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<li>What is my incentive for sending it in on the 1st? My understanding is that the state money (I live in TN) runs out by the end on January, but the federal money lasts longer.</li>
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<p>I just filled out the FAFSA with 2012's info. </p>
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<li><p>On January 1st, will I have to request a new pin?</p></li>
<li><p>What other information will need to be changed prior to me submitting the form?</p></li>
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<p>The reason I ask is that my family and I will be in a foreign country with no internet and I am having my friend send it in.</p>
<p>You should use the same PIN. The advantage to sending it in as early as possible is that it is possible that certain funds could be earmarked for you as one of the early birds and that money could be gone for those who are later. Colleges do have limited funds and some do use a first come, first served process, though in most cases that is determined by order in which you are accepted by admissions. BUt you do want to have that info in place when financial aid opens your file to give you your package. </p>
<p>The only disadvantage is if you are estimating which most of us are doing at this point as we may not have all of the 2012 info If you do go right on ahead. No advantage in waiting. Any changes you will have to redo, and the school will pick up on them when the family 2012 returns are filed and the numbers are crosschecked. If you are estimating, give a little extra instead of too low so that any funds designated for you don’t come up short.</p>
<p>Do be aware that final awards are not given out until the actual taxes are filed and whatever cross check the school does is completed. So in addition to your FAFSA being done, your 2012 taxes have to submitted before you can actually get the money.</p>
<p>OP…check which FAFSA you say you just filled out. The one for the 2013-2014 school year is NOT available for
completion or submission until January 1, 2013. If you have completed already a FAFSA for NEXT school year, you have likely completed the wrong one.</p>
<p>Thumper is right. The FAFSA you completed is not the right one for the 2012-14 school year–the one you need for that year is not available until 1//1/13, so you need to fill that one out, using the same PIN when it becomes available. The one you filled out, even with 2012 info is no good for the school year you want it for.</p>
<p>How about the PIN? I requested it for myself (parent) and my D. The emails said it is for 2012-2013. Should I request a new one after 1/1/2013 for a 2013-2014?</p>
<p>I went to a FAFSA workshop and they said the PIN stays the same. You will of course be filling out FAFSA for all years you have kids in school. With a second child, your FAFSA PIN stays the same, but the “new” child will get his own PIN.</p>
<p>Put those PIN numbers in a safe place. They are used as long as your kid files a FAFSA or takes out a direct loan. The PIN your child has now will be the same PIN used for grad school too.</p>
<p>Only SOME federal money “lasts longer”. Many federal aid programs run out of money FAST…so get in line early and file FAFSA as soon as possible.</p>
<p>I filled out the 12/13 app with the assumption that upon filling it out and not submitting it, my information would roll over into the 13/14 app. This was just to speed up the process and remove any barriers that could come up last minute, allowing me to send in the full app accurately to this year’s returns and on-time.</p>