FAFSA Help for Students from Mental Health America of Porter County

Prom, graduation, college – these can be some of the exciting moments happening in the lives of high school seniors and their parents this spring semester. This is also the time of year for incoming and continuing college students to fill-out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Mental Health America of Porter County recognizes that this process can be quite stressful, but is necessary to apply for federal, state, college, and some private financial aid. Having several documents in front of your while filing could ease the process. Keep in mind that if a student is filing as a dependent, they will be required to report their parent’s income information.

• Social Security card
• Driver’s license
• 2012 W-2’s
• 2012 Federal Income Tax Return
• Parent’s 2012 Federal Income

Tax Return (for dependent students)

• 2012 untaxed income records
• Current bank statements
• Current business and investment information
• Alien registration or permanent resident card (for non-U.S. citizens)

After gathering these documents, it is time to decide whether to file an electronic FAFSA or a paper FAFSA. The electronic version has a significantly shorter process period and edits your application automatically before it is submitted. You can find the electronic version here: www.fafsa.ed.gov . No matter your filing preference, you can call 1-800-433-3243 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) with questions about filling out the FAFSA. Also, both high school and college advisors are equipped to help parents and students.

Finally, here are some guidelines to keep in mind when filling out the FAFSA:

• “You” and “yours” refer to the student applying for aid
• “School” and “college” refer to school beyond high school
• Round dollar amounts to the nearest dollar, exclude commas or decimals
• Record dates using only numbers by month, day, and year without slashes
• School years 2013-2014 refer to July 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014
• Do not include any forms, statements, or letter in your mailing of the FAFSA

Mental Health America of Porter County offers programs that can assist individuals and families. Building Up Our Youth (BUOY) is dedicated to teaching adults how to instill positive self-esteem and security in the youth around them. For more information about BUOY or our other services please contact Jessica Howell, AmeriCorps member, Client Services Coordinator at 219-462-6267 or jhowell@mhapc.org