When Should I Fill Out My FAFSA?

Question

I am currently a senior in high school and will be attending college in the fall of 2009. I would like to know so that I can be sure to get everything in on time...

Answer 1

Well, you should file the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st 2009. They give you more money the sooner they get your FAFSA. That is the reason why you try to do it sooner rather than later.

Answer 2

January 2009 or as soon as your parents file their taxes.  You can do the fafsa in january, then go and correct after they actually file.  

Answer 3

after january 1, 2009

Answer 4

As the ladies said here already, if you are currently a senior in high school, and will be attending college beginning in the fall of 2009, your FAFSA will be available to file anytime after January 1, 2009.  You CAN complete it without your parents specific tax information, but you will need projected numbers - then after your parents file, you'll have to update your FAFSA with exact numbers provided on their official tax return to the IRS.  You will file it free, easy, and with LOADS of help here:  http://fafsa.ed.gov - or by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID.

For a good estimate of what your EFC will be though (expected family contribution), you could ask your parents if they could provide you with projected information at this time, and go to http://fafsa4caster.ed.gov to plug in your information - - or if your parents don't want to share their income info with you at this time, ask them to visit the above website to do it for you.  Worse thing that can happen, is that you'll have already set up your account with the department of education so you'll have your PIN already, and they'll have your basic information when it's time to actually apply for aid in January :-).   Less for you to enter in then, because your application will prefill each time from then forward.  You just change the info that's changed, and you have one place to look up your entire student aid history as the years go by.

Good luck in your future!