If you have a college-bound teen, the FAFSA is how you celebrate the New Year. Honestly, not many parents celebrate filling out the FAFSA, but you should. The FAFSA is your golden ticket for college money. Without it, your student won’t get a dime (even many scholarships ask if you’ve completed the FAFSA).

This should be your FIRST New Year’s resolution: complete the FAFSA within the first week of the new year. It becomes available online on January 1st and although I can’t picture you waiting by your computer at midnight, you should make it a priority over the next few days. And while you’re waiting during the countdown, you should be amping up for the FAFSA.

I wrote an article for University Parent last year (and it’s been updated for the changes) that should help you prepare: An Easy Guide to the 2016 FAFSA. Here’s an excerpt:

If there’s a piece of advice I give parents over and over again, it’s this: whatever your income, complete the FAFSA. Many parents believe that the FAFSA should only be submitted by financially needy students. Nothing could be further from the truth. Colleges use the FAFSA data to determine all types of financial aid, not just need-based. If your student doesn’t complete the FAFSA, he won’t qualify for any aid from the college or the government, including student and parent loans. You may be able to pay for your son or daughter’s education, but why not complete the form? It’s free and you have nothing to lose.

Take a few minutes to read the entire article which includes information about FAFSA basics, the documents you will need, how to team up with your student to get the form completed, and some technical terms, definitions and changes to the upcoming FAFSA.

It would also be good to read Diane Schwemm’s post: Changes to the FAFSA.

You can’t bury your head in the sand and ignore the FAFSA. Get pumped and start amping up for the FAFSA–your golden ticket to free money for college!