FAME's Five on the Fifth:
Five Tips for Completing the 2017-2018 FAFSA
Five Tips for Completing the FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
1. Get an FSA ID now!
The FSA ID is the user name and password students will use to access all Federal Student Aid websites, including FAFSA.gov. All students need an FSA ID.  If parent information is required on the FAFSA, o ne parent will also need to create an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA. We strongly recommend getting FSA IDs ahead of time. Each FSA ID takes about 10 minutes to create.
Use FAME's FSA ID Information Tracking Sheet to keep track of your FSA ID information.
2.  File your FAFSA at FAFSA.gov.
This is the official FAFSA website. Filing the FAFSA is FREE! Don't pay to file the FAFSA or use any other website to file your FAFSA.
Need help filing your FAFSA? Plan to attend one of FAME's In-Person Help Sessions.
3. List at least one college on your FAFSA.
When filing the FAFSA, at least one college must be listed in the School Selection section. We recommend listing any school that you are even potentially interested in attending (up to 10 schools). Additional schools can be added later by going back into the FAFSA at FAFSA.gov and adding (or replacing) a school in the School Selection section.
4.  Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
When filing the FAFSA, most parents and students who filed federal taxes will have the opportunity to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT). If you are presented with the opportunity to use the IRS DRT, please do so--it will ensure that your income information is accurate and make the rest of the process easier. Be sure you have a copy of your 2015 federal tax return handy when completing the FAFSA so that you can enter your address exactly as it appears on your 2015 tax return--it's one of the methods used to verify your identity.
5. File your FAFSA every year.
You must file the FAFSA each year to be considered for financial aid. After the first year, filing the FAFSA is even easier as much of your information will be carried forward and will only need to be updated .
Want More Information?

Join us on Wednesday, October 12th at 10:00 a.m. for this month's free Wednesday Webinar: What You Need to Know to File the 2017-2018 FAFSA. We'll review the FAFSA section by section, with an emphasis on using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Learn what's new, what's improved, and how to answer the questions students and families are likely to ask when completing this year's FAFSA.
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