Expert FAFSA Completion Tips

Expert FAFSA Completion Tips About Mary Johnson Ms. Johnson is the financial literacy and consumer advocacy program manager for Higher One, a financial services company serving higher education institutions. She has more than 25 years of experience in higher education finance and is dedicated to teaching and promoting student financial literacy. Related Articles FAFSA Application FAFSA Application Do Annuities Affect College Financial Aid Do Annuities Affect College Financial Aid Explain Annuities Explain Annuities To find more helpful money management tips from Ms. Johnson, check out One For Your Money, the online financial literacy community that was ranked one of the "Top Ten Student Financial Literacy Resources on the Web" by CheapScholar.org. You can also follow her on Twitter @MoneyTalkMary. Completing the FAFSA LoveToKnow (LTK): When does the FAFSA need to be completed? Mary Johnson (MJ): There are federal, state, and institution-specific deadlines that students should be aware of because they do vary. Most states require submission by March 1, with many even before that. Students can check on the federal FASFA website to find out their respective state deadline. Federal deadlines are much later, usually not until the end of the academic year. The best practice would be for students to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 of the academic year that they plan to attend college, but not before. LTK: Where should a student turn for help if he is having trouble completing the FAFSA? MJ: Students should stay clear of services that charge fees for helping to complete the FAFSA. It is easy to mistake these sites for the actual free FASFA government website at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov, so students should make sure they are on the right website. There are a number of free resources to help students, including: Step-by-step instructions on the official FAFSA website Help from the Federal Student Aid Center available through a toll-free number at 1-800-4-FED-AID College Goal Sunday websites and workshops FinAid.org State financial aid authorities or departments of higher education, which may have resources online Institutional financial aid offices Some high school guidance offices Common FAFSA Questions LTK: With the poor economy, many families are finding that their financial situation changes from month to month. What should a student do if income and asset information from the previous year doesn't accurately reflect her current financial situation?