Who wouldn’t want to spend an hour or so trying to get extra cash for College?

Well, pretty much any parent or student who is afraid of filling out a free app for Federal student aid. Families who expect a student in College in the fall of 2020 can start applying now.

“Those who have never completed FAFSA have probably heard stories about how difficult and time-consuming it is to complete,” said Rick Shipman, Executive Director of financial aid at Michigan state University.

“Well,” he said, ” things have changed.

The online system will help you reduce errors and speed up the process, he said. The program to fill out the form also uses a process called “skip logic” so that only questions that are relevant to you will appear during the process.

Experts advise to apply as early as possible. Some awards come the first time, in the first place.

“If you file early, you’re considered for the largest number of assistance programs because money runs out in some programs,” shipman said.

The FAFSA filing season opened on October 1 for financial aid covering the 2020-21 school year. Technically, you have until June 30, 2021 to meet the Federal deadline, but you want to take into account other, perhaps earlier, state deadlines for aid too. The deadline in Michigan is March 1, for example. Schools can also have their own deadlines, so check with the school you are interested in attending.

Other FAFSA tips:

Remember, it’s free

The Federal financial aid form is essential if you want to qualify for Federal student loans, work and research programs and grant money. You don’t pay a penny to fill out the free app. See www.fafsa.gov.

Remember that you must submit a form every year you are in school to qualify for financial aid. You “have to renew every year to be eligible,” says Eva McGregor Dodds, an independent College consultant based in Franklin who is affiliated with California Collegewise.

You can apply to FAFSA online at www.studentaid.ed.gov or through the mystudentaid mobile app.

Another tip: Several private colleges and public universities also require a single CSS Profile file to qualify for the need for institutional scholarships, McGregor Dodds said. She noted that students who want to be considered for institutional assistance, such as grants and merit scholarships, at the University of Michigan need to fill out a CSS profile, which also opens on October 1.

Parents pay a fee to consult outside counselors, but the Collegewise website also has a few free tips in www.collegewise.com/resources.

Avoid mistakes, use IRS data tool

Although there is a lot of noise about the October start, you do not want to rush and then get sloppy filling in your data. Data entry errors slow the process, warns Erin powers, a spokeswoman for the National Association of student financial aid administrators.

Students can also reduce errors by using the Tax office’s online data retrieval tool to import financial information directly into the FAFSA rather than entering it manually, powers said. The tool transfers data directly from your Federal tax returns.

If you are not using the data retrieval tool, you should refer to the copy of your 2018 tax return that you have. If you don’t have a copy, you can get one by downloading the tax transcript online at www.irs.gov.

Other mistakes to avoid: Don’t leave spaces blank. Rather, enter zero or “not applicable” if it does not apply. Do not use commas or decimal points in numeric fields, instead refer to the nearest dollar. Do not use an alias: Your name must be listed on the FAFSA as it appears on your social security card.

Another tip: When it comes to Federal income tax amounts, look at your income tax refund forms from two years before, not your W-2 form.

Watch out for a technical glitch

Students and family members who use an Apple device-a mobile or desktop computer-are warned that they may encounter errors in some FAFSA fields if the smart punctuation feature is enabled. You may need to disable these features or use another device, such as Internet Explorer on your desktop.

“This feature changes apostrophes and quotes to invalid characters that the FAFSA form cannot recognize,” it says Studentaid.ed.gov the site most managed by the U.S. Department of education.

Powers said: “the Department of education has set up a page on its student aid website dedicated to helping students resolve this issue.” The page is titled: “Why do I get an error message when I use apostrophes or quotes on my Apple device?”Look www.studentaid.ed.gov advice.

Make sure to pop up the window

You will need to ensure that the pop-up blocker in your browser allows you to receive alerts and pop-up data from fafsa.ed.gov while you complete the online form.

Some of your money will not count against you

One common, harmful mistake people make in completing a FAFSA involves reporting pension funds or the net worth of a family home as an investment, said mark Kantrowitz, publisher and Vice President of research for Savingforcollege.com.

As part of the FAFSA process, you must report the value of savings accounts, stocks and bonds, and real estate, but not the value of the home where your family lives. And remember, you don’t have to report the cost of your retirement plan, 401 (k), 403 (b) or IRA.

Don’t lie about your money

“Lying to the FAFSA can be punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $ 20,000 fine (more if prosecuted under mail fraud laws), “Kantrowitz said.

“Colleagues with honor codes can expel a student,” he said. “The family will also have to return all undeserved financial aid.”

Have some comparison purchases

All offers of financial assistance will not be the same. If you apply to more than one College, take a close look at what’s on offer. What is a loan and which will need to be repaid? What is free money? Pay close attention to how much money should come out of your own pocket through work, loans and savings.

Get more help

Many schools hold financial aid workshops in the fall where you may be able to ask more questions. Talk to your College admission office, too.

“If something is not quite clear, ask about it,” Ship MSU said.