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FAFSA Assistance Expanded for Financial Aid Season

January 28, 2013

 FAFSA Assistance Expanded for Financial Aid Season 

Iowa College Access Network Offers Extended Office Hours for FAFSA Filing
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – Jan.28, 2013 – The Iowa College Access Network (ICAN), a 
nonprofit organization that provides college planning and financial aid assistance to Iowa 
families, will expand its office hours in February to accommodate high school and college 
students who need assistance completing financial aid paperwork. 
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the federal form used to calculate a 
student’s financial aid eligibility. The form is available each year on January 1st, for the 
following academic year, and can be completed online at www.fafsa.gov or through a paper 
application. 
ICAN offers assistance in the completion of the FAFSA form without charge, at locations in 
Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and West Des Moines. In February, ICAN will extend its office 
hours to include evening appointments, as well as Saturday hours. (see sidebar) 
“To maximize the amount of financial aid a student is eligible for, we recommend that every 
student completes the FAFSA, no matter the family’s financial situation,” said Steven Loven, 
ICAN site coordinator and financial aid expert. “Every student and every school is different. 
Even if a family doesn’t qualify for need-based assistance, the FAFSA is also the application 
for the best student loan rates.”  
The 2013-2014 FAFSA application covers classes beginning after July 1, 2013 through June 
30, 2014 and requires information from the student’s 2012 taxes, as well as current asset 
values, to complete the form. Typically, if a student is under 24 years-of-age, the student’s 
parental tax information is also required. 
Though the application is available on January 1, the deadline for the application varies from 
college to college. “Each school sets their own deadline for completing the FAFSA,” explains 
Loven, who has 32 years of experience in financial aid. “It’s easier to complete the form 
once your 2012 taxes are completed, but it’s more important to complete the form before the 
school’s deadline. Some deadlines are very early, requiring families to complete the form 
with 2011 tax information, instead of waiting for the 2012 taxes to be completed.” 
Loven recommends looking up the deadline, or Financial Aid Priority Date, for each school a 
student is interested in attending, and then filing by the earliest deadline. A list of priority 
deadlines for Iowa colleges is available at www.ICANsucceed.org/financialdeadlines. 
ICAN currently has offices in Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and West Des Moines. “Last year our 
offices completed nearly 5,000 FAFSA forms, enabling more students to qualify for financial 
aid and attend college,” said Loven. “We hope extending our hours and opening on 
Saturdays will help families who wouldn’t normally be able to visit our office.” 
To complete the FAFSA, families should bring, for both the student and parent, the 
following: 
Social Security number, driver’s license number and date of birth 
Most recent federal and state tax returns 
W-2 forms or other records of income earned last year 
Current bank statements and investment records 
Records of untaxed income received last year 
2012 business and farm records 
Alien registration numbers if not a U.S. citizen 
Students and parents may also register in advance for federal personal identification 
numbers (PINs) to electronically sign the forms and make future changes. To request a PIN, 
visit www.pin.ed.gov. Page 3 of 3 
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (877) 272-4692 or visit 
www.ICANsucceed.org. 
[Sidebar] 
February Extended Hours 
Cedar Rapids & West Des Moines 
Saturday, February 2, 2013 – 9 a.m. - Noon 
February 4 – February 24, 2012 – 
Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. 
 Fridays 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
February 25 – February 18 – 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. 
March 1, 2012 – 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
FAFSA assistance after 4:30 p.m. is by appointment only. Please call (877) 272-4692. 

 

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