<p>Ok. I got my PROFILE and FAFSA sent in already. I've also sent in the FIF form to Wisconsin and a few things to USC. But I don't understand how schools can ask you for your parents' tax return forms by March 1st. How do people do it? My mom keeps telling me that her accountant is busy, etc. and that it isn't normal to expect him to have them done that early. What do I do? Will sending them in after March 1st delay my admissions decision as well? In the case of USC and Northwestern I can't matriculate before seeing my FinAid package. </p>
<p>Are you an international or American citizen? My son and I are working on all the forms and I will finish my taxes today even though the normal forms that come every year by post with name stickers etc. haven't arrived. I have downloaded the proper forms. If I were in your shoes I would fax on last year's taxes with a cover letter explaining that this year's tax forms will be faxed on as soon as possible. My local "w-2" form will not be issued until April so I had the business office where I work create a breakdown of my pay and I have all my pay slips as well that I am sending on.</p>
<p>American. I filled in the FAFSA with actual 2004 numbers because my mom's acct sent me a draft of her 2004 returns. But the PROFILE was sent in earlier so I used 2004 estimates, which as it turns out look nothing like the actual numbers. Should I make corrections on the PROFILE? When I say they're different they're REALLY different, as in 13000 vs 50000.</p>
<p>We are sending in a corrected CSS, faxing it, as well. Yes, make the corrections if you have accurate figures. We are new to this but getting better by the day. If you are doing this totally on your own...way to go, girl. You are not alone.</p>
<p>Your parents should have all the necessary forms to complete their 2004 taxes by January 31. For the years that they will have an entering college freshman, it is PRUDENT to get that tax return done as soon as possible after January 31. We normally file our taxes on April 15 (no kidding). BUT the year DS was going to be enrolling in college, we filed on February 1. This is simply the way it is. Deadlines are deadlines. You can and should file your FAFSA as a "will file" now. BUT if the school's deadline for final receipt is March 1, it is important that you get your current taxes done and amend your FAFSA by that date. Otherwise your finaid application will be incomplete. Finaid awards will be done for complete applications first. Then if there are monies left, those filing completed applications might be considered (depends on the school...some schools we dealt with ONLY processed applications that were complete by their deadlines).</p>
<p>thumper1,
we met with our accountant earlier this month to give him the basics so we could at least have enough information to file an estimated FAFSA and PROFILE. He told us that because of certain tax law changes brokerages were UNLIKELY to get their 1099s out to their customers by January 31 and perhaps not until mid-March! Indeed, I received a letter from Bank of America last Thursday or Friday telling me exactly that; namely, that they expected to be able to BEGIN to send out 1099s for these accounts [i.e. have mutual funds in them] at the beginning of March. Anyone else see a problem? I sure do.</p>
<p>YEs been there but knew also I already had the information. </p>
<p>Your passbook and/or checking account interest for 2004 is already posted on your January 2004 statement for month ending Dec 2004. Any dividends also you have in hand on your last dividend statement. Your mortgage interest is posted probably online or on your last statement. Your Mutual Funds info is already posted on your account which can be had online or you can contact your advisor for a printout, or you can contact the MF client line. You already have all the information you need or very close to it. </p>
<p>Go get a tax program (less than $30 for deluxe, ~$15 for standard) and plug in the numbers from last year. Make adjustments for 2004 tax year. Follow instructions exactly on the program just as you would answer the questions with you accountant. There is no magic - its not fuzzy logic, its yes or no, black and white. Any descrepancies will be adjusted by final filing by your accountant. He won't like it because you will discover that you can do this by yourself and probably learn to use all legal and legit means to game the tax system.</p>
<p>You can bet that those who receive the most FA, do so; and those who get the least, don't.</p>
<p>OK, I see that you are 18. Great news for you. You can learn the tax program faster than your parents because you don't have any preconceived notions and because you are used to the methodology of questions and answers. </p>
<p>Thanks for your advice, everyone. I talked to my mom and she said that she would make sure her accountant emailed her the tax returns before the end of Febrary. I am also going to print out the acknowledgement form for the Profile, make the corrections and send it in to the schools.</p>
<p>You may have to turn in a tax return that is not accurate and correct afterwards. We would have that problem as we have some things that really necessitate an August filing unless we estimate and then file a 1040x to correct which we hate to do. But if you absolutely cannot get it done by the due, dates, send in a best guess which you then change. You have to have something in at the time specified to get money. As Thumper says, them's the rules.</p>
<p>If I'm not mistaken, W-2s and 1099s must be to the employee/investor by Jan 31st. If you don't, contact them and tell them you need them ASAP. If you don't have them by Feb 14th, the IRS has a toll free number to call to have them intervene</p>
<p>Wait... I'm just filling in the information with our tax returns for 2003. Is that not what I'm supposed to do? Because my parents haven't even begun to fill them out for 2004!</p>
<p>The schools state that you should ESTIMATE the amount - if your parents have their 2004 W-2s or 1099s (which they should by today) and interest statements, etc. you can just open the envelopes with them and fill out the information on the Profile/FAFSA.</p>
<p>I go through this every yr...completing the income tax returns by January 31st to make financial aid deadlines...even for private secondary schools! Anyway, I complete our returns...and just renewed the FAFSA for 05-06 online. Another yr over with. My empathies...</p>