New Simple FAFSA for 2024-2025

New streamlined application designed with you in mind!

The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024–25 award year. 

The new FAFSA form will significantly improve, streamline, and redesign how students and their families use the form.

  • For the first time, applicants will be able to securely transfer their federal tax information necessary for the eligibility calculation directly from the IRS. 
  • Starting with the 2024–25 award year, the better FAFSA form reflects updates to student aid calculations and extends Federal Pell Grants to more students.

Before Submitting the FAFSA

To complete the FAFSA online, you and all of your contributors will need to create an FSA ID. It is recommended that you create your FSA ID at least three days before you plan to fill out the FAFSA, as that is typically how long account creation processing takes. You will receive an email confirming when your FSA ID has been successfully processed. While you can fill out the FAFSA immediately after making your FSA ID, it is not recommended. Your account is matched with the Social Security Administration when it is processed; before this has been completed, you are not able to transfer your financial information directly from the IRS and will have to enter it all manually.

To create your FSA ID, you will need your SSN as well as your email address (not a school/college email or a parent’s). To invite your contributors to the FAFSA (parent(s), step-parent, or spouse), you will need to know the SSN, date of birth, and email address for each contributor. It is recommended that you gather this information before you complete the FAFSA.

Based on an announcement from the U.S. Department of Education, institutions will be sent 2024-2025 FAFSA information beginning in mid March. From there, the College will be able to process your FAFSA and package your financial aid.

Until processing begins in March, you will not be able to make corrections to the FAFSA. Here are some important things to double check before submitting your FAFSA:

  • Your SSN and the SSNs of any contributors.
  • You’ve correctly identified who needs to contribute financial information to your FAFSA (including step-parents, your spouse if you are an independent student, etc.).
  • Any school(s) you’re applying to are included on your FAFSA. Cincinnati State’s school code is 010345.
  • Manually entered tax information is correct.

Since you will not be able to make corrections to your FAFSA until mid-March, it is important to ensure your information is accurate on the FAFSA before submitting. This will allow us to process your FAFSA and package your financial aid in a timely manner.

Major Changes to Expect

  1. Spouse or step-parent may need to participate as Contributors
  2. Federal tax information will be transferred directly from IRS
  3. You and your Contributors will need to provide consent for the tax transfer
  4. You and your Contributors will need a studentaid.gov account
  5. You can view the status of your FAFSA and contributor progress on studentaid.gov
  6. You can add more schools to the FAFSA (up to 20)
Complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA

FAFSA Simplification FAQs

What is a contributor? Who contributes to my FAFSA?

A contributor is a person who is required to contribute financial information on your FAFSA form. This does not make the contributor financially responsible your education; rather, they are contributing financial information so your aid eligibility can be determined.

For a dependent student, your contributor will be both of your biological or adoptive parents, or one of your parents and their spouse if remarried. For an independent student, your contributor would be your spouse if applicable.

What information will I need to invite a contributor to my FAFSA?

You will need to provide each contributor’s name, date of birth, SSN if applicable, and email address that matches their FSA ID. After you complete your portion of the FAFSA, your contributor will get an email with instructions to complete the FAFSA.

If one of your contributors does not have a SSN, please see FSA’s instructions for filing the FAFSA here.

What if my parents filed their taxes jointly?

If your parents are married and filed taxes jointly in 2022, only one parent is required as a contributor and will report financial information for both parents. If your parents are married and filed separately, they would both be considered contributors and would need to individually contribute their tax information on the FAFSA.

What if my parents are no longer married but still live together?

Both of your parents would be your contributors, even if they were never married, divorced, or are separated. They would be required to separately provide their individual financial information on the FAFSA.

My parents are divorced. Who is the contributor on my FAFSA?

If your parents are divorced (or separated and no longer living together), then the parent who provided more financial support over the past 12 months will be your contributor. In the case of child support payments, these would count as financial support from the parent who paid the child support, not the parent who received it.

If your parents provided equal financial support over the past 12 months, then the parent who has the greater income and assets will be your contributor. This parent will fill out the FAFSA form.

My parent who is my contributor is married/remarried. Does my stepparent also need to contribute to my FAFSA?

If your parent and stepparent did not file their taxes jointly, they will both be contributors and individually contribute their financial information. If your parent and stepparent filed their taxes jointly, only your parent will be your contributor and will enter financial information for both of them.

For more information on this topic, visit the Federal Student Aid website.

We are here to help!

The Office of Financial Aid can answer your questions by phone, email, or in-person, as well as assist you with filling out the FAFSA.

Phone and In-Person Hours:
Monday through Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm

Phone: (513) 569-1530
Fax: (513) 569-1469
Email: fam@cincinnatistate.edu