How long does it take to fill out FAFSA?

<p>Basically, it's the evening of February 27th, and my FAFSA is due March 2nd.</p>

<p>I just realized February only has 28 days.</p>

<p>Of all the months to be abnormally short, it has to be February! -_-</p>

<p>If I haven't even taken a look at the website or what forms I need to fill out, is it possible I'll be able to adequately finish it all by March 2nd? Keep in mind I still have regular schoolwork to attend to as well.</p>

<p>Please be honest. :x</p>

<p>FAFSA will take you about 20 or 30 minutes if you have the 2008 taxes done. It’s really not that long.</p>

<p>my mom managed to get it done in 3-4 hours. but being an accountant, she was probably more prepared than most. however, getting it done in one day with diligence is certainly feasible.</p>

<p>Takes me a couple hours each time, making sure everything is right. But that’s following many, many hours of prep and research and trial runs with one of the financial aid calculators.</p>

<p>Probably takes us a couple of hours. It is my 3rd year doing it though and all the personal information transfers in. Also all the taxes were already completed which makes it simple. And my husband gets all the asset info together for me.</p>

<p>Do you already have your PINs applied for for you and a parent? If not do it now.</p>

<p>I’ve helped lots of people with their FAFSAs, and the time it takes depends on how complex your family finances are and whether you have all the information (tax returns, etc.) readily available. Half an hour is reasonable if your finances are straightforward. Self-employed people have the hardest time with it.</p>

<p>You have to have your 2008 taxes done if you’re in California and you want to be considered for a Cal Grant.</p>

<p>You don’t have to get the PIN ahead of time anymore - you can choose your own PIN as part of filling out the FAFSA.</p>

<p>The first time we filled out the FAFSA/Profile, it took about a week. We are self-employed and it was just complicated getting everything together.</p>

<p>The second time took a day or so.</p>

<p>Third time is a charm…took a couple of hours, verified some info w/ my son, and just submitted it a few minutes ago. </p>

<p>Yay. Every year I dread doing this…</p>

<p>Just finished. Took about 1/2 hour. But it was my third time; nothing complicated; and I assembled all of my investment records, tax records and other data (SSNs, driver’s license number, school code, etc) in advance.</p>

<p>For a student trying to understand and assemble all the parental records, you will have a daunting task. Just get into it and plow through. Follow the directions and hope that your parents have really excellent records. Good Luck.</p>

<p>question:</p>

<p>my parents have filed their 2008 income tax for 2009 already, i just haven’t filed mine, but i put “will file” under student’s income. </p>

<p>can i submit the fafsa even with those blank spots? you can also edit your submitted document later in the year right?</p>

<p>this is my second time doing this, and i found it much easier the first time for some reason.</p>

<p>Well first of all…you shouldn’t have waited this late to do your FAFSA! It’s going to be a real rush for your to get it in by March 2nd. I don’t know if you can do it but you can try. It will take longer cuz you don’t have your all your forms yet…if you need the list of forms that are required…go the fafsa website. Your parents need to get the 2008 Income Tax Form. They should’ve filed that already. Then you just go to the website and click on fill out your fafsa. Follow the directions and that’s it. I only took about 1 hour, maybe less. It shouldn’t take you that long.
Good luck :)</p>

<p>Well, 6:24pm of March 1st, and I just started filling out my FAFSA.</p>

<p>Couple questions:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>If it’s due March 2nd, is that 12:00am (when March 2nd starts), or 12:00pm (when March 2nd ends)? In other words, is it due tonight by midnight, or tomorrow night by midnight?</p></li>
<li><p>This may seem like a stupid question, but what year am I supposed to be filling out for? The 2008-2009 year, or the 2009-2010 year? I’m doing the 2008-2009 year, because that one’s due date is in 2009, but it asks me for my 2007 tax information, whereas post #2 of this thread mentioned 2008 tax information. Can anyone clarify??</p></li>
</ul>

<p>You should be doing the 2009-2010 one assuming you are starting school in the fall of 2009. It does not ask for 2007 taxes , it asks for 2008 taxes.</p>

<p>But if I haven’t filed a 2008-2009 FAFSA, and it’s due tonight (or tomorrow night), shouldn’t I be filling that out? The due date for the 2009-2010 FAFSA isn’t until this time next year…correct?</p>

<p>Incorrect.</p>

<p>The 2008-2009 FAFSA is for the 2008-2009 school year - the one that started fall 2008. It has a deadline of June 2009 because some people don’t start school till the spring or summer terms and have to still use the 2008-2009 FAFSA to apply for aid.</p>

<p>To apply for aid for the 2009-2010 school year that starts fall 2009 you must complete the 2009-2010 FAFSA.</p>

<p>If you do the 2008-2009 FAFSA you will miss your deadlines.</p>

<p>If you are looking for financial aid for the school year beginning September 2009, you need to fill out the 2009-2010 FAFSA.</p>

<p>If your taxes are done and you have all the asset information written down and totaled up…it won’t take an incredibly long time.</p>

<p>We completed it here in about 1/2 hour (with all the taxes completed and all the asset information already written down BEFORE we started the FAFSA)…but this is our 7th time completing the form. It gets easier every time.</p>

<p>

So what you’re saying is that it’s too late to apply for aid for the 2008-2009 school year, because you can’t apply for aid in retrospect, correct? And, essentially, this “March 2nd” deadline is basically only for those starting their 2008-2009 school year this following summer?</p>

<p>If not, can I not apply for 2008-2009 school year tonight, and the 2009-2010 school year soon after?</p>

<p>If so, is the “deadline” basically “as soon as possible” before the fall semester?</p>

<p>Lastly, I probably should have mentioned this earlier, in case it makes any difference, but I’m currently a sophomore at a community college, intending to transfer this following fall. Thus, I do have college expenses from the 2008-2009 year. I’m just not sure if it’s already too late to supplement them with financial aid.</p>

<p>

Is it too late to apply for financial aid for the school year beginning September 2008? Is the “March 2nd” deadline on the website misleading?</p>

<p>I take it the 2009-2010 FAFSA should be submitted as soon as possible, but it need not absolutely be within the next couple of days…correct?</p>

<p>What state is your college in?</p>

<p>California.</p>

<p>You need to contact your community college. MOST aid is dispersed BEFORE the semester begins. In other words, you apply BEFORE you start the term. Most students applying for financial aid NOW are applying for aid for the fall 2009 term. IF you are applying for summer 2009, you need to contact the school(s). At some schools, summer will be considered part of the 2008-09 year and you would complete a 2008-2009 FAFSA for aid consideration…if your school even disperses aid for the summer. Some schools consider the summer as part of the following school year…the 2009-2010 school year. You need to ask.</p>

<p>And I’m not an expert…but I don’t believe you can retroactively apply for aid. In other words, I don’t think you can NOW apply for aid if you didn’t apply for aid before the term began. In some cases, if your financial situation has changed, you can request a special circumstances consideration. You would have to provide evidence that your financial situation has changes…and some schools are able to provide aid. Call the school and ask them. If they say they will consider a special circumstances situation for you for THIS current school term (2009 spring), you would fill out the 2008-2009 FAFSA for that.</p>

<p>BUT if it were me, I would do the 2009-2010 one first…as the deadline for that is fast approaching.</p>

<p>IF (and I mean if) you are requesting an adjustment in aid for this year, you need to find out what to do from your community college.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the clarification, guys.</p>

<p>

But, what is the deadline? I take it it’s not in 2010 as the website says.</p>

<p>Edit:</p>

<p>Hm, I notice the website says this:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>The parts in bold are kind of throwing me off.</p>