<p>My S will be a senior in college in Sept 2010. We filled out a FAFSA before his frosh year and our EFC was too high, he didn't qualify. I didn't bother to fill out the FAFSA for the past 2 years, online calculators provided by the college showed that we still wouldn't qualify. </p>
<p>But next fall D will enter college, and with 2 kids in college we WILL qualify for some aid. So now I have to file the paperwork for S as an enrolled student.</p>
<p>S's college wants the FAFSA & CSS by April 30, and tax returns submitted thru IDOC. I understand how to fill out FAFSA and CSS, but IDOC has me flummoxed. In order to get into the site, it wants a SS# and birthdate. Does it want DH's numbers? (primary number on our married-filing-jointly tax returns)? Or S's? And the IDOC has some notice about a deadline to get a cover sheet of Jan 21 2010 - clearly we won't have filed our taxes by then? </p>
<p>Me too, I have never used this before but I know a couple of my S’s schools require it. </p>
<p>When I searched the collegeboard website, it made it sound like the collegeboard contacts the applicant on the school’s behalf & tells you what to do! Based on the fact that you have filled out a CSS Profile and that particular school uses the IDOC procedure. </p>
<p>I am sure someone who has used IDOC will respond to us!</p>
<p>I’ve done this twice (and will again this filing season) but I can’t exactly remember how it all works. I seem to recall that you’ll get an email from IDOC with a link that will direct you to your cover sheet and instructions. In any case, if you’re in doubt just call the CSS Profile assist number and ask them. Sorry I can’t remember exactly how all that works. You’d think I would by now! ;)</p>
<p>But if IDOC has a “deadline” in January, and I won’t be filing my taxes till after I get my W2’s (so early February at the earliest), so I won’t be filling out the FAFSA and CSS until then (because the school’s deadline for those forms is April 30), how will they IDOC know to contact me?</p>
<p>Fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile with estimated numbers if you won’t have done your taxes by the college’s FA application deadline. You can go back and correct it later. Don’t miss the deadline.</p>
<p>So I’m supposed to make up numbers for the FAFSA just so College Board can enforce their arbitrary deadline which is 3 months ahead of the college’s deadline? Are you serious?</p>
<p>There are some major flaws with this system.</p>
<p>EDIT - just looked at the IDOC page again. The Jan deadline is for forms for THIS year (09-10). I’m filling out forms for NEXT year (10-11). OOkkkaay, it all makes a little more sense now! So I can do this in early Feb and make everyone’s deadlines. Yay!</p>