Is anyone else completely DONE with the new FAFSA system?? It's filled with glitches, the help line is impossible to reach, and families are missing out on thousands in aid because of stupid technical errors like this! My daughter missed priority deadline at her top school because of similar contributor issues. When I finally got through to someone, they just said "we're aware of these issues" with NO solution. The whole system needs to be thrown out and rebuilt!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say thank you all for sharing these detailed solutions! I'm dealing with a similar contributor invite issue with my spouse's account, and reading through this thread has given me a clear action plan. The name matching issue especially makes so much sense - I bet that's exactly what's happening with our situation too. It's frustrating that such small details can cause such big problems, but at least now I know what to look for. Really appreciate how helpful everyone has been in working through these FAFSA glitches together!

Another thing to consider: apply to MORE schools than you think you should! I only applied to 3 and regret it. My friend applied to 12 and ended up at her 10th choice because they gave her a $21k/year merit scholarship that made it cheaper than her state school! Schools compete for good students, especially if your stats are above their averages.

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who was in almost the exact same situation last year - parents made $140k, 3.8 GPA, 1380 SAT. I was SO hesitant to fill out FAFSA because everyone kept telling me it was pointless. I'm so glad I did it anyway! Here's what happened: - Got $0 in federal grants (as expected) - BUT qualified for subsidized federal loans (interest doesn't accrue while in school) - My state university gave me a $6k/year merit scholarship that required FAFSA completion - Another school offered me $12k/year in institutional aid after seeing my FAFSA The key thing I learned is that schools often use FAFSA data to determine if you qualify for their own need-based aid programs, which can have different income cutoffs than federal programs. Some schools have specific aid pools for families earning $100-180k who don't qualify for federal grants but still need help. Also pro tip: if your parents have any unusual financial circumstances (medical bills, job loss, caring for elderly parents, etc.), you can appeal your aid package with documentation. Schools have professional judgment authority to adjust your SAI. Definitely fill it out - worst case scenario you're in the same position you'd be in without it, best case you get unexpected aid!

The birthday field issue is actually a known bug in the current FAFSA system that the Department of Education is working to fix. It typically happens when a parent's profile was created before the October 2023 FAFSA simplification changes were implemented. For anyone else experiencing this issue, here's the workaround: 1. Log out completely from studentaid.gov 2. Clear your browser cache and cookies 3. Log back in, but use the "Edit FAFSA" option rather than continuing a saved form 4. Go directly to the personal information section and update the birthday 5. Complete the remaining sections without closing the browser 6. At the sign and submit page, verify the birthday is correct before proceeding The system occasionally displays the correct information on screen but sends incorrect cached data during submission. When calling the FSA helpline, ask specifically for a "data field verification check" on your parent information section.

Wow, what a relief that must be! I'm dealing with a similar nightmare right now - my daughter's FAFSA has been stuck in "review" status for 6 weeks and every time we try to make any updates, it kicks us back to the beginning. The birthday field issue you described sounds exactly like what we experienced with her SSN - it would show correctly on every page but then revert to some random number at submission. We've tried everything short of sacrificing a goat to the FAFSA gods! 😅 Going to try calling at 8:01am like your husband did. Fingers crossed we can get through to someone who actually knows what they're doing. Thanks for sharing your success story - it gives me hope that there's light at the end of this bureaucratic tunnel!

Just to add one more important point: when you complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll be reporting income information from your 2023 tax return. If your child support situation has changed since then (or will change before your daughter starts college), this is exactly the kind of circumstance financial aid offices are prepared to handle through their professional judgment process. Make sure to document everything clearly - when support began, payment amounts, when it will end, and any provisions in your court order. Having organized documentation makes a huge difference in how quickly and favorably your case is reviewed.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! It's so frustrating because the child support barely covers my kids' basic needs - groceries, clothes, school supplies. It's not like I'm living it up with extra money. I've been doing some research and found that some schools are more flexible than others when it comes to special circumstances appeals. Has anyone had success appealing their aid package after explaining how their child support is actually used? I'm wondering if it's worth the effort to document every expense the support goes toward.

Update: I was able to get through to FSA using that Claimyr service someone suggested above. The agent confirmed that I need to use my legal marital status BUT also encouraged me to pursue either getting a legal separation document quickly OR submitting special circumstances forms to each college. I'm going to try for the separation agreement first since that would help with the initial SAI score. Thanks everyone for the advice!

Great to see you got some clarity from FSA! Just wanted to add that when you're working on getting that legal separation agreement, make sure to ask your attorney about backdating it to reflect when you actually started living separately 17 years ago. Some states allow this, and it could strengthen your case with the colleges if the FAFSA timing doesn't work out. Also, keep all documentation of your separate living arrangements, tax filings as head of household, and records showing you've been the primary financial supporter - colleges love to see concrete evidence when reviewing special circumstances appeals. Wishing you and your daughter the best with this process!