Is there any advantage to filing FAFSA before January when my bank account has more money now?

This is a common misconception! The FAFSA doesn't actually look at how much money is currently in your bank accounts when you file. It's based on your income and tax information from the prior-prior year. So for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they're looking at your 2023 tax information regardless of when you submit the application. The amount in your checking/savings on the day you file doesn't matter.

actually i thought the same thing my first year lol. waited til february thinking my christmas spending would help me. didnt matter at all

There's actually a significant ADVANTAGE to filing as early as possible. Aid at many colleges is first-come, first-served for certain types of grants and work-study. Even though your eligibility is based on 2023 taxes for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, submitting early puts you in line for those limited institutional funds. Filing in October vs January could literally mean thousands of dollars difference at some schools.

I waited untill like March last year and missed out on so much aid lol dont be me

One important thing to understand is the difference between federal aid (calculated using FAFSA's formula and prior-prior year tax info) and institutional aid (which varies by school). Your SAI (Student Aid Index) from FAFSA won't change whether you file in October or January. But as others mentioned, schools have limited institutional funds and often prioritize early filers. I'd recommend filing ASAP, especially since the new FAFSA has been having a lot of technical issues. Getting ahead of potential problems gives you more time to resolve them before deadlines.

I tried filing last week and the website kept crashing when I got to the contributor section. Spent 3 hours trying to get through and never could. Called the help number but was on hold for 45 minutes before giving up. Anyone else having this problem or know how to fix it?

To directly answer your original question: there's no benefit to waiting until January, only potential disadvantages. File as soon as possible to maximize your aid opportunities and give yourself time to resolve any technical issues that might come up. Remember that the FAFSA is using your 2023 tax info regardless of when you submit.

my sister waited til april last year and got wayyyy less money than me even tho our family situation is identical. timing matters!!!

ALSO!!!! Make sure your parents are ready to do their part if they need to be contributors!!! My dad took FOREVER to create his account and verify his info and we almost missed a school's priority deadline because of it!!! Don't wait!!!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who filed early last year - it was absolutely the right choice! I filed my FAFSA in October and received a much better aid package than friends who waited until spring. One thing that really helped me was gathering all my documents beforehand (2023 tax returns, W-2s, bank statements even though they don't matter for FAFSA calculations, etc.) so I could complete it in one sitting. The new system can be glitchy, so having everything ready prevents you from having to start over if you get kicked out mid-application. Also, don't forget to check each of your schools' priority deadlines - some are as early as February 1st!