Students who are getting ready for college in the months to come might be slowed down by late tax returns.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid requires incoming freshmen and college students to provide their parent or guardian’s most recent tax return information. Due to changes in tax laws, officials said tax returns will be late this year.

“You should just go ahead and file,” said John Castille, junior guidance counselor at Westgate High School. “FAFSA will send what they’ve received and indicate the errors. Parents will then have the option to refile.”

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Other counselors recommend doing the same.

“Do an estimate based on your parents last pay stub,” said Clarisse Guillory, guidance counselor at Catholic High School.

“You’ll get a form after delays. Even if you run into a problem, you can call the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Aid. The nice thing is, you call there and get a real person.”

The deadline to submit FAFSA is midnight, June 30.

“This could be a problem for a lot of parents who file late,” Castille said. “Especially for high school seniors eligible for TOPS.”

A federal student aid application is a requirement for all students who are applying for the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students.

“FAFSA is basically for producing a database to see the eligibility for financial aid for college,” Castille said. “It determines financial ability of a parent to contribute to their child’s education. You don’t need financial aid for TOPS, but you do need to fill out the forms.”

Susan Choate, guidance counselor for St. Martinville Senior High School, said students filling out a FAFSA should do it online.

“The federal government is discouraging the paper,” she said. “They aren’t even sending paper applications to us. They just send us the paper from online.”

Choate said the process takes about two hours to complete.

“It’s very simple,” she said. “You’re just gathering personal information.”

Schools across Iberia Parish will hold seminars to aid students and parents in filling out the forms.

“We have a representative from the state come and talk to students,” Choate said.

“If you have a strange circumstance call the financial aid department in the university you intend to go to. They’ve heard every imaginable problem and can help with anything.”

Guillory also recommends attending workshops held by local colleges.

“On Feb. 10, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is holding a free event to help students and parents,” she said. “Anyone can go.”