Free Application for Federal Student Aid

I received the draft of the 2010-2011 FAFSA today. I plan to look it over this week and will hopefully have a video blog up soon regarding the changes from last year. But for now, here are some important things to consider:

1) You cannot fill out the new FAFSA until after January 1, 2010.
2) It is better for you to estimate your taxes on the FAFSA and get it submitted as soon as possible than to wait until after your taxes are filed. Many school-based and outside scholarships are first come, first serve. And, you can always make adjustments to your FAFSA, if needed, after you file your taxes.
3) NEVER pay anyone to fill out your FAFSA. This application is FREE, hence its name. The financial aid officers at your intended school are paid to assist you through the process of applying for financial aid. But, if they're not available, there are others, like me, who would be happy to answer questions about the FAFSA free of charge. DO NOT go to FAFSA.com to fill out your FAFSA online. Yes, you can complete the FAFSA online, but the ONLY website where you should go to do this is http://www.fafsa.ed.gov