Do you need to complete the FAFSA this year? Every student applying for college financial aid is required to submit one, and the form just became available on October 1st. Many families are intimidated by the financial aid process, but the FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, isn’t as complicated as it seems. The form asks for family demographic information, then refers to the 2016 federal tax return to collect financial data, then finishes up by asking questions about assets, household size, and the number of people in the family attending college. Most parents find the application much easier (and quicker) to complete than anticipated.

1. MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATIONAL FINANCING AUTHORITY
COMPLETING THE
FAFSA®

2. Fast FAFSA
Facts

3. •Always free
•Required by all colleges
•Opens Oct 1st each year
•Must complete annually

4. Information
Needed

5. Student & parents’:
•SSNs
•2016 federal tax forms
•2016 untaxed income info
•Current asset statements

6. FAFSA
Customer
Service

7. •Phone: 800-4-Fed-Aid
•Chat: on StudentAidHelp.ed.gov
•Email: on StudentAidHelp.ed.gov
•Hours: M-F, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. ET
S&S, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. ET

8. FSA ID

9. •Needed for the FAFSA
•Username & password
•Student and one parent need one
•Get one at fsaid.ed.gov

10. To file the FAFSA go to: fafsa.gov

11. Two choices to begin

12. If already have the FSA ID

13. If don’t yet have the FSA ID

14. Review & accept the disclaimer

15. Select the 2018-2019 FAFSA
For
high
school
seniors

16. Save Key lets you save & return later

17. Further help & instructions
Further
instructions
Tips for
each
question
Search

18. Introduction Page
Section
tabs

19. Student demographic information
Save as
you go
View your
answers
anytime
Use an email
address that
you check
often

20. Student eligibility

21. Eligibility details:
•U.S. citizens & eligible non-citizens get aid
•Males 18+ must register for Selective Service
•Current HS student should select:
–Never before attended college
•Answering “yes” to “interested in work-study?”
–Does not obligate student to work
–Does not guarantee a job

22. Find your high school

23. List up to 10 colleges
Wait 3-5 days to delete and add other schools
Compare
schools side
by side

24. Select the housing plan for each school

25. Dependent students must provide parent data

26. Questions to determine student’s dependency

27. Application saves automatically throughout

28. Parent demographic information
Household
size
worksheet
Color and
label change

29. Who is a parent?
•Biological, adoptive, and certain step-parents
•Include both parents if married
•Include both parents if unmarried & live together
•Married parents include same-sex couples
•If separated & live together, select “married”
•If divorced/separated, select custodial parent:
–Custodial: parent that student lives with the most
–Custodial parent & current spouse provide info
–Noncustodial parent does not appear on FAFSA

30. Household size includes
•Student
•Appropriate parents
•Other children
–If financially supported now and into 2018-19
–Don’t have to live with family
•Other people
–If financially supported now and into 2018-19
–Must live with family

31. Parent tax information

32. Use IRS Data Retrieval Tool if offered

33. IRS Data Retrieval Tool
•Uploads 2016 tax info into FAFSA
•Will not show actual numbers on screen
•Not usable by certain categories of individuals

34. Transferring to IRS website

35. Reporting assets

36. Assets include current balance of
•Cash
•Checking/savings accounts
•Real estate except primary home
•Money market account
•Stocks & bonds
•529s for all children
•Value of larger businesses/farms

37. Assets do not include
•Primary residence
•Life insurance policy
•Value of retirement
•Value of small family businesses
•Value of family farms

38. Student
Finances

39. •Student answers same income
and asset questions as parents
•Student should report income even
if didn’t file taxes

40. Sign with FSA ID and submit

41. Confirmation Page
Expected
Family
Contribution
(EFC)
Transfer parent
information to a
sibling’s FAFSA
College
information

42. After You
Apply

43. •Colleges & state receive your data
•Students receive a Student Aid Report (SAR)
•Colleges may request additional info
•Colleges send aid letters (typically in Mar-April)

44. FAFSA Day

45. •Free, in-person help with the FAFSA
•Oct 2017 through Feb 2018
•FAFSADay.org for dates & times

46. Questions? Contact us:
(800) 449-MEFA (6332)
info@mefa.org
mefa.org