The FAFSA isn't as scary as it seems, but it's helpful to have the documents you'll need handy before you fill it out. It's available starting January 1 of the year you'll attend school, and it's best to complete it as early as possible so you get the most aid you'll qualify for. Be especially mindful of school and state deadlines that are earlier than the federal deadline of June 2022. Check out NerdWallet's 5 Hacks to Save Time on Your 2022 FAFSA. These are the basic steps: Gather the documents you'll need to complete the form by following this checklist.Log in to the FAFSA with your Federal Student Aid ID. You'll need an FSA ID to sign and submit the form electronically, and your parent will need one too if you're a dependent student. Create one here. Follow the prompts to fill out the FAFSA. This guide will help you fill it out according to your family situation. You'll be able to save time by importing income information from the IRS starting Feb. 7, 2022. Many families don't file their 2022 income taxes until closer to the deadline of April 18. But it's a good idea to fill out your FAFSA earlier than that. Use your parents' 2022 tax information to etheir income, then go back in and update your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool once they've filed their taxes. More info here: Filling Out the FAFSA.u00a0