<p>I was unable to complete the 2014 section of the CSS profile because my parents obviously don't have their tax returns back yet, and Claremont McKenna requires it to be submitted by January 1st. As such, I had to submit my CSS Profile to all my other schools too. Will I have to update this information when we get it or just send in our 2014 tax returns later?</p>
<p>Thank you</p>
<p>I believe you are supposed to estimate it as best you can using 2013 data if you expect no change, or using whatever 2014 data you have to date. Check with the schools to see if filling out the FAFSA and sending tax returns are enough. If you have to update information, I think that has to be done by hand and mailed in.</p>
<p>Yes, I hope you didn’t leave the 2014 section blank, you needed to estimate the best you could. Check the school’s finaid websites for what kind of updates to the estimates they want and how and when they want them. But if you left the section blank I would contact the schools now to find out how to correct this mistake.</p>
<p>I sure did leave the 2014 section blank. No where on the application does it say to put on 2013 figures or to estimate, so I didn’t. I will contact the schools to see what can be done. </p>
<p>Your Profile form should have had estimates for the 2014 information. It is December 28. Your parents should have a decent idea what they earned in 2014 by now…using last pay stubs of the year. </p>
<p>And NO you did not have to submit to all of your colleges when you submitted to CM. You would have submitted to CM, and then later submitted to the others.</p>
<p>Yes…you need to contact the schools ASAP to find out how they want you to complete your incomplete Profile.</p>
<p>I understand that now, thumper1, but the questions ask for numbers from specific lines on the 2014 tax return forms, which we do not have. And it is not stated within any of the instructions to use estimates/2013 data. </p>
<p>I was under the impression I had to submit to all of them, because it explicitly said I would not be able to add schools after my profile had been completed. I know now that I didn’t have to. </p>
<p>Sorry if I seem short. This is a very arduous, expensive, and redundant process. Thank you all for your help.</p>
<p>I think you will have to do this by hand and fax and mail it in the papers at this point. </p>
<p>I have a feeling somewhere it said to estimate, in the instructions or help. For anyone else reading this, the interactive presentation here is a good thing to view before completing the profile. The section on how to apply and documents needed in particular and slide 4 of that section talks about estimating.</p>
<p><a href=“CSS Profile Home – CSS Profile | College Board”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools;
<p>As an aside, I feel for you. It is unbelievable in this day and age that updates to the Profile have to be marked up by hand and mailed or faxed to the college. I did hear that iDoc is FINALLY moving into this century, and the process to send tax forms via iDoc (used by many colleges) will accept an upload file this year. Probably bug ridden this first year, but at least a glimmer of progress in the archaic procedures for providing FA information to colleges… now if the CollegeBoard would just get a move on and make it so the profile could be updated after initial submission…although if they ever do, I am sure they will charge us for the privilege. :(</p>
<p>You absolutely need to contact the colleges in terms of how THEY want the Profile updated…in your case…completed.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Some schools don’t ask for anything. They use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to check 2014 tax info with what was put on the Profile.</p></li>
<li><p>Some schools participate in IDOC, and they will require that all your documentation be sent via IDOC.</p></li>
<li><p>Some schools will ask that you print out and file a paper copy.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Your issue is that you didn’t complete the form. You need to contact the schools regarding this.</p>
<p>ETA…did you actually leave the fields for 2014 blank? Or did you put $0 in them?</p>
<p>If you left them blank…are you positive your Profile was submitted?</p>
<p>BrownParent, I’ve contacted all of the schools I’m applying to. Brown has responded and said that the CSS Profile will not need to be updated so long as I submit accurate information on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>annoyingdad, I was certain I read all instructions and it didn’t say to estimate. My mom couldn’t find anything about estimating either.</p>
<p>intparent, thank you for your sympathies. It’s looking like I will be able to forego corrections so long as I complete the FAFSA. Waiting to hear back from the rest of my schools.</p>
<p>thumper1, I’ve contacted all the colleges. I have a list of them that will use the IDOC service. I put 0 in for the 2014 Parents’ Income & Assets. I’m certain it was submitted; I have the confirmation email. </p>
<p>If you put $0, then your Profile is inaccurate for the 2014 year…which is what the colleges will use to determine your need based aid. You need to contact them NOW and correct this error. Your family income probably far exceeds $0.</p>
<p>If you wait until the IDOC documents are requested and sent, it is very, very possible you will be selected for verification…as most $0 income students are. Then you will be in quite the pickle providing documents to clear up this big mistake.</p>
<p>Call the schools when school resumes on January 5. Explain that you misunderstood the directions and put $0 for all 2014 fields when the amounts are NOT $0.</p>
<p>This is really a very big error. But it is very possible that they will be willing to make the corrections at the college level with your FAFSA completed. </p>
<p>I would get that FAFSA submitted as soon as possible…to clear up this mistake.</p>
<p>Yes, fafsa should be completed soon after Jan. 1 with estimated 2014 income and actual assets. Later, after taxes have been filed, you update fafsa with actual income information. Your parents this year should file taxes as soon as possible, this isn’t the year for them to wait.</p>
<p>You may get an actual finaid offer by the end of March/early April by not correcting the profile until taxes have been done, but be aware that any estimated awards that schools may give you based on leaving the 2014 info blank won’t be accurate.</p>
<p>Yes, see what each school wants you to do at this point.</p>
<p>You put $0 for assets too? Oh brother. I do think you need to explain this to the s hoops now, before they start crafting a financial aid package for you based on extremely inaccurate information.</p>
<p>When you submitted the Profile, you agreed that all info was accurate to the best of your knowledge.</p>
<p>Surely you knew that your parent income for 2014 was NOT $0. And assets are supposed to be listed as of the initial dare of filing your Profile. That is very clear in the directions.</p>
<p>To the OP. This can all be corrected. It will take some contact with the schools, and the corrections need to be done ASAP. If you happen to receive an early financial aid award, based on this submitted Profile, you just need to contact the school to make sure the accurate 2014 info was used, and not the $0 ones.</p>
<p>It’s good that you know this early in this process. </p>
<p>annoyingdad, I will ensure the FAFSA is completed as soon as possible. Thank you for your help.</p>
<p>I did not put $0 for assets. I put $0 for anything related to 2014 tax return. Everything else is there, including 2015 expected income, 2013 actual income, assets, amount in savings/checking, debt, expected contributions.</p>
<p>Of course I knew that my parent income for 2014 was not $0. It asked for specific lines of the 2014 IRS tax return, which is not in our possession, so I put in $0 as “does not apply.” Please do not belittle me. It was a mistake, albeit a serious one. I understand the steps I need to take to fix it, so if you could cease the patronizing, I would appreciate it.</p>
<p>Thank you for all of your help. I will be certain to contact the schools.</p>