Posted in FAFSA, The Financial Aid Process tagged FAFSA, fafsa online, financial aid application at 3:33 pm by plusloans
Attention parents! Today marks March 5, and school financial aid deadlines are here, or very close. The majority of schools require all paperwork to be in during this month in order to fairly distribute financial aid and have plenty of time to assemble students’ award packages.
So, what can you do to make sure it all goes smoothly?
1. Make sure your taxes are filed.
This may be a “what?” moment if you are new to the FAFSA process and/or this blog, but in order for your child or ward to file their FAFSA, they need information from you. Specifically, they need your Annual Gross Income figure from your 1040 or 1040EZ form.
If you are the type to hold off on filing taxes until April’s cutoff date, you are putting the student in a diminished position to get the maximum amount of aid possible for the upcoming school year. If you absolutely must hold off, have them file with the previous year’s numbers and then submit an amended FAFSA as soon as your taxes are complete. You can find all the relevant forms and processes on FAFSAOnline.com.
2. Gently, but firmly remind your child.
Nobody likes paperwork. However, if you and your family need aid money from the government or school to pay for your child’s education, you can’t afford to let the FAFSA sit on the back burner. If necessary, you should put a day on your calendar (in the very near future) to sit down with them and help them complete it; this will ensure it gets done, and is filled out correctly.
If you need any advice, or would like to know more about how the FAFSA works, check out the FAFSAOnline.com blog for lots of relevant and interesting posts.
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Attention parents! Today marks March 5, and school financial aid deadlines are here, or very close. The majority of schools require all paperwork to be in during this month in order to fairly distribute financial aid and have plenty of time to assemble students’ award packages.
So, what can you do to make sure it all goes smoothly?
1. Make sure your taxes are filed.
This may be a “what?” moment if you are new to the FAFSA process and/or this blog, but in order for your child or ward to file their FAFSA, they need information from you. Specifically, they need your Annual Gross Income figure from your 1040 or 1040EZ form.
If you are the type to hold off on filing taxes until April’s cutoff date, you are putting the student in a diminished position to get the maximum amount of aid possible for the upcoming school year. If you absolutely must hold off, have them file with the previous year’s numbers and then submit an amended FAFSA as soon as your taxes are complete. You can find all the relevant forms and processes on FAFSAOnline.com.
2. Gently, but firmly remind your child.
Nobody likes paperwork. However, if you and your family need aid money from the government or school to pay for your child’s education, you can’t afford to let the FAFSA sit on the back burner. If necessary, you should put a day on your calendar (in the very near future) to sit down with them and help them complete it; this will ensure it gets done, and is filled out correctly.
If you need any advice, or would like to know more about how the FAFSA works, check out the FAFSAOnline.com blog for lots of relevant and interesting posts.
Permalink Be the first to like this post.
View the original article here
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