Tips on Completing the FAFSA
Do's and Don'ts While Completing the FAFSA
Tips and Frequent FAFSA Errors
Our office has compiled a list of tips and the most common errors we encounter as we review FAFSAs. We have provided helpful hints in a variety of areas but we encourage you to carefully review the instructions as you complete the FAFSA on the Web. Instructions for each question are located on the right side of the screen as you proceed through each question.
o Do use IRS Data Retrieval process when completing or correcting the FAFSA.
- Use of this feature will directly upload certain tax information from the IRS into the FAFSA form.
- If your federal taxes are filed when completing the FAFSA, we encourage you to use the IRS Data Retrieval process when prompted. Data retrieval is typically available two weeks after electronic filing of a tax return and eight weeks after paper filing of a tax return.
- If your federal taxes are not filed when completing the FAFSA, we encourage you to correct your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval process once your taxes are filed.
- The IRS Data Retrieval process may not be available to certain tax filers.
o Don't report these types of assets on the FAFSA.
- Do not include the value of the home you live in.
- Do not include the value of tax-sheltered retirement plans (i.e. 401(k), 403 (b), pension funds, IRA's, Keogh plans.)
- Do not report a family business that has 100 or fewer employees.
- Do not include the value of a family farm you live on and operate.
o Don't over report student grant and scholarship aid as taxable income in "Student's 2012 Additional Information" question.
- Report ONLY the amount of grant and scholarship aid that was reported as income on the student's 2012 IRS Tax Return.
o Don't leave wages blank.
- If you have W-2 income, business income, or farm income, include these amounts as wages for the appropriate persons.
o Do report accurate household size.
- Include applicant; parent(s); parent's other children if parent(s) will provide more than half of their support or the children could answer "no" to all dependency questions; other people if they live with applicant's parent(s) and parent(s) provide more than half of their support and will continue to provide more than half of their support.
o Do list correct untaxed income information.
- Report current year contributions to tax-deferred pension and savings plans (found on W-2 forms in Boxes 12a-12d, codes D, E, F, G, H and S.)
- Report child support received for all children in the household.
o Do report stepparent's information if custodial parent is remarried.
- If parents are divorced and custodial parent is remarried, stepparent's information is required on the FAFSA.
o Do verify accurate personal information.
- Verify social security numbers for student and parent(s) have been entered correctly.
- Verify that student's and parent(s) full names are reported as it appears on their social security cards.
o Do answer question regarding student gender on the FAFSA.
- Leaving this question blank will delay processing.
o Do answer question regarding possession or sale of illegal drugs on the FAFSA.
- If you have received federal student aid in the past, you will be asked about the possession or sale of illegal drugs.
- Leaving this question blank will delay processing.
- If you have not received federal student aid in the past, you will not be asked this question.
