First time FAFSA filers: Get your PIN! (and a warning)

Paying for College
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<p>The online FAFSA form doesn't open for 2015 until January 1 but you can get your federal PIN now and you will need it to file your FAFSA. It isn't an immediate process to get your PIN approved so get on that if you have never filed FAFSA before.</p>

<p>Federal PIN site: <a href="https://pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/appinstr.jsp"&gt;https://pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/appinstr.jsp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Also, this link: <a href="https://fafsa.ed.gov/"&gt;https://fafsa.ed.gov/&lt;/a> is to the official FAFSA site. Nothing that ends in .com is the real FAFSA site! There are a lot of scams around this and this is the time of year they are most active. If the site asking you to fill out FAFSA isn't "fafsa.ed.gov" it's not the real site.</p>

<p>Just a little public service announcement from a parent who's been through this a few times....</p>

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<p>Thank you very much!</p>

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<p>ANother thank you!</p>

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<p>I just went to the link to apply for the PIN but I’m unsure whether it should be my D’s information (SS#, etc) or mine?</p>

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<p>You’re welcome! Also both you (the parent) and your student need a PIN. Maybe both parents if you are married.</p>

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<p>Again, thanks, its my job today to get all the finances in order. I’m the bookkeeper for our small business and finished up at the shop after 4 hours, now to get the quickbooks done up to date and off to the CPA. Whew…who thought having applications and financial aid due on the 1st day of January was a good idea? Apparently someone who isn’t the sole responsibility for the family holidays and finances LOL. I took the day off from work to get a jumpstart and your information was most helpful.</p>

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<p>Most schools don’t require FAFSA and other FA docs until February, but I always do an estimated FAFSA ASAP in January then come back and update it after I file taxes (which I try to do be Feb 1 or close to it). </p>

<p>I feel for people who feel they can’t file until much later but there’s no latitude for even April 1 filers when you are applying for FA.</p>

<p>Good luck today!!</p>

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<p>The student needs a PIN and one parent needs a PIN.</p>

<p>In April, this will change … but I will post more about that later, because as of the financial aid filing season for this year, the PIN is still needed.</p>

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<p>Thank you - I have a question though. Am I correct that a parent can get a PIN and electronically sign for their child(ren)?</p>

<p>It seems that way, but I’m not sure.</p>

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<p>A parent gets a PIN to sign for the parent. The student needs to get a PIN to sign for the student. Both parent and student PIN is needed in order for the FAFSA to be processed.</p>

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<p>Am I correct in assuming if I have 2 kids in college next year that I need to file FAFSA for both? So each needs a PIN? I already have one for my S’13, but thank you for reminding me I need one (I think?) for D’15.</p>

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<p>Sorry, last question - since it looks like I can create my own PIN, can/should it be the same as S’13, just to make life a little simpler?</p>

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<p>Yes, you use the same PIN each year and for any/all kids. </p>

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<p>I have a junior (year of 2016). Is it a wise decision to apply for a PIN now so we will be all ready next January? Also, do we have to have 2 PINs for two married parents and a PIN for a child?</p>

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<p>OHMom how do we find our PIN numbers from previous years so that we may use them again? </p>

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<p>Parent uses the same PIN for all. Each student needs their own PIN.</p>

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<p>@seal16‌ The PIN verification process isn’t any longer than a few days before it is activated, so I would not apply for one now if your child is heading to school in 2016. Plus, as kelsmom mentioned above, the Dept of Ed will be moving away from the PIN system in April or so and implementing a more standard password system, which would make applying for a PIN now obsolete come 2016. </p>

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<p>@twogirls - You can request a duplicate PIN be sent to you on the FAFSA website. At the top it says PIN Site - click that and on the left side there is a link to ask for a duplicate PIN to be sent if you forgot yours.</p>

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<p>Thank you Thumper and ILMom13579!</p>

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<p>As someone who has never done this before, thanks for the tip to apply for the PIN now.</p>

<p>I understand that I will need one as well as my daughter, but does my wife need her own as well or do we submit together? She is not working so she has no income on her own. It never asked me for her name when I just requested mine so I was not sure.</p>

<p>Thanks again</p>