Future college students and current college students can now apply for FAFSA Financial Aid. FAFSA applications can be submitted starting today (January 1). The earlier you apply, the more aid you're likely to receive.

The nationwide financial aid application helps students get money from three main sources: the federal government, state governments and schools. Funding includes scholarships, grants and work-study jobs.

There's no need to wait for tax returns to apply; applications can be updated with exact numbers at a later date.

The form is free to file and takes about half an hour to fill out. for more information and to fill out a FAFSA, visit http://fafsa.ed.gov.