What Year’s Tax Information Do I Use?

When the FAFSA’s release date was moved to Oct. 1 in 2016, the rules about which year’s tax information to use were also updated. As a result, applicants use tax information that is likely already filed. This means no waiting on your next W2 to complete or update the FAFSA! Use the chart below to find out which FAFSA and which tax year are right for you.

Image of the FAFSA Completion Chart, which details attendance dates, version of the FAFSA, FAFSA deadlines, and the tax year used. The source for this information is Source: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/. — Click to enlarge. Information source: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out

Once the FAFSA you need is available, it can be completed online at fafsa.ed.gov.