note on FAFSA for renewing students

<p>For various reasons, we're about a week away from having our taxes done, which delays the ability to fill out the FAFSA accurately. Also for various reasons, it's really a crap shoot to estimate our income because of a couple of schedule C's, wildly variable deductions, etc.</p>

<p>So I called Student Financial Services this morning to discuss options and an interesting nugget emerged:</p>

<p>They have the deadline set according to the processing deadlines set by various states for state grants, March 1st being the earliest. As D is not eligible for any of the state grants, they don't care if we don't get the FAFSA in as long as it's by the May deadline...I'm getting it in next week anyway. </p>

<p>On the downloadable FAFSA form, there is a list of the various deadlines state by state. So if you're in my position, you can check to see what your "real" deadline is...and if your student isn't eligible for state grants, then it's a very little deal. I'm going to wind up missing it by less than 10 days but will now do so with no anxiety.</p>

<p>And, of course, if I were reading this on line, being a skeptical sort I would check with Student Financial Services myself. (413) 585-2530.</p>

<p>That's good to know, thanks TD. This March 1st deadline is a pain in the a**. Makes sense, though, as long as D is not eligible for any aid anyway.</p>

<p>Well, we're the intermediate case: eligible for aid, but not state grants. So I still gotta pay attention to this stuff and not leave it for the last minute.</p>