A timely reminder from Ozark Technical Community College for all parents and students!

For those students planning to attend OTC or their parents, it is a good idea to keep your just-completed income tax returns out for a day or two before you file them away.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the form students must complete in order to determine how much financial aid he or she is eligible to receive.

Several forms are needed to complete the application; completed 2010 tax forms, 2010 W-2 forms, 1099 forms and other statements of interest earned. The sooner the FAFSA is completed and submitted, the sooner students will learn what sort of financial aid they could receive.

The 2011-12 application form has an improved layout online for an easier and more accurate application process; it is free and available online at www.fafsa.gov

“We definitely don’t recommend waiting. If additional documentation is required or your FAFSA is selected for the verification process, it could add 8-12 weeks to the usual processing time. However, remember that in order to meet the priority deadline for 2011-12, the college must receive your FAFSA results no later than July 1, 2011,” said Kim Cary, assistant director of financial aid and coordinator of federal programs.