<p>Help! I have already sent in my regular decision applications to my schools, and I'm looking at the financial aid deadlines and I'm really confused. Are my parents supposed to fill out the FAFSA using the information from 2008 or are we supposed to wait until January 1st to fill out stuff from 2009?</p>
<p>You wait until January 1, 2010 to fill out FAFSA using estimates (and actuals, once you have them) from 2009. In the meantime you can fill out the FAFSA Forecaster to make sure you understand what will be needed for FAFSA. The data can be transferred from the Forecaster to the “real” FAFSA.</p>
<p>You HAVE to wait until January 1st. I think it’s quite a mess. I don’t know a better way, but…</p>
<p>You CAN use your 2008 tax returns to file the form, then update later when you have the 2009 forms done. But…for many of us (esp. those with businesses), we might not even file until AFTER the 3/15 and 4/15 deadlines (a lot of different reasons). So we HAVE to use the 2008 as estimates.</p>
<p>Example…I have CSS Profile apps due 2/1 !! What? I won’t even have all my 2009 paperwork by 2/1!</p>
<p>But I put my accountant on alert last month. Because my income is complicated and varies each year, I really want to use my 2009 data so it will be accurate. But he said they’re still updating their software the first two weeks of every year! But he said he’d schedule me FIRST in the 3rd week of January. So I’ll get my returns in week 4, and have a day or to for completion of FAFSA just so I can get to the Profile that is DUE 2/1. IF that’s even going to be possible. And EVERYONE can’t have such an accomodating accountant. Good luck to you.</p>