Final answer:
The FAFSA application requires income and tax information to calculate expected family contribution, determine eligibility for scholarships and grants, and verify financial need for fair distribution of financial aid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The FAFSA application requires you to include your family's income and tax information for several reasons:
- To calculate your expected family contribution (EFC): This helps determine your need-based aid eligibility. The EFC is the amount of money that your family is expected to contribute towards your education expenses.
- To determine your eligibility for scholarships and grants: Many scholarships and grants have specific income requirements, and including your family's income information helps assess your eligibility for these programs.
- To verify your financial need and ensure fair distribution of financial aid: By analyzing your family's income and tax information, the FAFSA application enables the government and educational institutions to evaluate your financial need accurately and allocate financial aid resources fairly among students.