MistakestoAvoidWhenApplyingforStudentAid

AsofJanuary25,2011

ThebestwaytocompletetheFreeApplicationforFederalStudentAid(FAFSA)isearly,onlineandwithoutany mistakes.

ApplyEarly
ManystatesandcollegesusetheFAFSAtodetermineeligibilityfornonfederalstudentaidfundsthatmayhave earlydeadlinesorlimitedfunding.TurningyourFAFSAinearlycouldearnyoulimitednonfederalaidfundsthat maynotbeavailableifyoudelay. CompletingyourtaxesearlywillhelpyougetajumpontheFAFSA,butyoudontneedtocompleteyour2010 taxesinordertoapplyforfederalstudentaid.Youcanusedatafromprevioustaxyearstoestimatefigures neededtocompletetheFAFSA,butyou'llneedtocorrectthesefiguresontheformlaterbygoingtothe correctionspageontheFAFSAwebsite.Ifyouknowyouwillbelatefilingyourtaxes,itisbettertocomplete yourFAFSAwithestimatedinformationthantowaituntilyourtaxeshavebeenfiled.

ApplyOnline
Ifyouapplyonline,yourapplicationwillbeprocessedfasterandwilllikelybemoreaccuratebecausetheFAFSA websiteisdesignedtocatchcommonerrors.TheDepartmentofEducationalsoprovidesaPreApplication Worksheetthatwillhelpyoucollectandproofreadtheinformationforyourapplicationbeforeyousubmitit. Whencompletingyourapplicationonline,youcansaveandcontinuetheFAFSAatanytimeandthensignyour applicationelectronicallyusingapersonalidentificationnumber(PIN)whichyoucangetfromtheFederal StudentAidPINwebsite.

AvoidCommonErrors
MakingmistakesonyourFAFSAcoulddelayyourapplicationandpossiblymakeyouloseoutonsomefinancial aid.BesuretoreadallofthequestionsontheFAFSAapplicationcarefullytoavoidconfusionandsubmissionof incorrectinformation.Themostcommonerrorsmadebystudentsandfamiliesare: Leavingblankfields:Entera'0'or'notapplicable'insteadofleavingablank.Toomanyblanksmay causemiscalculationsandanapplicationrejection. Usingcommasordecimalpointsinnumericfields:Alwaysroundtothenearestdollar. ListinganincorrectSocialSecurityNumberordriverslicensenumber:Doublechecktheseentriesand havesomeoneelsecheckthemtoo.Triplechecktobesure.IfyourparentsdonothaveSocialSecurity Numbers,list000000000.DonotmakeupanumberorincludeaTaxpayerIdentificationNumber.

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Failingtouseyourlegalname:YournamemustbelistedonyourFAFSAasitappearsonyourSocial Securitycard.Enteringnicknamesorothervariationsonyournamewillcauseprocessingdelays. Enteringthewrongaddress:Donotlistatemporarycampusorsummeraddressasyourpermanent address. Enteringthewrongfederalincometaxpaidamount:Youcanobtainyourfederalincometaxpaid amountfromyourincometaxreturnforms,notyourW2form(s).Ifyouhavenotyetfiledyourtaxes, youcanestimateyourfinancialinformationusingprevioustaxyearsandcorrecttheamountsonthe formlaterbygoingtothecorrectionspageontheFAFSAwebsite. ListingAdjustedGrossIncome(AGI)asequaltototalincomefromworking:AGIandtotalincomefrom workingarenotnecessarilythesame.Inmostcases,theAGIislargerthanthetotalincomefrom working. Incorrectlyfilingincometaxesasheadofhousehold:Ifthereisanerrorintheheadofhouseholdfiling status,theschoolwillrequireanamendedtaxreturntobefiledwiththeInternalRevenueService(IRS) beforedisbursementofaidisallowed. Listingmaritalstatusincorrectly:Onthequestionpertainingtomaritalstatus,onlyansweryesif you'recurrentlymarriedorseparated.TheDepartmentofEducationwantstoknowwhatyourmarital statusisonthedayyousigntheFAFSA.Midyearchangestoastudentsmaritalstatusarenotaccepted. Listingparentmaritalstatusincorrectly:Thecustodialparent'smaritalstatusisneeded.Ifthisparent hasremarried,you'llneedthestepparent'sinformationtoo. Failuretoreportunbornchildren:Ifyouhaveachildthatwillbebornbeforeorduringtheawardyear forwhichyouareapplying,andthatchildwillreceivemorethanhalfofitssupportfromyou,youmust countthatchildasamemberofthehousehold. Failingtocountyourselfasastudent:ThestudentcompletingtheFAFSAmustcounthimselforherself asamemberofthehouseholdattendingcollegeduringtheawardyear. FailingtoregisterwithSelectiveService:Ifyouareamale,aged18to26,youmustregisterwith SelectiveService.Failuretodosowillmakeyouineligibleforfederalstudentaid. Forgettingtolistthecollege:ObtaintheFederalSchoolCodeforthecollegeyouplanonattendingand listitalongwithanyotherschoolstowhichyou'veapplied. Forgettingtosignanddate:Ifyou'refillingoutthepaperFAFSA,besuretosignit.Ifyou'refiling electronicallyusingFAFSAontheWeb,besuretoobtainyourPINfromwww.pin.ed.gov.YourPINis yourelectronicsignatureandwillalwaysbeassignedtoyouonly.Conversely,ifyoufileusingFAFSAon theWeb,youcanprintoutthesignaturepage,signit,andsenditin. Sendinginacopyofyourincometaxreturns:Youwillbecontactedbyyourschoolifyourinformation needsverification.YoudonotneedtosendacopyofyourtaxreturnsinwithyourFAFSA.Any informationsentwithyourFAFSAwillbedestroyed.Inaddition,donotwriteanynotesinthemarginsof yourFAFSA. YourSocialSecurityNumber(canbefoundonSocialSecuritycard) Yourdriver'slicense(ifany) YourW2Formsforthepreviousyearandotherrecordsofmoneyearned

WhatYoullNeedtoCompletetheFAFSA

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Your(andyourspouse's,ifyouaremarried)mostrecentFederalIncomeTaxReturnIRSForm1040, 1040A,1040EZ,1040Telefile,foreigntaxreturn,ortaxreturnforPuertoRico,Guam,AmericanSamoa, theU.S.VirginIslands,theMarshallIslands,theFederatedStatesofMicronesia Recordsofchildsupportpaid(ifapplicable) Recordsoftaxableearningsfromfederalworkstudyorotherneedbasedworkprograms Recordsofanygrants,scholarships,andfellowshipaidthatwasincludedinyouroryourparents adjustedgrossincome(AGI) Yourparent'sFederalIncomeTaxReturnforthepreviousyear(ifyouareadependentstudentas definedbyfederalcriteria) Yourcurrentbankstatements Yourcurrentbusinessandinvestmentmortgageinformation,businessandfarmrecords,stock,bond, andotherinvestmentrecords DocumentationthatyouareaU.S.permanentresidentorothereligiblenoncitizen.

GetHelp
ChecktheHelpsectionoftheFAFSAwebsiteorcalltheFederalStudentAidInformationCenterat18004FED AID(18004333243).TheDepartmentofEducationhasalsoproducedaPDFdocumenttoanswerFrequently AskedQuestionswhichcanassistyouduringyourapplicationprocess. LookforafreeFAFSAeventinyourareatogetprofessionalassistancefillingouttheFAFSA.Financialaid administratorsacrossthecountryparticipateinthesefreeFAFSAeventstohelpstudentsandfamiliesfilloutthe formaccurately.

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