What must an independent student provide when completing the FAFSA?

When an independent student is completing the FAFSA, they are required to provide their own income information as well as their spouse's income information, if they are married. Independent students are not required to include their parents' income details, reflecting their status as financially independent from their family. This is significant because it impacts the assessment of financial need and the potential aid a student may receive. Thus, the information necessary for the FAFSA encompasses the student's income and any income from a spouse, ensuring an accurate representation of the household financial situation.

Providing parents' Social Security numbers or only personal income information is not relevant for independent students, as their financial independence fundamentally alters the information required for their FAFSA application.