When you’re completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you’ll be asked to submit income information from two years prior to the year that you’ll attend college. That means if you’re submitting the 2021-2022 FAFSA, you’ll need your 2019 federal tax return. You may not have been required to file a return that year*, but any income earned in 2019 still needs to be reported on the FAFSA. If you didn’t file a tax return, it’s even more important to keep your W-2 in a safe place for reference.
If you’re a dependent student, your parents will also need to report their 2019 income information.** Parents who filed a joint return in 2019 should have their W-2’s handy as well, because the FAFSA will ask about the income of ‘Parent 1’ and ‘Parent 2’.
Since you must complete the FAFSA each year you need federal and state financial aid, it’s best to keep all relevant documentation together in a safe location, including your FSA ID (username and password). This will help you complete all future FAFSAs quickly and accurately.
*To learn more about who may have been required to file a 2019 tax return, see the 2019 IRS 1040 Instructions, pp. 8-11.
**To determine whether you’ll be a dependent or independent student on the 2021-2022 FAFSA, see the Dependency Questionnaire at UCanGo2.org.