October 1, 2016
If you're applying for financial aid, you should check out what's new as of Oct. 1, 2016.
Read all about it:
1. Homeroom, the official blog of the U.S. Department of Education: http://blog.ed.gov/2016/08/2-major-fafsa-changes-need-aware/
2. CSUN's Financial Aid & Scholarship Department: http://www.csun.edu/financialaid/
From Homeroom, the two biggest changes:
1. The 2017–18 FAFSA will be available earlier.
You can file your 2017–18 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling you to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as October 1 every year.
2. You’ll use earlier income and tax information.
Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, you’ll be required to report income and tax info from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017–18 FAFSA, you—and your parent(s), as appropriate—will report your 2015 income and tax info, rather than your 2016 income and tax info.