They said they're handling deadline extensions on a case-by-case basis, but are being pretty flexible given the delays. I'd recommend emailing admissions to request an extension if you need one!

As someone who just went through this whole process with my son, I wanted to add a few things that might help! First, definitely fix that FAFSA retirement account error - $180k will make a huge difference in your SAI and potential aid eligibility. Yes, there's a risk of verification, but the potential savings are worth it. For the Texas Tech delays, we found that following up every few days (politely!) helped keep things moving. Also make sure you've submitted your CSS Profile if you're applying for need-based aid - some students forget about that requirement. One tip that saved us: while waiting for the official package, you can get a rough estimate by using Texas Tech's net price calculator with your corrected financial info. It won't be exact but gives you a ballpark to work with for planning purposes. Hang in there - I know the waiting is stressful, but it sounds like packages are finally starting to move!

Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! Lena, you've received such thorough and helpful advice here. As someone who's also preparing to file FAFSA soon, I learned so much about asset reporting complexities that I never knew existed. I think the key takeaways from everyone's advice are really solid: report the $32,000 honestly as an asset, use some for legitimate educational expenses before filing to reduce the reportable amount, research merit-based scholarships that won't be affected by your assets, and definitely explore the professional judgment process with your schools' financial aid offices since this is a one-time windfall. The point about keeping detailed records of educational expenses really resonates with me too - it seems like documentation is crucial whether for verification or potential appeals. And I had no idea about resources like NASFAA or the possibility of consulting with financial planners who specialize in college funding. Your approach of asking questions upfront and being completely transparent is exactly what I'd want to do in your situation. It might feel frustrating that a stroke of luck could impact your aid eligibility, but you're handling it with such integrity and you clearly have a solid plan moving forward. Plus, having $32,000 to help with college expenses is still a huge blessing, even if it affects your aid calculation! Wishing you the best of luck with your FAFSA and college applications!

This has been such a comprehensive and helpful discussion! As someone new to the FAFSA process, I'm amazed at how complex asset reporting can be, but also impressed by how supportive this community is. Lena, I think you've gotten excellent advice here, and your commitment to being completely honest on your FAFSA is really admirable. The suggestion to spend some of the money on legitimate educational expenses before filing is particularly smart - things like a laptop, textbooks, and even tuition deposits can reduce your reportable assets while serving their intended educational purpose. One thing I'd add is that you might want to create a timeline for yourself. Since you're filling out the 2025-2026 FAFSA now, you could strategically make those educational purchases soon, then file your FAFSA to capture the reduced asset balance. Then start researching and applying for merit-based scholarships that won't be affected by your lottery winnings at all. Also, don't forget that many schools have application deadlines for their institutional scholarships that are separate from general admission deadlines. It would be worth checking each school's financial aid website to make sure you don't miss any opportunities. You're handling this situation with such integrity and thoughtfulness - that same approach will definitely serve you well in college. Best of luck with everything!

This thread is absolutely incredible! As someone new to this community, I'm blown away by how much detailed, practical information has been shared here. My friend's daughter has TPS status from Yemen and they've been struggling to figure out the FAFSA process - I'm definitely sharing this entire thread with them. What really strikes me is how much misinformation is still out there about TPS eligibility. It's clear from all the success stories shared here that TPS holders CAN and DO qualify for significant federal aid, yet so many school counselors and even some financial aid offices seem unaware of this. The detailed documentation checklist and verification tips are going to be so valuable for families going through this process. I especially appreciate all the practical advice about timing (starting in October), using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, keeping detailed records, and having backup resources like emergency aid and scholarships ready. The tip about Claimyr for getting through to federal aid agents is something I never would have known about otherwise. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real experiences - both the successes and the challenges. This kind of community support and knowledge sharing makes such a difference for families navigating these complex systems. I'm bookmarking this thread as a resource to share with other families in similar situations!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this thread! My cousin has TPS status from Afghanistan and will be starting his senior year of high school in the fall. Reading through all these detailed experiences and success stories has been incredibly encouraging - we had honestly been worried that his TPS status would disqualify him from federal aid entirely. The comprehensive document checklist and step-by-step guidance shared here is exactly what we needed. I'm already helping him gather his EAD card, I-821 approval notice, and making sure his Social Security card doesn't have work restrictions. The tip about name consistency across all documents is something I never would have considered but makes perfect sense. I'm especially grateful for the realistic timeline expectations and the heads-up about potential verification delays. We're definitely planning to submit his FAFSA as soon as it opens in October to give ourselves maximum time to resolve any issues that might come up. One question for this knowledgeable community - has anyone had experience with Afghan TPS specifically? I'm wondering if there are any unique considerations or resources we should be aware of given the recent changes in Afghanistan's situation and the various evacuation programs that have been in place. Thank you all for creating such an informative and supportive space for families navigating these complex processes!

I've been lurking here for weeks dealing with this same nightmare! Finally got through to FSA yesterday using the Claimyr service @Isabella Russo mentioned - it's legit and totally worth the small fee. Turns out my account was flagged for "suspicious activity" just because I tried logging in from different devices (my laptop, phone, library computer). The agent cleared it in about 5 minutes once I proved my identity. For anyone still stuck: they told me this error is affecting about 15% of users and they're working on a permanent fix. In the meantime, they recommend only using ONE device/browser to access your account once it's working again. Also confirmed that most schools have gotten deadline extensions through April because of these issues, so don't panic too much about timing!

Just wanted to add my experience to this thread since I literally just resolved this exact same issue this morning! I was getting the "unknown error has occurred" message since early February and tried everything - different browsers, clearing cache, waiting 24 hours between attempts, you name it. What finally worked was the Claimyr service that @Isabella Russo and @Nasira Ibanez mentioned. Got connected to an FSA agent in about 30 minutes and they immediately identified that my account was in some kind of verification limbo state. The agent said this is happening because their new system sometimes doesn't properly sync the verification status between different parts of their database. She reset something on her end and boom - I was able to log in immediately after. My SAI was already calculated and waiting! For anyone still dealing with this, definitely try Claimyr - it's worth every penny to actually talk to a human who can fix it instantly rather than banging your head against the website for months.

Just wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I ran into the same "unknown error" issue last month with my son's FAFSA. After trying several of the solutions mentioned here, what finally worked for me was actually logging out of ALL my other government websites first (IRS, Social Security, etc.) before attempting the FAFSA contributor login. Apparently there can be some kind of session conflict if you're logged into multiple federal sites simultaneously. Once I cleared all those sessions and then logged into FAFSA fresh, it went through without any issues. Also want to second what others have said about the late-night login trick - I had much better luck accessing the system after 10pm when traffic is lighter. The whole platform seems much more stable during off-peak hours. For newcomers reading this thread, definitely bookmark it! This is the most comprehensive troubleshooting guide I've found anywhere, way better than the official help pages. Thanks to everyone who shared their solutions!

I'm new to this community but this thread has been a lifesaver! I'm currently stuck on the exact same error with my daughter's FAFSA contributor invitation. Reading through everyone's solutions has given me so much hope - I was starting to think something was seriously wrong with our application. I'm planning to try the remove/re-add approach tonight after checking the name format issue (pretty sure my daughter used my full legal name but my FSA ID probably just has my preferred name). The browser cookie settings tip is also really helpful - I've been using my work laptop which definitely has strict security settings. What's so frustrating is that this error message is completely unhelpful! "Unknown error occurred" tells us nothing about whether it's a name mismatch, browser issue, server problem, or something else entirely. The fact that we need to crowdsource solutions like this shows how much the official documentation is lacking. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their experiences and come back with updates when they find solutions. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these government systems bearable!