<p>Is is safe to fill out the fafsa without the official year end documents? I have online numbers from banks and last paycheck. I can't imagine the numbers would change by more than a few dollars. I just don't want to wait in case some of the statements don't arrive till jan 30th? I already had to submit the css profile early and will have to send corrected copies after I do my taxes. I've already done the rought draft on the taxes, just haven't filed them yet. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Yes-- you estimate now, and make sure you make deadline(s) for filing FAFSA. Check "will file" taxes. Then, after you've finalized your taxes, go back to FAFSA online, correct the entries for income and tax paid, and change the form to "have filed."</p>
<p>You'll get an estimated EFC initially, and an estimated financial aid offer from the colleges. After you correct the FAFSA, you'll get a corrected EFC and an adjusted financial aid offer from the college you've chosen.</p>
<p>thanks for the reply. supposing i get the final info I need sooner than feb 1st, is it worth it to just wait and do my taxes in two weeks and then file the fafsa or just send it in today as "will file"? I really just can't wait to send this stuff off and be done already. I've been estimating and calculating for months!!!</p>
<p>It's easy to correct the FAFSA later-- and many/most applicants do that. So if you've got most of the info you need and you want to file today, go ahead. Take a look at reportable student assets as you do so-- remember that the assets you report are a "snapshot" on the day you file. So arrange your assets (particularly student assets, which are assessed severely with no asset protection allowance) so that you file on a date when reportable assets are at their lowest. For example, if you're going to buy a laptop (or a car) in the next month with student funds, I'd wait to file until those funds are spent. Lowering student assets will lower EFC and increase potential aid.</p>
<p>Regarding the "will file" option: My parents were fired rather maliciously by the family company for whom they'd been working. It is almost certain that the owner, my uncle, will not give us the records that we need to file fafsa until he's audited. Is it okay to use last year's information to fill out fafsa for this year?</p>
<p>Yeah-- estimate the best you can to make sure you meet the deadline. Then correct it later with whatever information you have. Use '06 info if it appears '07 will be similar. But if they both recently lost their jobs, make sure the finaid office of the college you're planning on attending is aware of this change in situation.</p>