NOVEMBER 2024

Tuesday Tips

Tips for Filing the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

1. Create a Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) ASAP!

Every student and at least one parent of a dependent student will need to create their own Federal Student Aid account (referred to as an FSA ID) before they can start the FAFSA. To create an account, go to StudentAid.gov and create one as soon as possible. Unsure which parent needs an FSA ID? Use the parent wizard tool to find out!

We recommend waiting to start the FAFSA until the FSA ID has been matched with the Social Security Administration (SSA). This match allows federal income tax information to be transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA, making filing the FAFSA much easier. The match typically takes between one to three business days. Watch your email for confirmation of the SSA match and then you can start the FAFSA.  

2. Decide Who Will Start the FAFSA

The FAFSA is a roles-based form. Either the student or the parent (if parent information is required) can start the FAFSA. Whoever starts the FAFSA will log in with their FSA ID (username and password) and identify themselves by their role: student or parent. That individual will then “invite” the other person to complete the FAFSA by providing the other person’s legal name, date of birth (DOB), Social Security number (SSN), and email address. This invitation section is what links the student and parent sections of the FAFSA together. For this process to work, the name, DOB, and SSN entered must be an exact match the information the invitee used when creating their FSA ID.

3. Go to StudentAid.gov to file the FAFSA

The FAFSA is now available to all and ready to file! Most people can complete their section of the FAFSA in less than 15 minutes.

4. Important Tip for Returning Students

We recommend that students who filed a 2024-25 FAFSA either clear their computer’s cache and cookies or use an incognito or in a private window. Taking this step will ensure that any gremlins from last year’s FAFSA don’t impact the 2025-26 FAFSA filing experience. 

5. Ways to Get FSA ID and FAFSA Help

Help is available in a variety of ways!

Use FAME's Online Help

·      Visit the Filing the FAFSA section of our website to learn how to get ready, what information you'll need to have available to file, tips to make filing easier, and more! 

·      Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

·      Attend a virtual FAFSA Help Session 

Contact a FAME FAFSA Expert

·      Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM

·      Phone: 1-800-228-3734; TTY 207-626-2717

·      Email: Education@FAMEmaine.com 

Get help from Federal Student Aid

·      Phone: 1-800-433-3243

• Monday – Friday: 8 AM–10:00 PM (ET)
• Saturday: 12:00 PM-5:00 PM (ET)

Closed on all federal holidays and closing at 6:00 PM on Friday November 29th

·      Email and Chat Options: Contact Us | Federal Student Aid

For more information, check out our recent webinar.

Filing the 2025-2026 FAFSA



It’s FAFSA time! The 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available. In this expanded, 90-minute webinar, we shared important information about the FSA ID and reviewed various sections of the FAFSA, focusing on the questions that provide the biggest challenges for students. Viewers will learn what’s new, what’s improved, and how to answer the questions students and families will ask when completing this year’s FAFSA.

For additional helpful information and resources, find Previous Tuesday Tips on our website.

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