1. Troubleshooting FSA ID Issues
Note to Presenter: This presentation provides information on the FSA ID that can be used in outreach to students and parents. The presentation was created by Federal Student Aid, an office the U.S. Department of Education. You may add or delete content to/from it. However, you must ensure that any edits made to this presentation and/or any uses of this presentation are done in a manner that furthers the goals of the Department. [This presentation was produced in November 2015.]
LaSonya Griggs Director of Financial Aid Tompkins Cortland Community College

2. Federal Student Aid PIN 1998-2015
Federal Student Aid PIN, known as PIN to his many friends, died on May 10, 2015, after a long life of public service. Born in Washington, D.C. in 1998, PIN immediately made his presence felt across the country as he helped students complete their FAFSAs electronically on the World Wide Web. For 17 years, PIN reduced the completion time of federal student aid applications by millions of hours. Success with the FAFSA led to an extended career spanning the entire student aid life cycle, ranging from the aforementioned FAFSA and the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, entrance and exit counseling, and signing Master Promissory Notes, all the way to loan history access on the National Student Loan Data System and—more recently—StudentAid.gov. PIN is survived by one child, FSA ID.

3. Topics Covered What is the function of the FSA ID?
How is an FSA ID created?
Best Practices
Troubleshooting Issues
Forgotten Username or Password
Getting Locked Out FSA ID Account
Issues
Matching Issues
Where to find FSA ID information 3

4. What Is A FSA ID? FSA ID is a username and password combination that:
Serves as an identifier to allow access to personal info in various ED systems
Acts as a digital signature on ED online forms 4

5. FSA ID Functionality The FSA ID is used: To complete the FAFSA
To receive a federal student loan
To co-sign a PLUS Loan, endorser
To perform important activities as a federal student loan borrower, such as choosing a repayment plan or applying for a deferment

6. Who Needs A FSA ID? Student
Parent (one will need an FSA ID for a dependent student)
Borrowers
PLUS Endorsers 6

7. The FSA ID Is: As unique to an individual as a fingerprint
Connected to one unique address
Connected to one unique mobile number
An individual’s digital signature
Used to sign legally binding documents electronically
Not shared with anyone other than the owner
Sharing a FSA ID is like teaching someone to forge a signature and puts the FSA ID owner at risk of identity theft.

8. ISSUES - Creating the FSA ID
The first issue with the FSA ID can be with who created it
Students should not create an FSA ID for their parents
Parents should not create an FSA ID for their child
Authentication questions become an issue when the FSA ID is created by someone other the owner of the account
Answers to authentication questions may not apply to the FSA ID account owner
The account owner cannot use their FSA ID if they cannot authenticate who they are by correctly answering the security questions
The FSA ID account owner may get locked out of their account if they try to answer the security questions too many times

9. Creating the FSA ID 9

10. Creating A FSA ID Go to StudentAid.gov/fsaid.
Click the “Create Your FSA ID Now” button. 10

11. Create A New FSA ID (Username and Password)
Optional but strongly recommended
Each FSA ID must have a unique address (student and parent cannot use the same address).
You must have access to this account.
Username:
Don’t include personal info such as date of birth or name.
If you see a message “Username taken, create a different username,” then someone has already used that username.
You can select “Show Text” to see what you’re typing. 11

12. Best Practices Creating the FSA ID
Use the “Show Text” function to see whether the information provided is correct.
Account owners should write down the address used and the username created for future reference.
Account owner should make sure they can access the address being used for their FSA ID.
Account owners can also take a picture of the screens with “Show Text” checked to reveal the information entered. Pictures need to be taken before continuing on to the next screen.
Account owners should keep their access information in a safe place where it can be quickly retrieved.

13. Issues – Address
address is not required for the FSA ID, but is needed for the forgot password or username feature.
address is the unique identifier for the FSA ID.
Account owner needs to know address and password because they will need to access their to verify the address used on the FSA ID application.
If one address has been used for two FSA ID accounts, the owner of one account may be able to use the edit function to change their address or they may need to call FED-AID and have it changed by a supervisor.
When a FSA ID owner contacts FED-AID, they must verify their identity with information from the FSA ID they created.

14. Provide Personal Information
An individual must have a social security number to create an FSA ID.
The social security number, date of birth, and name must match the social security card and Social Security Administration records.
On the next screen, you’ll be asked to provide your personal information. Make sure your Social Security number, date of birth, and name match what’s on your Social Security card. 14

15. Best Practices Personal Information
The account holder should have their social security card on hand when the FSA ID is created to ensure the SSN is correct.
Having the card ensures numbers are not transposed or entered incorrectly.
Unlike the former PIN, the SSN can be edited, if necessary, because it is not the unique identifier.
The owner should check the “Show Text” box to ensure the correct number is entered on the application.

16. Provide Profile Information - NEW
You can now register your mobile phone number for account recovery.
Confirm information entered previously and provide additional information.
Make sure the information is correct. Errors could result in a delay or problem in receiving financial aid or the repayment of federal student loans.
Take a picture of this screen with “Show Text” box checked. 16

17. Challenge Questions and Answers
Take a picture of this screen.
Answering challenge questions is one way to unlock an account or reset a username and password.
Questions 1 and 2:
Select a question from the dropdown menu and then enter the answer.
Questions 3 and 4:
Make up a question and enter the answer.
Make sure the answers will be easy to remember.
Examples of questions:
What city was I born in?
Who was my first boss?
You can select “Show Text” to see what you’re typing. 17

18. Best Practices Challenge Questions
Challenge questions and answers should be something the account owner knows and easily recognizes.
Questions such as your favorite color, food, movie, etc. are not recommended because these can change over time and be easily forgotten.
Take a picture of this screen before moving on to next screen.
Answers are case sensitive.

