To fill out your FAFSA, you will need your tax information from the previous year. If you are a dependent student, you will also need your parents' tax information. Married students must provide tax information for spouses as well. It is easier to fill out the FAFSA once the 1040 tax forms are filed because the FAFSA requires information from the 1040 form. If the tax forms have not yet been submitted for the previous year, gather the W-2 forms instead. The FAFSA cannot be completed without this information.
Obtain a paper application from your school or visit the FAFSA website (see Resources) to familiarize yourself with the application. If you plan on submitting your FAFSA online, apply for a pin number online (see Resources) to sign your application electronically. Parents can also apply for pin numbers to sign the student's application online. Without a pin number, applications must be printed, signed and mailed to the Department of Education.
It is recommended to submit your FAFSA as soon as possible because the funds are limited and many financial aid awards are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. You may submit your application after Jan. 1 for the following school year. Your application must be received by June 30; however, your state may have different deadlines for state-based financial aid awards. The FAFSA website has a list of state deadlines, some of which fall before the FAFSA deadline.
Even if your total income or expected family contribution may disqualify you for federal financial aid, you should still file your FAFSA before the deadline. If you do not file, you will not know what you are actually eligible for. You may be eligible for a grant or loan even if your parents earn a substantial income. Many scholarship and grant programs also use the FAFSA to determine who its recipients will be. State and university programs also refer to students' FAFSA information to determine financial aid award.
Resources are available to help applicants who have questions about the FAFSA. If you are already in college, your school's financial aid department should have counselors available to answer your questions. High schools students can talk to their college admissions counselor. The government also offers a hotline for applicants who have questions that cannot be answered through the FAFSA website. The hotline number is 1-800-433-3243 and answers calls Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.