Common FAFSA Mistakes That Cost You Aid

The FAFSA is the form that unlocks most financial aid: grants, federal loans, work-study, even a lot of scholarships. Which means a small slip on it doesn't just cause a typo. It can cost you real money. Almost every common mistake is easy to dodge once someone points it out. (If you haven't filed yet, FAFSA, Step by Step walks through the form itself; this article is about what trips people up.)

• Filing late or not at all. Some aid is first-come, first-served; when the money's gone, it's gone. File as soon as you can after the form opens, and check your state and school deadlines, many of which land far earlier than the federal cutoff. The student money calendar can email you reminders before the big ones.
• Leaving fields blank. A blank can read as 'unanswered' and stall everything. If an amount is zero, write 0.
• Mismatched info. A name or Social Security number that doesn't match official records can freeze your whole application.
• Listing the wrong parent. Whose information counts depends on specific rules, especially with divorce or separation. Get this one right.

Two beliefs quietly stop people from filing, and both are usually wrong. The first: 'My family makes too much to qualify.' Plenty of aid isn't purely income-based, and some loans and scholarships need the FAFSA regardless. The second: 'It's too confusing, I'll deal with it later.' Later is how deadlines get missed.

1. 1Confirm names and Social Security numbers match official documents exactly.
2. 2Make sure no required field is blank; use 0 where the answer is zero.
3. 3Double-check you reported the correct parent's information.
4. 4List every school you're considering, even the maybes.
5. 5Submit, then save your confirmation and watch for follow-up requests.

The FAFSA isn't a test you can fail. It's a form you want to get right: slow down, ask for free help when you're stuck, and file early.