<p>For one of my son's prospective schools, the FAFSA is due Feb. 1. I can estimate and submit it by then, but should I just indicate the Feb. 1 school and then do corrections when I complete our 1040 and submit the corrected FAFSA to his other schools later? Is that even possible?</p>
<p>I have the same problem with the CSS Profile. I already submitted that for an EA school. For the additional schools, I'm hoping I can make corrections and then submit it for the first time to those institutions.</p>
<p>You cannot edit the FAFSA form once its submitted, but it’s perfectly acceptable to use your 2011 tax forms to estimate. In fact, they suggest it.</p>
<p>Ilovecoffee…you absolutely CAN edit the FAFSA after it is submitted. Many students do an initial submission of the FAFSA using estimates (good ones based on end of year pay stubs), and then update after they complete their taxes. This is easily done online. In fact, if you submit with estimates using the “will file” status, you MUST update this when your taxes are completed.</p>
<p>The Profile can also be submitted with estimates, but it cannot be updated online. For the profile, just contact each school to find out how they want this information updated. They will tell you.</p>
<p>You only update income and tax information from your 2012 tax return. Assets do not get changed.</p>
<p>Once you’ve submitted fafsa you can’t update it until it is processed, which takes a few days. But if your estimates are good, I would submit the estimates to all the schools. Then after you file, update with actual numbers for all the schools.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info! But let me take my question one step further. On Feb. 1, I’ll submit the FAFSA to School A. It will be based on best-available estimates. On Feb. 15, after completing my 1040, I’ll log onto the FAFSA account and make corrections (I hope they’re minor corrections). At that point, I’ll resubmit the FAFSA for another SAR/EFC and send it – for the first time – to Schools B, C & D. Is that how it will work? Should I also send it to School A?</p>
<p>For the CSS Profile, I’ll update the current account (remember, I sent it to an EA school already), and send to School A by the deadline, Feb. 1. Again, before Feb. 15, I’ll update it online and send – for the first time – to Schools B, C & D. For School A, I’ll contact the finaid office to see how they want the update completed.</p>
<p>Once you have those tax returns done, amend the FAFSA, add your remaining schools, school A should still be on the list too…and submit to all including school A.</p>
<p>This is great information. Thanks! Our financial situation is way different this year than last, and will be different for next year as well. I wanted to get the FAFSA in, though, asap, as I know the school I want to attend does first come grants. I almost choked when I read that you couldn’t amend the FAFSA! I am counting on a big difference in EFC once we submit our taxes, but was encouraged to submit using last year’s taxes asap. Yikes! So much to think about.</p>