<p>We filed a preliminary "will file" status FAFSA last month. Got our tax return from the accountant today and we owe money, so we will not actually send in our tax return until the last possible moment on April 15. Can we go ahead and update our FAFSA to say "have filed" even though we haven't actually sent our return to the IRS?</p>
<p>I don't think that would cause any problems (other than being technically inaccurate) so long as you're sure the numbers are final. What they're really asking is "Are these the actual income and tax numbers that you're submitting to the IRS and not the estimates?"</p>
<p>But what's the rush?</p>
<p>oregonianmom, I did this last week. The FAFSA goes from "will file" to "completed". Since our taxes are done, I said completed even though I haven't paid yet.</p>
<p>You know if you file electronically, the money is still not due until April 15 so you can go ahead and file now. I can't imagine any accountants that don't file electronically.</p>
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But what's the rush?
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I think most schools want the FAFSA filed by mid-March, right? So we can get our financial aid letter all squared away in plenty of time for S to make a final decision.</p>
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if you file electronically, the money is still not due until April 15
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Our accountant will file electronically, but right now we just have a draft so that I can finish the FAFSA. We are waiting to file until we get an amended statement from our broker - it usually comes in March (which makes me mad but that's another post!). It won't change the numbers much, but we don't want to file with the IRS now and then have to do an amended one later. I'd actually forgotten that you can file earlier but not actually pay until April 15 - thanks for the reminder.</p>
<p>I already know we will NOT qualify for any aid, other than unsubsidized Stafford loans.</p>
<p>You've met the college's FAFSA deadline when you filed with "will file" status. You'll get a tentative financial aid offer, and after you firm up the FAFSA with the actual numbers, you'll get a firm offer.</p>
<p>I had always heard the file estimates and you will get a tentative financial aid offer BUT - this year we filed with 'will file' and were *d for verification. The school said they would not even look at our financial aid until we provided the items needed for verification (a Quality Assurance Verification form and completed signed tax returns for both student and parent and W2s for parents and students). We quickly finished out taxes and mailed the required documents wednesday - today the site shows everything recieved complete. Whew!</p>
<p>We did change the tax status to 'completed' - we are mailing them (we're doing freefile - one company does not let us complete our daughters because she had capital gains - another got her standard deduction wrong!! I am glad we knew what it should be or she would have been overtaxed - beware the freefiles). I am not going to enter all the info a 3rd time so snail mail.</p>
<p>SO that was a long answer - short one - if your taxes are complete it is OK to say complete even if not mailed.</p>