19. Review Info and Agree to Terms
Review and confirm information.
If a correction is needed, use the “Previous” button.
Review and agree to the terms and conditions for using a FSA ID. 19

20. Verify Mobile Phone Number
Mobile Phone Number Verification Page
If a mobile phone number is provided, the user will be taken to the Mobile Phone Number Verification page.
Once verified, the mobile phone number can be used to unlock an account, retrieve a username, or reset a password.
Can also continue without verifying.
How to Verify the Mobile Phone Number
Do not close the Mobile Phone Number Verification page.
User will receive a text message with a secure code.
The text message will include a six-digit numeric code to enter in the “Secure Code” data field.
Text Message With Secure Code 20

21. Verify Email Address Email Verification Page Email With Secure Code
If an address is provided, the Verification page will appear.
Once the is verified, the owner can use their address as their username when logging in to ED websites.
Can also continue without verifying.
How to Verify the
Do not close the Verification page.
User will receive an with a secure code.
Log in to account using a different tab, browser window or another device.
Look for an with the subject line, “Important: Your FSA ID Validation - Action Required.”
The will include a six-digit numeric code to enter in the “Secure Code” data field.
Verification Page
With Secure Code 21

22. The FSA ID Is Created! The FSA ID is created.
If an address was provided, the owner will receive a confirmation .
Using the FSA ID
The FSA ID can be used to access fafsa.gov to complete, sign, and submit a FAFSA.
Info will be sent to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for confirmation.
SSA review takes 1-3 days.
Until SSA info is verified, user won’t be able to take certain actions, such as correct a FAFSA, submit a renewal FAFSA, or sign a Master Promissory Note. 22

23. Social Security Administration Matching
The FSA ID owner should receive an with the results of the SSA review. If the owner did not provide an upon creating the FSA ID, they can check their status at FSAID.ed.gov using the “Manage My FSA ID” tab.
If there is an issue, log in at FSAID.ed.gov using the “Manage My FSA ID” tab and review/update profile info. If FSA ID info is correct, the owner will need to contact the SSA. To find the local SSA office, call or go to 23

24. Common SSN Matching Issues
Name, DOB or address on FAFSA is different from the same information on the FSA ID user profile.
If SSN is wrong on FAFSA, student will need to complete a new FAFSA with the correct SSN.
If SSN is wrong on FSA ID, edit FSA ID account info.
If date of birth is wrong on either FAFSA or FSA ID, correct as necessary on FAFSA or FSA ID.
Addresses for FAFSA and FSA ID must match.

25. Forgot Username and/or Password Feature25

26. Forgot Username Select “Forgot My Username” at the log-in screen.
The appearance of the link may vary depending on the website being used.
StudentAid.gov Log-In Screen
FAFSA® Log-In Screen 26

27. Forgot Username A username can be retrieved by either:
Having a secure code texted to owner (enter verified mobile phone number and date of birth),
Having a secure code ed to owner (enter verified address and date of birth), or
Providing personal information and answering challenge questions (select the “Answer my challenge questions” option and click the “Continue” button). 27

28. Retrieve Username Using Email Secure Code
If “ a secure code” is selected, an will be sent to owner’s account and they are taken to a page where they can enter a secure code.
Do not close this page!
Open the in a new browser window, tab or different device and copy the code from the and enter it into the “Secure Code” box.
With The Secure Code 28

29. Retrieve Username Using Text Secure Code - New
If “Text a secure code to my mobile phone” is selected, a text message will be sent to the owner’s mobile phone and they will be taken to a page where they can enter a secure code.
Enter the secure code into the “Secure Code” box. 29

30. Retrieve Username Using Secure Code
Once the secure code has been entered, the screen will display the owner’s username. 30

31. Retrieve Username Using Challenge Questions
To retrieve the username by answering the challenge questions, click the “Challenge Questions” button. Then, click the “Continue” button. 31

32. Retrieve Username Using Challenge Questions
If “Challenge Questions” is selected, enter SSN, last name, and date of birth. 32

33. Retrieve Username Using Challenge Questions
The owner is taken to a page where they will need to answer three of their challenge questions.
After answering the challenge questions, the owner is taken to page that displays their username. 33

34. Forgot Password Select “Forgot My Password” link at the log-in screen.
The appearance of the link may vary depending on what website you are visiting.
StudentAid.gov Log-in Screen
FAFSA® Log-In Screen 34

35. Forgot Password Reset the password by providing:
Username (or verified address) and month and day of birth date or
Verified mobile phone number and the month and day of birth date 35

36. Forgot Password Reset password by:
Having a secure code texted to owner,
Having a secure code ed to owner, or
Answering challenge questions.
IMPORTANT
You will need to create a new password. 36

37. Locked Out of FSA ID Account37

38. Locked Out
If a person has been locked out of their FSA ID account for providing the wrong username or password, they will need to provide the date of birth (month and day only) associated with the account to begin the unlock process. 38

39. Locked Out
If the address or mobile phone number has been verified, the owner can unlock their account by using either the or mobile phone options. Otherwise, they can unlock their account by answering their challenge questions. 39

40. Locked Out
Once the owner has successfully entered the secure code or answered the challenge questions, they will be taken to this screen to change their password. 40

41. Locked Out
Once the owner enters a new password and reenters it successfully, they will receive this message. 41

42. Want More Information?
Additional details on the FSA ID, including answers to frequently asked questions and tips on creating an FSA ID, can be found at StudentAid.gov/fsaid. 42

43. Questions