Documents You Need

Key Information

Gather your income and tax information before you begin the FAFSA.
If you are a dependent student, you will need your parents' information too.
If you haven't filed your taxes yet, you can still submit your FAFSA using estimated income and tax data.
FAFSA on the Web worksheet helps you to ensure you have what you need.

Having the right information on-hand makes completing the FAFSA easier.

Before you begin the FAFSA, gather the following paperwork:

	Dependent Students	Independent Students (Am I independent?)
Personal	Your and your parents' Social Security Numbers (can be found on Social Security card) Your and your parents' driver's license (if any) Your and your parents' alien registration number or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)	Your Social Security Number (can be found on Social Security card) Your driver's license (if any) Your alien registration number or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
Income	Your (if you had taxable income) and your parents' W-2 Forms and other records of money earned Your (if you had untaxable income) and your parents' untaxed income records - Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records	Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) W-2 Forms and other records of money earned Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) untaxed income records - Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records
Tax	Your (if you were required to file) and your parents' 2007 Federal Income Tax Return IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, Foreign tax return, or Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or Palau	Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) 2007 Federal Income Tax Return IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, Foreign tax return, or Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or Palau
Assets	Your and your parents' most recent bank statements Your and your parents' most recent business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records, as applicable	Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) most recent bank statements Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) most recent business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records, as applicable

Use the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet

This worksheet is like getting the test questions before you take a test.

Make sure you have what you need to apply.
See the questions in the same order as they will appear in the online application.
Get help determining what parental income and tax information you should use, if you are a dependent student.

Get a worksheet now.

Did you know?

You should use income records for the calendar year prior to the academic year that you will attend school. For example, if you go to school in September 2010, use 2009 income information to complete the 2010-2011 FAFSA.
If you cannot complete your taxes before your earliest financial aid deadline, use estimates and make any changes after you (or your parents) file your tax return. You may later be asked to supply actual tax returns to verify accuracy of estimates.
Be sure to keep all of the documentation that you gather to complete the FAFSA. You may need this later if your application is chosen for verification.
If your parents are divorced or separated and you are a dependent student:
- Use the information of the parent who you lived with the most during the past 12 months.
- It doesn't matter which parent claims you as a dependent on their taxes.
- If you did not live with either parent or you lived with them equally, use the information of the parent who provided you the most financial support during the past 12 months.
- If the parent for whom you provide information is remarried, then you must provide both the parent's and the step-parent's information.

PHEAA - Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency

Documents You Need

Key Information

Use the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet

Did you know?

Prepare

FAFSA FAQ

Online Tools & Resources

FAFSA Help