aid office about a professional judgment review. Some schools have limited funds for adjustments and it's first-come, first-served. Also, keep copies of everything you submit and follow up if you don't hear back within a reasonable time. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with financial aid offices sometimes. Good luck with your wedding and hope everything works out with the aid situation!
Great advice about timing! I'm definitely a newcomer to all this FAFSA stuff but from what I'm reading here, it sounds like being proactive is key. The first-come, first-served thing for adjustment funds makes total sense - probably similar to how other limited financial programs work. Thanks for emphasizing the follow-up part too, I can see how things might get lost in the shuffle at busy financial aid offices. This whole thread has been really educational for someone like me who's still learning about how financial aid works!
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I'm so sorry for your loss, Yara. This is such a difficult situation to navigate while you're grieving. The advice everyone has given is spot-on - I just wanted to add that many schools have dedicated staff members who specialize in handling these types of special circumstances cases. When you contact the financial aid offices, ask specifically to speak with someone who handles professional judgment reviews or special circumstances appeals. They tend to be more knowledgeable about the process and can walk you through exactly what documentation they need. Also, if you're working with multiple schools, keep detailed notes about what each one requires since their processes can vary slightly. You're doing everything right by asking these questions and getting prepared early. Hang in there!
This is really great advice about asking for specialized staff. I didn't know schools had people who specifically handle these cases - that would probably save me a lot of time and confusion compared to talking to general financial aid staff who might not be as familiar with the process. I'll definitely ask for the professional judgment specialist when I call each school. The note-taking tip is smart too since I'm already seeing differences in what people are saying about documentation requirements. Thank you for the encouragement - it really helps to hear from people who understand how overwhelming this all feels.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Yara. I can't imagine how difficult this must be while you're also trying to navigate these complex financial aid processes. Based on what everyone has shared, it sounds like you have a clear path forward, but I wanted to add one more resource that might help: many colleges have emergency financial aid funds specifically for students whose families have experienced unexpected hardship like this. When you contact the financial aid offices for the professional judgment reviews, ask if they have any emergency grants or hardship funds your son might qualify for while you're waiting for the FAFSA adjustments to be processed. These funds can sometimes provide immediate relief for tuition, housing, or other expenses. Also, don't forget to check if your husband had any life insurance benefits through his employer that might include educational benefits for dependents - some policies have provisions specifically for college expenses that families don't always know about. You're handling this incredibly well given the circumstances.
Isabella, thank you for mentioning the emergency financial aid funds - I had no idea those existed! That could be a huge help while we're waiting for everything else to get processed. I'll definitely ask about those when I contact the schools. The life insurance tip is also something I hadn't thought about - my husband did have coverage through his employer, so I should look into whether there are any educational benefits included. It's amazing how many resources and options I didn't know about before posting here. Everyone's advice has been so helpful during what feels like an impossible situation.
Max Reyes
I'm in a similar situation with my SAI being higher than expected! One thing that helped me was creating a comprehensive list of all our family's financial obligations that might not be obvious from the FAFSA - things like caring for elderly grandparents, medical expenses, or other dependents. Even if these don't directly change your SAI, having this information ready can be really helpful when you meet with your school's financial aid office for a professional judgment review. Also, definitely double-check that retirement accounts weren't mistakenly reported as assets - that's a super common error that can inflate your SAI significantly. Don't give up hope yet - there are still options to explore!
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Emma Davis
•This is really helpful advice! I hadn't thought about documenting all our family expenses that might not show up on the FAFSA. We do help support my grandma with some medical costs, and my mom has been dealing with some health issues that created unexpected bills. Even if it doesn't change the SAI calculation, having that information ready for the financial aid office meeting sounds like a smart approach. Thanks for the encouragement - it's easy to feel defeated when you see that high SAI number, but you're right that there are still avenues to explore!
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Amara Eze
Hey Dylan, I totally get how stressful this is! An SAI of 43,762 is definitely on the higher side, but don't lose hope. Since your sister is in college too, that should have helped lower your SAI somewhat already. A few things to consider: First, definitely double-check your FAFSA for errors - retirement accounts are a common mistake that can inflate your SAI. Second, even with limited need-based aid, you'll still qualify for unsubsidized federal loans and potentially Parent PLUS loans. Third, and this is important - many schools have institutional aid that doesn't follow federal formulas. Schedule a meeting with your financial aid office ASAP to discuss your family's actual financial situation. They might have discretion to offer additional help or put you on a payment plan. Also look into merit scholarships at your school based on your academics. The SAI is just one piece of the puzzle - don't give up!
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Cole Roush
•Thank you so much for the comprehensive advice! You're right that I shouldn't give up - I was feeling pretty overwhelmed when I first saw that SAI number. I'm definitely going to schedule a meeting with the financial aid office this week to discuss our situation in detail. The point about institutional aid not following federal formulas gives me some hope. I'll also make sure to have my parents double-check the FAFSA for any errors, especially around retirement accounts since that seems to be a common issue. It's really encouraging to hear that there are still options even with a higher SAI. I appreciate you taking the time to lay out such a clear action plan!
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