2017-2018 FAFSA Changes

Do you have children who are college-bound or already pursuing post-secondary education? If so, this is for you.

​The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is encouraging all students who plan to attend school between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 to begin the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process now.

The DOE recently announced that the 2017-2018 FAFSA launched on October 1, three months earlier than in previous years. Completing your FAFSA as soon as possible will help to maximize your financial aid eligibility.

​In addition, the 2017-2018 FAFSA asks for income and tax information from your 2015 return rather than an estimate of your 2016 return. This will help to speed up and simplify completion of the online application since most people have already filed their 2015 return. The process is further simplified by utilizing the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. It's fast, accurate and lessens the amount of paperwork that may be required by your school.

​Your state and school have already published their application deadlines which, in all likelihood, are earlier than the federal deadline. The FAFSA website has a link to state deadlines. You should contact your school financial aid office directly for school deadlines.

For more information or to complete and submit your FAFSA, visit www.fafsa.gov.
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