The question in the headline has an easy answer: as soon as possible! Funds distributed from the FAFSA are on a first come, first serve basis. Processing the FAFSA is often a tortuously slow undertaking. You're dealing with a bureaucracy, after all. Filing early on the internet is a great way to speed things up though. To file your [404 Check: was link to http:/ / www. collegeeducationguide. com, anchor: FAFSA application] electronically, the first thing you should do is file your tax return. Next, you can apply for a federal PIN number. This will serve as your cyber signature on government documents like the FAFSA. Getting a PIN application should take days, not weeks.
While you're waiting for your PIN application to be processed, go ahead and start gathering all the information you'll need for your FAFSA form. Then, FAFSA will take around two hours to complete online once your PIN arrives. After that, you're job is done! For more tips like this, you can visit the College Education guide at the link above.