In our fast-paced, ever-changing industry, we know you are working hard. You're striving to keep up with new products, software, procedures, and a ceaseless flow of information, while at the same time overseeing the day-to-day operations of your practice. But there's one aspect that remains a timeless aspiration for many advisors: becoming the trusted advisor.

Every year as January approaches, parents of college-aged children scramble to gather the necessary information to complete their FAFSA forms (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This annual ritual can be stressful for your clients. They hear from others that they should submit the application as soon as possible to get the most aid, but unfortunately, the tax data they need isn’t always available! After all, how many of us have our tax returns done by January 1? As a result, in previous years, applicants were forced to wait to file or to file unofficial numbers and update their FAFSA forms once their tax return was filed.