Who is a Contributor on the 24-25 FAFSA form?
A contributor is a new term on the 24-25 FAFSA form. A contributor is anyone who is required to provide information on a student's FAFSA form.
How are contributors determined?
FAFSA contributors are determined by your dependency status, tax filing status and your marital status. The FAFSA will ask you questions to determine who your contributors are.
Contributors may include:
- Student
- Student's Souse
- Bilogical or adoptive parents
- Stepparent
Contributor Guidelines
Table 1: Independent student contributor guidelines.
| Independent Student |
FAFSA Contributor |
| Student is single |
Student only |
| Student is married |
Student and spouse |
| Student is legally separated/divorced |
Student only |
Table 2: Dependent student contributor guidelines.
| Dependent Student |
FAFSA Contributor |
| Parents are married to each other |
Use both parent's information |
| Parents are legally separated/divorced |
Use information from the parent that provides a majority of financial support |
| Parent is remarried to step-parent |
If remarried parent provides a majority of financial support, use both parent and step-parent income |
| Parents were never married, not living together |
Use information from the parent that provides a majority of financial support |
| Parents were never married, but are living together |
Use both parent's information |
Note: Being identified as a FAFSA contributor does not mean they are responsible for paying for your education costs.
What do contributors need to provide?
FAFSA contributors will be invited to complete their portion of the FAFSA form by entering their name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and email address. The contributor will be asked to provide personal and financial information in their sections of the FAFSA form. In addition, they will provide consent and sign the FAFSA form. Contributors have 45 days to complete the FAFSA once they are sent the invitation email. If the contributor does not complete their section of the FAFSA within those 45 days, the FAFSA will be deleted from the Federal Student Aid website.
Do my FAFSA Contributor’s need their own FSA ID?
Each FAFSA contributor will need their own studentaid.gov account to access and complete their portion of the FAFSA form online. Studentaid.gov accounts cannot be shared. Please visit studentaid.gov for more information.
For additional help with the FAFSA, visit the FAFSA Help Center.