FAFSA Updates

With the passing of the FAFSA Simplification Act, the FAFSA process has been updated to expand eligibility and streamline processes with fewer questions. For those new and returning students who are anxious about what this means for them, SFS is here to help. So, let's get started!

WHAT'S NEW?

NEW TERMS

FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) replaces Student Aid Report (SAR).
Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces Estimated Family Contribution (EFC).
Direct Data Exchange (DDX) replaces Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).
Contributor refers to anyone required to provide information on your FAFSA form.

NEW PROCESSES

NOTE: Federal Student Aid may occasionally pause access to the FAFSA form to perform maintenance and improve the user experience.

► Contributor Processes: account creation, invitations, and consent

FSA ID StudentAid.gov Account Creation

Every student applicant and contributor will need an FSA ID StudentAid.gov account before accessing and completing their section.
- Students-when you fill out the FAFSA, you’ll answer questions that will determine who needs to be a contributor.
- Contributors could be your spouse, your biological or adoptive parent, and/or your parent’s spouse/partner.
- Contributors without an SSN can create an FSA ID StudentAid.gov account to fill out their portion of your FAFSA.

♦ Need help creating an account?

Invitations to Contributors

Student applicants will need to invite contributors to consent and/or complete their FAFSA section.
- Students will be prompted to enter personal information about their contributors in order to send them an invite. We encourage students to notify contributors that they will be receiving an invitation.
- Information required when inviting any contributor to complete the FAFSA includes the contributor's:
  - Legal name (from Social Security Card)
  - Date of birth
  - Social Security Number (SSN) if they have one.
  - Mailing address if they don't have an SSN.
  - Email address

♦ Need an appointment with your SFS Advisor?

Contributor Consent & Approval

Every student applicant & contributor must provide consent to use the IRS federal tax information (FTI) via Direct Data Exchange (DDX).
- If consent is not provided, students will not be eligible for federal financial aid.
- If consent is not provided within 45 days of invite, you will need to begin the FAFSA process again.

♦ Need information about consent & approval?

DOCUMENTS YOU MIGHT NEED

Your parents’ SSNs if you are a dependent student
2022 tax returns (2023 tax returns for 2025-26 FAFSA)
Records of child support received
Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
Net worth of investments, businesses, and farm
- Parent assets will now include net worth of all businesses and net worth of a family farm, if applicable.

FAFSA RESOURCES

StudentAid.gov Help: Filling out the FAFSA	FAFSA Pro Tips
FAFSA Video Tutorial	FAFSA FAQ YouTube playlist
	Michigan Student Aid website