Where to find FAFSA help
Start with the federal government at www.studentaid.gov. The website is loaded with resources on every aspect of the financial aid process, including answers to common questions. There’s email help built into the system. Or you can get assistance on the phone at 1-800-433-3243.
High school students should check with their guidance counselors, who can walk you through application questions. Counselors might also have a copy of the highly regarded Princeton Review’s “Paying for College,” which includes line-byline advice on the FAFSA.
Financial advisors in many communities have special events during FAFSA filing season, such as College Goal Sunday programs where experts provide one-on-one help for free. For Californians, the state’s Student Aid Commission offers its Cash for College program, where free workshops are held around the state through June 30 (www.cash4college.csac.ca.gov.).
You can also find free financial aid resources at www.formyourfuture.org, a website sponsored by the nonprofit National College Attainment Network.
In addition, uAspire, a nonprofit organization based in Boston (www. uaspire.org), offers FAFSA and other college planning services at no cost for families through a network of advisors in Massachusetts, New York and California.
Personal finance websites, such as NerdWallet.com and Bankrate. com, provide FAFSA guidance that answers many common questions about completing the application and what happens throughout the process.
Of course, some families may opt to pay for FAFSA services. Make your choices carefully.
For example, Frank (https://withfrank.org/what-is-frank/) operates an online financial aid platform that guides families through the FAFSA. While Frank’s basic service is free, it charges for extras, such as helping with an appeal for more money.
That can also be handled on your own at no charge.
If you are thinking of working with a third-party provider, be clear about any fees that could be charged. It’s also important to ask about a company’s data-security policies, since families enter their data on the provider’s site, which is then transferred to the federal government. As always, read the fine print about privacy notices on what information can be shared with marketers.
But for my money, free is one powerful motivator.