What you need to bring to a FAFSA Completion​

  • Social Security Number, Full legal name and date of birth.  Be sure that it is correct and up to date with Social Security Administration!  You will need this information for the student and any parent whose information is included on the FAFSA.
  • Records of 2016 Income, such as income earned from work and business, child support paid or received and any other untaxed income.  Refer to the 2016 W-2 Forms or Federal Income Tax Returns IRS 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ for student and parents.  Most tax filers will be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import 2016 tax information to the FAFSA.
  • Information about assets, such as savings, certificates of deposit, stock options, bonds, 529 plans and other college savings programs; and investment real estate, business and farm values for student and parents. *See directions on FAFSA to determine if your business or farm value should be included.
  • Driver’s license number, if you have one.  Student only.
  • Date of birth, include month, day and year.  You will need this information for the student and any parent whose information is included on the FAFSA.
  • Month and year of marriage, separation, divorce or other change in marital status.
  • Alien Registration Number, if you (student) are not a U.S. citizen.
 
Notes:
 
  • Parental information is required unless you are at least 24 years of age or meet the criteria for filing as an Independent student as described on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  Refer to www.fafsa.gov.
  • Only parents who do not have a Social Security number can enter 000-00-0000 on the FAFSA.
  • You must report income and assets for yourself and for your parents.
  • If you are filling out the 2018-2019 FAFSA, you will need 2016 income information.
 
Who is considered a parent on the FAFSA?
 
Review all instructions below to determine who is considered a parent on the FAFSA:
  • If your parent was never married and does not live with your other legal parent, or if your parent is widowed or not remarried, answer the questions about that parent.
  • If your legal parents (biological, adoptive, or as determined by the state [for example, if the parent is listed on the birth certificate]) are not married to each other and live together, select “Unmarried and both parents living together” and provide information about both of them regardless of their gender.  Do not include any person who is not married to your parent and who is not a legal or biological parent.  Contact 1-800-433-3243 for assistance in completing questions 80-94.
  • If your legal parents are married, select “Married or remarried.”  If your legal parents are divorced but living together, select “Unmarried and both parents living together.”  If your legal parents are separated but living together, select “Married or remarried”, not “Divorced or separated.”
  • If your parents are divorced or separated, answer the questions about the parent you lived with more during the past 12 months.  (If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the past 12 months or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent.)  If this parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions about that parent and your stepparent.
  • If your widowed parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions about that parent and your stepparent.