Are you or a child attending college this fall?  Here’s something you need to do now.  Apply for the FASFA online.  The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. As the name implies, it’s free and is your ticket for all sorts of federal, state and college financial aid.  Even if you think you don’t quality, you must apply here to be eligible for all sorts of financial programs.

Please don’t make the mistake that some of my clients have made.  You must file early to be considered for aid.  In some cases, aid and grants are awarded now, and when they are gone, they are gone.  It pays to be in line early.   You also want to beat the deadlines, and there are different deadlines for federal, each state, and different colleges.

You’ll notice right away that the FASFA will ask for financial information, much of which is the same or similar to what you’ll use to file your taxes.  BUT DON”T WAIT until you file your taxes to apply for a FASFA.  You can provide estimates now to complete the form, and you’ll update your information later.

I’m not really sure when this form came into existence.  When I went to college, things were different, and the internet was not the everyday tool it is now.  But this is the standard today for families who have children attending college.

If you delay or ignore this form, your family could lose thousands.  I’ve worked with parents who could not afford to send their kids back for their upperclass years because of some choices in their underclass years, like not completing this form in January.   The form is free and available, so just grit your teeth and get through it.  You’ll be glad you did.