UPDATE: You guys were totally right! I went through the correction process and found TWO major mistakes I made. I had included my retirement account as an asset AND counted my contributions as untaxed income, plus I had accidentally included the value of my car (which isn't supposed to be reported). After fixing those and a couple other small things, my SAI dropped from $42,800 to $18,200! That's still higher than I expected but WAY more reasonable. Thanks everyone for your help!

Amazing update! So glad you got it sorted out. Those are exactly the kinds of mistakes that trip up so many people - the retirement account double-counting is probably the most common error I see. Your new SAI of $18,200 should definitely open up more aid opportunities, especially for federal grants and subsidized loans. Make sure to keep checking your student aid report over the next few days to confirm everything processed correctly. You should be in much better shape for your financial aid package now!

One more important thing to know: the FAFSA typically gives priority to students whose applications are submitted earlier. Even though they have official deadlines, aid can be first-come, first-served at many schools. Since you'll have two students applying for 2025-2026, I'd recommend completing both FAFSAs as soon as the application opens in December 2024. Also, check if either of your children's schools require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. That's a separate financial aid application required by some private colleges, and it has a different set of rules and deadlines.

Just wanted to add that when you're filling out both FAFSAs, make sure you're consistent with the financial information you enter for each child. Since you'll be using the same parent tax/income data for both applications, any discrepancies could cause processing delays or verification requests from the schools. Also, keep copies of everything! With two students, you'll have twice the documentation to track. I learned this the hard way when my daughter's school requested additional paperwork and I had mixed up which documents went with which kid's application. Having everything organized by student from the start will save you headaches later.

That's such a relief to hear! I'm in a similar situation - submitted my FAFSA in early March and still waiting for my disclosure statement. The waiting is so stressful when you see all these college deadlines approaching. It's good to know that most schools are being understanding about the delays this year. I think I'll follow your lead and call my school's financial aid office tomorrow just to give them a heads up about the delay and see if they have any updates on their end. Thanks for sharing your update - it definitely helps ease some of the anxiety!

I'm in the exact same situation! Submitted my FAFSA about 2.5 weeks ago and still showing "processing" with no disclosure statement yet. This is my first time too and I was getting really worried seeing all these deadlines coming up. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - sounds like the delays are pretty normal this year with the new system. I'm definitely going to call my school's financial aid office this week to let them know about the delay and make sure I'm not missing anything on my end. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and tips, especially about checking email preferences and the possibility of hidden verification issues!

Great progress! How did you finally manage to get through to them? I'm still hearing from families who can't reach anyone after trying for weeks.

I'm so sorry this happened to your son and it's alarming how many families are experiencing the same issue with 2005-born students. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all these responses and I'm really grateful everyone is sharing their experiences and solutions. I wanted to add that if you're still having trouble getting through to the IRS, you might also try calling early in the morning (around 7 AM local time) when they first open - that's when call volumes are typically lowest. Also, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (1-877-777-4778) can sometimes help expedite identity theft cases when regular channels aren't working. For anyone else reading this thread, it might be worth checking if your state has additional identity theft resources. Some states have their own victim assistance programs that can help coordinate between federal agencies and provide additional documentation that colleges might accept. Stay strong - it sounds like you're taking all the right steps and advocating well for your son!

One important thing to remember is that your SAI (Student Aid Index) will be calculated separately for each student, but using the same household financial information. Having two in college simultaneously is actually beneficial because your expected family contribution gets split between them. Make sure both FAFSA applications indicate multiple family members in college - this alone can significantly increase your aid eligibility even without appeals. When you do file those professional judgment appeals, make sure to emphasize that you have two children in college at once. Financial aid officers have considerable discretion, and demonstrating this double financial burden can help your case.

I just went thru this whole mess with my kids. Let me save u some time. FIRST, fill out the FAFSA exactly as required with 2023 info. DON'T try to outsmart the system or they'll flag your app for verification which is a whole other nightmare. THEN immediately email the financial aid departments explaining your situation. Most have specific forms for income adjustments. When my bonus made my income look artificially high, I had to provide: 1) 2022 taxes showing "normal" income 2) 2023 taxes with the bonus 3) Letter from employer confirming one-time nature of bonus 4) Recent pay stubs I got about 60% of schools to adjust our aid. Private schools were MUCH more willing to help than public ones. The state schools basically said "tough luck" while smaller private colleges actually revised everything. Good luck!!