We all know how easily mistakes are made—and that it’s best to avoid them whenever possible. When filling out a complex form like the FAFSA, mistakes are common. To help you avoid a delay in application processing, watch out for the following frequent FAFSA errors.
- Listing an incorrect Social Security Number (SSN) or driver’s license number
- Double- or even triple-check these numbers on your FAFSA. If your parents don’t have a SSN, enter 00000000.
- Failing to use your legal name
- Your name must be shown on your FAFSA just as it appears on your Social Security card. Don’t enter nicknames or other variations.
- Using commas or decimal points in numeric fields
- Always round to the nearest dollar.
- Failing to register with Selective Service
- If you’re a male age 18 to 26, you must register with Selective Service in order to receive federal financial aid. If you’re 17, you may check ‘Register Me’ and you’ll be registered on your 18th birthday.
- Forgetting to list at least one college
- You may send your FAFSA results to 10 different schools. Enter each school name or school code on your form before submission.
- Leaving blank fields
- Too many blank fields may cause miscalculations and a possible application rejection. Enter ‘0’ or ‘not applicable’ instead of leaving a blank.
- Entering the wrong ‘federal income tax paid’ amount
- This amount is on your income tax return forms, not your W-2.
- Listing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as equal to total income from work
- AGI and total income from work are not necessarily the same. In most cases, the AGI is larger than the total income from working.
- Incorrectly filing income taxes as head of household
- If there is an error in the head of household filing status, the school will need an amended tax return to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service before releasing aid awards.
- Listing marital status incorrectly
- The Department of Education wants to know your marital status on the day you sign your FAFSA. If you are in a legally-recognized same-sex marriage, you will need to provide your spouse’s information, as well.
- Listing parent marital status incorrectly
- If your custodial parent has remarried, you’ll need to include the stepparent’s information on the FAFSA. If you have two parents in a legally-recognized same-sex marriage, you’ll need to list both parents, one as Parent 1 and one as Parent 2. .
- Failure to list both parents if they live together
- If your legal parents (defined as biological or adoptive) live in the same household, you are required to list both parents on the FAFSA even if they aren’t married.
Important: As you complete the FAFSA, remember to read the information shown in the ‘Help and Hints’ boxes on the right side of each page at FAFSA.gov. These boxes provide an explanation of each question to help you enter an accurate response. For further assistance, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). You may also contact any college financial aid office in your area with questions about the FAFSA process.