FAFSA Updates and What You Need to Know

Contributor is a new term used as part of the FAFSA process for 2024-25.

• A contributor is anyone who is required to provide information as part of a student’s FAFSA submission.
• A contributor can be a student’s biological parents(s), step-parent, adopted parent(s) or student’s spouse.
• The term “contributor” means the individual contributes information to the student’s FAFSA.
• It does NOT mean the individual will contribute to the student’s educational expenses.

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The answers provided in the FAFSA will determine if contributors are required to provide information in the FAFSA.

• For students who are dependents of parents, a contributor can be biological parent(s) or adopted parent(s).
• If parent(s) are divorced, the contributor is the parent and step-parent if applicable who provides the majority of the student’s financial support.
• If the student is married, the spouse is a contributor if the 2022 federal income taxes were not filed jointly.

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If your FAFSA requires information from contributors and they will not provide information in the FAFSA, the result is an incomplete FAFSA and the student is not eligible for federal student aid.

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Students and contributors who are reporting tax information as part of their FAFSA submission must provide consent for Federal Student Aid Programs to retrieve their federal tax information from the Internal Revenue Service.

Failure to provide consent will result in the student being ineligible for federal student aid.

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