FAFSA and getting married soon.. wait? (filing the fafsa) Forum

[always206]

After numerous, "the sooner you turn in your FAFSA, the better" emails, I've finally decided to sit down and fill out the FAFSA. However, one of the first questions on the damn thing was "as of right now, your filing date, are you single, married..."

Well, right now, SINGLE, but in June I will be married. Therefore, in June, right then, I will be able to hit "married." She is a student and has no reported income. So...

Question:

Would I receive more financial aid if I wait until after I am married, despite being late in filling it out?

Or should I just fill it out now, as single?

FWIW, my undergraduate institution recognizes me as an "independent" student due to documented abuse at home.

Thanks!

EDIT: I made 14,000 this year working PT while being a FT student.

[AboveTheLawSchool]

I would still fill it out now. June is probably too late. Most schools recommend you fill it out before March 1st I believe.

[mala2]

you're independent anyway. June is too late. You can always do a revision once you're married.

[Gotti]

March 2 is the deadline

[zonto]

You cannot revise married status unfortunately, but the deadlines are before that. You could call the specific schools' financial aid office to find out if they ever take that into consideration though.

I found this out the hard way by being on the ball during my senior year in undergrad... Missed out on some better grant money I think since I couldn't change my marriage status once I sent it in.

Something else to consider too, a big part of this is grant money. Seeing as you don't qualify for Pell Grants anymore, I wouldn't think it would really affect anything for federal loans.