Just want to add one more tip that helped me - when your son creates his FSA ID, make sure he uses an email address that he checks regularly and will have access to throughout college. The FSA ID is what he'll use for all future financial aid applications, loan management, and communications from Federal Student Aid. I made the mistake of using my daughter's high school email for her first FSA ID and then had to go through a whole process to update it when the school email got deactivated after graduation. Save yourself the headache and use a personal email from the start!

One thing I want to emphasize that I learned the hard way - make sure to print or save a PDF copy of each completed FAFSA before you submit it! The system sometimes has glitches where submitted applications show incomplete status even when everything was filled out correctly. Having that backup documentation saved me when my daughter's application mysteriously showed missing parent signatures even though we both signed it. The financial aid office was able to verify everything was complete using my saved copy. With two kids going through this process, you'll definitely want that peace of mind!

So glad you got it figured out! That's such a weird workaround but I'm definitely saving this thread for future reference. My younger son will be applying next year and I'm already dreading dealing with this system again. The fact that starting a new application then deleting it somehow triggers the notification to appear is just... wow. The FAFSA developers really need to get their act together. Thanks for sharing the solution - I'm sure this will help other families who run into the same issue!

This is incredibly helpful! I'm just starting the FAFSA process with my daughter and honestly feeling overwhelmed by all the stories about glitches and system issues. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that even when things go wrong, there are solutions. I'm definitely going to save this thread and maybe try some of the preventative steps mentioned (like making sure emails are verified upfront) to hopefully avoid these issues altogether. Thanks to everyone who shared their workarounds - this community is amazing!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation with my son's school being part of a universal free lunch program. I was about to mark 'yes' on his FAFSA but after reading everyone's responses, I realize that would be incorrect since we wouldn't qualify based on income alone. It's confusing because technically he does receive free lunch, but I understand now that the question is really asking about income eligibility. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so valuable to hear from people who've been through this process and even from someone who works in financial aid. Definitely saving me from making the same mistake!

As someone who just went through this exact same situation last month, I want to echo what everyone else has said - you absolutely made the right choice changing your answer to 'no'. I actually called three different schools my daughter applied to and they all confirmed the same thing: the FAFSA question is about income-based eligibility, not whether your child participates in a universal program. What really helped me understand it was thinking about it this way - if the school district stopped their Community Eligibility Program tomorrow, would your family qualify for free lunch based on income? If the answer is no (like it sounds like it is for your $85k family income), then 'no' is the correct FAFSA answer. One thing I learned is that marking 'yes' incorrectly could potentially trigger verification, and from what I've heard from other parents, that process can really delay your aid. You definitely don't want that stress during your daughter's first year of college! Great job asking for help and getting it sorted out early.

Final tip: After the correction processes, download and save a copy of the corrected SAR (Student Aid Report). This documents that the correction was properly submitted and processed, which can be invaluable if questions arise later. You can find this on the studentaid.gov dashboard after logging in.

As a newcomer here, I'm dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add that if anyone is still struggling with the correction process, you can also contact your school's financial aid office directly. They often have direct lines to help with FAFSA issues and can sometimes expedite processing if you're approaching deadlines. My daughter's school was able to make a provisional aid offer based on the corrected information while we waited for the official correction to process. Don't hesitate to reach out to them - they're usually very understanding about honest mistakes like this!

One additional tip: For the CSS Profile (which some private colleges require), you can specifically request an address privacy block if you have documented safety concerns. Contact the College Board directly about this option if any of your children's schools require the CSS Profile. They have protocols in place for situations exactly like yours.

Just wanted to add that you should also be careful about any state-specific financial aid forms your kids might need to fill out. Some states have their own grant programs with separate applications that could ask for different address information than the FAFSA. I'd recommend checking your state's higher education website to see what forms they require and whether they have similar privacy protections. Also, if your kids qualify for any need-based aid, make sure the school sends all correspondence to the address you want (not automatically to the student's listed address). Most schools will let you specify a preferred mailing address for financial aid documents if you call their office directly.