Every year, families leave money on the table — not because they don’t qualify for financial aid, but because they make small mistakes on the FAFSA.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) doesn’t just determine loans. It also affects:
• grants
• scholarships
• work-study
• school-based aid

One wrong move can quietly cost a family thousands of dollars.

Here are the five most common FAFSA mistakes — and how to avoid them.

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1. Missing the Priority Deadline

Many families think:

“As long as we submit, we’re fine.”

Not true.

Colleges have priority FAFSA deadlines, and aid is often awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Miss it, and:
• grant money may run out
• work-study may disappear
• school-based aid can shrink

Fix:
Submit as early as possible — ideally in October when the FAFSA opens.

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2. Using the Wrong Parent’s Information

For divorced or separated parents, this mistake is huge.

FAFSA does NOT use the parent who claims the student on taxes.
It uses the parent who provides more financial support.

Using the wrong parent can:
• inflate income
• reduce aid
• trigger verification

Fix:
Determine the correct FAFSA parent before you file — and include a stepparent if required.

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3. Leaving Assets Off (or Adding the Wrong Ones)

Some families:
• skip assets entirely
• list retirement accounts (which don’t count)
• forget savings and brokerage accounts

Both underreporting and overreporting can cause problems.

Fix:
Do not report:
❌ 401(k), IRA, pension
Do report:
✔ savings
✔ checking
✔ non-retirement investments

(Primary home value is not reported on FAFSA.)

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4. Not Reporting Special Circumstances

FAFSA looks at income from a prior year — which may not reflect reality now.

If your family has had:
• job loss
• medical bills
• divorce
• reduced income

You may qualify for more aid — but FAFSA won’t know unless you tell the school.

Fix:
File FAFSA anyway, then contact the financial aid office to request a professional judgment review.

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5. Assuming You Won’t Qualify (and Not Filing at All)

This is the most expensive mistake of all.

Even families who don’t qualify for need-based aid may:
• qualify for merit aid
• qualify for school scholarships
• need FAFSA for institutional aid

No FAFSA = no access to many awards.

Fix:
Always file. Let the school decide — not your assumptions.

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Bonus Tip: Accuracy Matters

Simple errors can delay aid:
• wrong Social Security numbers
• mismatched names
• wrong tax year
• missing signatures

Delays can mean lost funding.

Fix:
Double-check before submitting — and keep your confirmation page.

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The Bottom Line

FAFSA isn’t just a form. It’s a key to money your student may be entitled to.

Avoiding these mistakes can:
✔ increase aid
✔ reduce loans
✔ lower out-of-pocket costs
✔ reduce stress

And in today’s college cost climate, that matters more than ever.