Monday, January 18, 2016

FAFSA

Seniors - we will schedule a date soon where you and your family can file the FAFSA at school.  We are looking at the first week of February.  In the meantime, please request your FSA ID.  This is your electronic signature.
Please read the following from www.studentaid.edu.gov

You know you have to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), but maybe you’re not sure what to do. 

Let’s review what to expect.
Filling out the FAFSA® can be a straightforward and easy process. The online FAFSA at fafsa.gov will guide you through the application; click on the “Start A New FAFSA” button on the home page, and just follow the directions on the screen. Below are some tips to help you along the way.
Ready to fill out the FAFSA now? Go for it!
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Getting an FSA ID

You’ll need an FSA ID, a username and password combination that allows you to sign your FAFSA electronically. Your FSA ID also can be used to sign loan contracts and to access certain information online. You can get your FSA ID as you fill out the FAFSA, but you also have the option to get it ahead of time.  Find out how to get an FSA ID andwhat to do if you forgot your FSA ID.

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Getting an FSA ID before you begin the FAFSA could prevent processing delays, and it only takes a few minutes to apply.
 

Gathering the Documents Needed to Apply

The FAFSA asks for information about you (your name, date of birth, address, etc.) and about your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances (for instance, when you filed taxes or what tax form you used), you might need the following information or documents as you fill out the FAFSA:
  • Your Social Security number (it’s important that you enter it correctly on the FAFSA!)
  • Your parents’ Social Security numbers if you are a dependent student
  • Your driver’s license number if you have one
  • Your Alien Registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
  • Federal tax information or tax returns including IRS W-2 information, for you (and your spouse, if you are married), and for your parents if you are a dependent student:
    • IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ
    • Foreign tax return and/or
    • Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Palau
  • Records of your untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans noneducation benefits, for you, and for your parents if you are a dependent student
  • Information on cash; savings and checking account balances; investments, including stocks and bonds and real estate but not including the home in which you live; and business and farm assets for you, and for your parents if you are a dependent student
Keep these records! You may need them again. Do not mail your records to us.
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One thing you don’t need for the FAFSA is money! The FAFSA is FREE, so if a website asks you to pay to fill it out, you’re not dealing with the official FAFSA site. Remember, the FAFSA comes from the government, so it’s on a .gov site: fafsa.gov.
 

Getting Help

If you need help filling out the FAFSA, use these free tools:
  • Read the “Help and Hints” located on the right side of any FAFSA entry page. (The hints change depending on what question you’re on.)
  • Click “Need Help?” at the bottom of any FAFSA entry page (in other words, any page where you’re entering information into the application).
  • Chat (in English or Spanish) with live technical support staff by clicking the “Help” icon with the big question mark at the top of any FAFSA entry page, and then selecting "Contact Us," "Federal Student Aid Information Center," and "Chat With Us."
  • Contact the financial aid office at the college or career school you plan to attend.
  • For details about the purpose of FAFSA questions and how information should be reported in some unusual cases, try our guide called Completing the FAFSA.
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