[?] Subscribe To This Site

Your FAFSA PIN or Your Financial Aid PIN Number...When?

Your FAFSA PIN (personal identification number) is your first step in the college loan and grant process.

There's no good reason to wait to apply for one.

Even if you're not ready to fill out the FAFSA form for your next school year, you will save time by getting it now.

As far as free college money goes, it is first come, first served- so saving time is a priority.

And for your 2012-2013 application, all corrections and renewals can only be done with a PIN.

To apply, you will need to provide:

your name the way it appears on your social security card
your social security number
your date of birth
your mailing address and your e-mail address

The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at the US Department of Education website.

Why You Need A Fafsa PIN

This number is really an electronic access code. You get an added layer of security with the FAFSA application pin number and the government can reduce fraud. (This year, the FAFSA website has made the process of getting a PIN more secure with the addition of several features.) Using your number, you can:

go back into your form to check what you wrote
make corrections to your current form
renew FAFSA every year

sign your application electronically

access your federal loan records

You can access the FAFSA school codes without a PIN and you can download the printable form, but you cannot fill out the FAFSA online application without one.

To protect your personal information- never give your number to anyone, even if you decide to contract with a service that fills out your form for you. This is particularly important now that the information you submit on a federal income tax form, is imported directly into your FAFSA application

Not recommended- After all, what does FAFSA stand for? And, even if you decide to pay someone to fill out a free form for you, there really are no loopholes anymore- not even "FAFSA deferred compensation". Financial aid administrators do not look kindly on those who try to game the system and even legitimately deferred income is still income.

Parents of dependent students can get personal identification numbers also. I strongly recommend that they do so. That way, maybe at least one person will remember their number when they need it, for FAFSA corrections

Of course you can always get a duplicate or even a new personal identification number, but it usually takes a day or so to get the email. If you are rushing to get the application done before your state FAFSA deadline, you won't want to wait.(And you can only order a duplicate, ONCE.)

You can even disable your number if you suspect that an unauthorized person might have it. (And you can reinstate it if you want to, also.) But one thing to remember is that if you do not use your FAFSA PIN for 18 months, it will be deactivated and you'll have to set up a new one.

You can allow the Department of Education to assign a number to you (which they will automatically do if you submit the printable FAFSA application) or you can choose your own. But if you choose one that you are are already using for a bank account (Easy to to remember, right?) you do run the risk of having all your eggs in the same basket.