Today is the first day you can submit FAFSA.  In addition, it’s better to fill it out sooner than later because you can lose some scholarship or grant money.

Here are some tips to fill out FAFSA:

1. It’s online and it’s free.

You can go to the website at https://fafsa.ed.gov

2. Watch out for multiple deadlines.

The application must be submitted by June 30. Plus, the college that you're attending may have their own deadlines for financial aid. So, make sure to contact your college’s financial office for more information.

3.You need to know your parents’ income.

Have your parent’s tax information so you can report accurate income information on your forms. But, if you don’t have your parents W-2 forms, you can just estimate income based on the year before and update it later.

4.Don’t assume you’re too wealthy.

The amount of aid awarded to students is mainly based on a family’s or person’s income. Use a tool from the White House called College Scorecard to estimate how you’ll have to pay to attend a specific school based on you and your family’s income. https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/