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Contributors on the FAFSA Form
A contributor is anyone who must provide information on a student's FAFSA form, based on the student's dependency status, tax filing status and marital status.
Who Can Be a Contributor?
Contributors may include:
- Student
- Student's Spouse
- Biological or adoptive parents
- Stepparent
Contributor Guidelines
Table 1: Independent student contributor guidelines.
| Independent Student Situation |
FAFSA Contributor(s) |
| Student is single |
Student only |
| Student is married and filed taxes jointly |
Student only |
| Student is married and filed taxes separately |
Student and spouse |
| Student is legally separated or divorced |
Student only |
Table 2: Dependent student contributor guidelines.
| Dependent Student Situation |
FAFSA Contributor(s) |
| Parents are married and filed taxes jointly |
Only one parent is required to be the contributor (that parent provides information for both).
|
| Parents are married and filed taxes separately |
Both parents |
| Parents are unmarried and live together |
Both parents |
| Parent is remarried to step-parent |
The parent who provides the majority of financial support to the student during the last 12 months; include both parent and step-parent income. |
| Parents are divorced, separated, or never married and do not live together |
The parent who provides the majority majority of financial support to the student during the last 12 months. |
Note: Being identified as a FAFSA contributor does not mean they are responsible for paying for your education costs.
What Contributors Need to Provide
Contributors will be invited to complete their portion of the FAFSA form via email notification. They will need to provide personal and financial information and must consent and electronically sign the FAFSA form.
FSA ID Requirement
Each contributor will need their own FSA ID to access and complete their portion of the FAFSA form online. Accounts cannot be shared. Please visit studentaid.gov for more information.
For additional help with the FAFSA, visit the FAFSA Help Center.