When to complete 2025-2026 FAFSA - wait for 2024 taxes or submit early?
My daughter is currently finishing her freshman year at Penn State, and I'm trying to figure out the timing for her sophomore year FAFSA. Last year was pretty straightforward since we had our 2023 taxes done early, but I'm confused about the process this time around. Should we wait until we file our 2024 taxes in February/March to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA? Or can we submit it earlier with estimated income? I've heard conflicting advice from other parents - some say wait for exact numbers to avoid verification headaches, others say submit ASAP for better aid packages. What's the best approach to maximize her aid eligibility while avoiding complications? Our income went up about $8K this year if that matters.
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Rudy Cenizo
You don't need to wait for your 2024 taxes to be completed before submitting the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The Better FAFSA system allows you to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import your 2023 tax information. Later, when you complete your 2024 taxes, you can go back and update the FAFSA if necessary. The priority is submitting early since many schools distribute aid on a first-come, first-served basis. Some state grants also have early deadlines. Just make sure to check Penn State's specific priority filing deadline!
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Harmony Love
•Wait, we can use 2023 tax info for the 2025-2026 FAFSA? I thought we needed the most recent tax year. This is confusing.
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Natalie Khan
We did my sons FAFSA in October last year and just estimated our income. Had to go back and update it once we got our w-2s but it was worth getting it done early!! His school had scholarship deadlines in december so we would have missed out.
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Harmony Love
•That's really helpful to know. Did you have any issues when you updated the information later? I'm worried about triggering some kind of verification process if our estimates are off.
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Daryl Bright
NO NO NO! The advice above is completely WRONG for 2025-2026! Under the FAFSA Simplification Act, the 2025-2026 FAFSA will require 2024 tax information, NOT 2023. The prior-prior year approach changed with the new FAFSA system. Using 2023 tax data will either be rejected or trigger verification. DON'T submit with estimated income either - that's asking for verification hell! Just wait until you've filed your 2024 taxes, then complete the FAFSA with accurate data. The processing delays from last year should be fixed by then.
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Harmony Love
•Thank you for the clarification! I was pretty confused by the conflicting advice. So we definitely need to wait until our 2024 taxes are done before submitting. I appreciate the accurate information.
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Sienna Gomez
Actually, it depends on your individual situation. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you'll need 2024 tax information, but you can still submit with estimates if you know your income is fairly consistent. Just make sure to update it once your taxes are filed. Penn State's priority deadline is usually May 1st, so if you can file your taxes by March, you should be fine. The biggest factor is whether your income significantly changed - if it only went up $8K as you mentioned, estimates would likely be close enough to avoid issues.
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
•This is right! My daughter goes to UPenn and we always estimate and then update. Never had a problem in 3 years doing it this way
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Abigail bergen
Totally agree with waiting for your actual tax info! My son's FAFSA got flagged for verification last year when our estimated income was off by like $12K... such a nightmare trying to provide all the documentation they wanted 😫 Better to just wait and do it right once!
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Harmony Love
•Yikes, that sounds stressful! How long did the verification process take? I definitely want to avoid that if possible.
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Ahooker-Equator
I had to deal with verification hell last year and spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid to fix the issue. I kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Finally, I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Totally worth it when you're dealing with urgent FAFSA problems that need an actual human to resolve.
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Natalie Khan
•Thanks for sharing this!! I'm bookmarking it for later cuz I always have problems getting thru to fafsa people
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Harmony Love
•That's good to know. I've been lucky enough not to need to call them yet, but I'll keep this in mind if we run into issues.
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Rudy Cenizo
To clarify my earlier comment (which contained incorrect information), you definitely need to use 2024 tax information for the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The FAFSA Simplification Act made significant changes to the system. Here's what I recommend: 1. Prepare your taxes as early as possible in 2025 (January-February) 2. Submit your FAFSA immediately after filing taxes 3. Check Penn State's specific priority deadline (typically around May 1) 4. If you can't file taxes early, contact Penn State's financial aid office to explain the situation This approach balances accuracy with timeliness. Sorry for my earlier confusion!
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Harmony Love
•Thanks for the follow-up. This is a clear plan we can follow. I'll aim to have our taxes done by mid-February to give us plenty of time before any deadlines.
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Daryl Bright
One more IMPORTANT thing - the 2025-2026 FAFSA will use the updated SAI (Student Aid Index) instead of the old EFC calculation. This affects how they calculate need. With your income increase, make sure you understand how this might impact your daughter's aid package. The SAI treats some assets and income differently. Check if Penn State has any institutional scholarships with separate deadlines too!
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Harmony Love
•I didn't realize they changed the calculation method too. Is there any way to estimate our SAI before submitting? I want to be prepared for potential changes to her aid package.
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Sienna Gomez
Yes, there are SAI calculators online that can help you estimate your daughter's index score before you submit. Just search for "FAFSA SAI calculator 2025-2026" and you'll find several options. Keep in mind that an $8K income increase might change your SAI by approximately $1,600-$2,400 depending on your overall financial situation. Also, since your daughter is already in college, check if Penn State requires the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - some schools use both for determining institutional aid. The timeline for CSS Profile submission might differ from FAFSA deadlines.
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Harmony Love
•This is super helpful - thank you! I'll look up those calculators and double-check Penn State's requirements for the CSS Profile too. I appreciate everyone's advice on navigating year two of this process!
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