The FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) is an important document in determining your eligibility for financial aid. You should take this process seriously and be strategic about how you complete it. There are three errors commonly made on the FAFSA that can increase your Student Aid Index (SAI): Family Size, Prior Education and Marital Status.
Family Size
- Stepchildren should be included in household size and the number students in college. If the custodial parent remarries, children from the previous marriage should be included in the count if the stepparent provides more than half of their support even if they don’t live with the student’s parent and stepparent. If the students are enrolled in college at least part-time, they should be included in the number in college.
- Unborn children should be counted in the household size if the child will receive more than half of their ongoing support through the end of the academic year.
- Children who don’t live with the family, should be counted regardless of where they live as long as they receive half of their support from the family.
- Relatives who live with the family and receive more than half their support from the family should be counted.
- The student filing for aid should always be counted in household size and included in the number of persons in college even if they don’t live with the parents.
- Parents are not counted in the number in college even if they are enrolled in college.
Education
- You should not claim to have a bachelor’s degree or any degree when you have not actually obtained the degree.
- In reporting parent’s highest levels of education. Select “college or beyond” only if the parent graduated with a bachelor’s degree or advanced degree. Do not select “college or beyond” if the parent did not graduate or only earned an associate’s degree or certificate. “Parent” on this question refers to your birth or adoptive parents, not stepparents.
Marital Status
- Marital status should be reported as of the FAFSA filing date, not the prior-prior year. If unmarried during the prior-prior year but currently married, the FAFSA should be based on the current marital status and the tax returns should be combined on the FAFSA.