Who Fills Out the FAFSA, Student or Parent?

I'm currently preparing to fill out the FAFSA, and I'm a little confused about who is actually supposed to fill it out. Should it be me, the student, or my parents? I know it requires a lot of financial information from my family, so it seems like they'd need to be heavily involved.

Also, what happens if my parents are divorced or if I'm in a more complex living situation? I want to make sure everything is filled out correctly so I don't miss out on any potential financial aid. If anyone can share their experiences or advice on navigating the FAFSA, that would be super helpful!

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, should ideally be completed by both the student and the parents. It asks for information about both the student's and parents' income and assets, so it's best to work together to fill it out.

For dependent students, which most high school seniors and college undergraduates are considered to be, it's necessary to include parental financial information. If your parents are married, then you'll need information from both of them.

Where it gets a bit more complicated is if your parents are divorced or separated. In this case, you'll generally be required to provide financial details of the parent you've lived with the most in the past 12 months. If you spent equal time with both parents, then you should provide information for the parent who provides more than half of your financial support. If that parent has remarried, you would also need to include your step-parent's financial information.

Remember that friends and online resources like forums can be helpful, but for the best advice, you should consult a school counselor, a college financial aid office, or the FAFSA website itself. Additionally, you might want to utilize the "FAFSA Forecaster" tool on the FAFSA website. This can give you an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid.

Finally, you should ensure that all information entered into the FAFSA is accurate and up-to-date. Errors or inconsistencies can delay your application and potentially affect the amount of aid you receive.