Earlier Filing Date

For more than 20 years, the FAFSA could not be filed until January 1 in the year the student will be starting the fall college session. New for the 2017-2018 school year, the FAFSA can be filed beginning October 1, three months sooner than normal.

Deadlines

Historically, most colleges required you to file FAFSA by March 1 to qualify for the most financial aid. Since you can file FAFSA beginning October 1, you should check the websites of colleges you are applying to make sure you meet their deadlines. Don’t rely on 3rd party websites since they may not be updated regularly. Make sure you get your FAFSA filed by the priority deadlines in order to qualify for the most financial aid.

Filing Income

In addition, instead of using the family income for the year prior to attending college, you must use income from 2 years prior to attending. For example, for the 2017-2018 school year, you must use income from 2015. For more information on new FAFSA changes, visit the Department of Education here.

Tools

Use our free online calculator to receive an instant estimate of how much you may overpay for college. FAFSA is where 90% of all errors occur that contribute to the pain of high loans and increased debt upon graduation. Contact us for a FAFSA review to avoid mistakes when filing.