Before you start the filing process, you and your parents will want to obtain your FSA IDs at studentaid.gov. You and your parents will also want to gather your Social Security number, bank statements, and any documents showing untaxed income.
Having this info ready will help complete the process as quickly as possible—and the good news is that most of your information will be saved when you return to file the FAFSA next year. Keep in mind that you and your parents will have to log in separately to complete your individual portion of the FAFSA.
Take your time filling out the FAFSA and make sure the information you're entering is correct, too. Some of the most common FAFSA mistakes include leaving parts of the application blank, entering the wrong Social Security number, and completely forgetting to sign the application. It's crucial to pay attention to detail; you could jeopardize your potential financial aid if you make mistakes.
The good news is, there are free tools and resources to help, like this FAFSA handbook. If you run into any roadblocks filling out the FAFSA, don't hesitate to ask for help. You can also visit FAFSA Help on the Federal Student Aid website.
And last, but certainly not least, you should never pay to file the FAFSA; it’s free on the federal student aid site. Be careful about sites phishing for your FAFSA information. The first “F” in FAFSA stands for “Free!”