<p>My first kid is starting college in August/September 2013. I keep reading about filing out the FAFSA ASAP after Jan. 1st? But, we won't know where we are going until April 1st.</p>
<p>Does it help with aid if I do it now, or can it wait until April 1st?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Do it NOW. Do not wait until April or your kiddo will not receive a financial aid award in time for the May 1 date to choose a college. Do your FAFSA NOW using your best estimates based on end of year pay stubs, and comparisons to last year. Put “will file” as your filing status. Submit to all of the colleges your kiddo allies to. Get your taxes done ASAP after Feb 1, then go back and amend your FAFSA to reflect 2012 tax numbers and resubmit. The year your child is a college freshman do NOT delay filing your taxes. Get them done ASAP. Sorry about the half sentence that follows. The IPad app has something called advanced options that opens when you get to the bottom of a screen. Makes it IMPOSSIBLE to delete there. Sure wish they would fix that! </p>
<p>go ba</p>
<p>You have to do it before March 1st for most schools. It doesn’t matter if you know or not, you can have the numbers sent to 10 different colleges. Most schools give funds on a first come/first serve basis so do your FAFSA, soon. You have to apply for a PIN, which takes a few days to get so do that today, now. You need one and your son needs one.</p>
<p>Thanks. Thanks. And thanks!</p>
<p>I know it was important to do it early last year, when she was going to be a freshman. What about for year 2? Is it still recommended that it be done really early? (I know, I can look this up with the school’s web site, but it is easier to ask here!)</p>
<p>I contacted my daughter’s school with this question ^</p>
<p>She will also be a sophomore next year. They said that as long as I filled it in by the due date, April 15 in our case, we would be fine. She specifically said our FA package would not be affected by doing it early. You can always contact your child’s school and ask!</p>
<p>Some fr FA deadlines are as early as Feb 1–get those estimates in before this!</p>
<p>BarnardMom: Most FA deadlines for continuing students are much later and are often doable after you have completed your taxes. As long as it’s before the deadline you should be good. Assuming Barnard:</p>
<p>[Returning</a> Students | Barnard College](<a href=“http://barnard.edu/finaid/returning-students]Returning”>http://barnard.edu/finaid/returning-students)</p>
<p>[Despite all the wonderful members here, I would never take an answer about something as critical as FA from anywhere but the primary source, the college website.]</p>
<p>Thanks. I know the college website should be the best source, but for first years it seemed like people universally believed that the forms should be completed well in advance of the stated deadline. I wondered if that was true for future years also. </p>
<p>I’m glad I don’t have to try to estimate the FAFSA this weekend :)</p>