Just went through verification last year with my twins - it's definitely legitimate if it shows up in your studentaid.gov account! One thing I learned is that the "IV code" mentioned in your letter stands for "Institutional Verification" and it's basically a tracking number for your verification process. Make sure to include that code on any documents you submit. Also, don't panic about the timeline - as long as you submit everything promptly, it shouldn't delay your aid disbursement. The process usually takes 2-3 weeks once they receive your documents.

I work in a college financial aid office and can confirm this is almost certainly legitimate if it appeared in your studentaid.gov account! Verification is super common - we process hundreds of these each semester. A few things that might help: 1) The IV code is your tracking number, so definitely include it on all submissions, 2) Most schools now have secure document upload portals that are way safer than mail, 3) If you're missing any tax documents, the IRS Get Transcript tool is your friend, and 4) Don't stress too much about the timeline - we rarely see verification delay aid disbursement if students respond promptly. Your daughter's school should be your first stop for guidance on their specific verification process!

If you have a gap you can't afford, you have several options: 1. Appeal the financial aid offer (as mentioned above) 2. Look for additional outside scholarships (check Fastweb, Scholarships.com, your employer, local organizations) 3. Consider a payment plan through the school (many offer monthly payments instead of lump sums) 4. Look into less expensive housing options (commuting or off-campus housing is often cheaper) 5. Consider starting at a community college and transferring later Also, many schools have emergency grants or completion grants for students who face financial hardships during their education. Ask the financial aid office about all available resources.

One more thing to add - make sure to check your student email accounts regularly! Many schools send important financial aid updates through the email address your daughter provided on her applications. I almost missed a scholarship opportunity last year because the notification went to my son's school email instead of our family email. Also, some schools have early bird deadlines for housing deposits that can affect your aid package, so stay on top of all those timelines. The whole process is overwhelming but you're asking all the right questions!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this transition. My SAI ended up being about $3,000 higher than my old EFC, and I was panicking too. But here's what I learned after talking to multiple financial aid offices: The SAI calculation includes some improvements that might actually help you. For example, they increased the income protection allowance (the amount of income that's protected from the aid calculation) and made some adjustments for families with lower incomes. Also, if you're close to the Pell Grant eligibility threshold, it's worth double-checking your FAFSA for any errors. Even small mistakes in income reporting or family size can push you over the edge. I caught an error in my tax information that dropped my SAI by almost $2,000. One more tip - if your family's financial situation has changed since you filed (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can request a professional judgment review. The SAI is based on prior-prior year income, so it might not reflect your current ability to pay. Good luck!

Hey! I'm new to this whole FAFSA thing and reading through this thread has been super educational. I'm a high school senior who just submitted my FAFSA and I'm waiting for my SAI results. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like I shouldn't panic when I see the number, right? My parents keep asking me what our "expected family contribution" will be, but from what I'm understanding, the SAI isn't exactly the same thing? Should I be preparing them for the fact that this new number might look different than what they're expecting based on online EFC calculators they've been using? Also, does anyone know if there are any good resources for understanding how different schools typically package aid? It sounds like every school handles the SAI differently when putting together aid packages.

Glad to hear you got your invite! For future reference for anyone else having this issue - I've noticed that contributor invites sent during weekdays tend to arrive faster than weekend submissions. Also, if you're using a work email, some corporate spam filters are extra aggressive with FSA emails. I always recommend parents use a personal email address when possible. The new FAFSA system has definitely had growing pains, but it's getting more stable as they work out the bugs.

Great to see this got resolved! For anyone still waiting on their contributor invite, I'd also recommend checking if your email provider has any "promotions" or "updates" folders where automated emails sometimes get sorted. Gmail especially likes to put government emails in these tabs instead of the main inbox. Also, if you're still having issues after 48 hours, try having your student remove you as a contributor and then re-add you - sometimes this triggers the system to send a fresh invite. The key is not to panic - the FSA system is definitely slower this year but it does work eventually!

Update: I called my financial advisor today to double-check, and she confirmed what everyone here said - the 529 should definitely be reported as MY asset since I'm the account owner. She mentioned that this is one of the most common mistakes families make on the FAFSA. I'll be completing my parent portion this weekend and will include the 529 in my assets section. Then I'll follow up with both the Federal Student Aid office and my son's prospective colleges to make sure they're aware of the correction. Thank you all for the help! This community saved us from what could have been a costly mistake.

Great to hear you're getting this sorted out! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you complete your parent section and include the 529, make sure to also remove any reference to it from your son's section if the system allows edits, or note the correction in any "additional information" fields. Also, since you mentioned contacting prospective colleges, I'd recommend doing this sooner rather than later if any of them have early financial aid deadlines. Some schools process aid packages on a rolling basis, so getting the correction in early could help ensure your son gets considered for the maximum aid available. You're absolutely doing the right thing by addressing this quickly. The difference between 20% assessment (student asset) and up to 5.64% assessment (parent asset) on $43,000 could mean thousands more in available aid for your son!