The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form that needs to be filled out for you to receive financial aid from the government for college. But filling out the FAFSA for divorced parents isn't always straightforward.

The FAFSA is set to launch on October 1, and this year marks the second year that parents and students will experience the simplified FAFSA.

The simplified FAFSA cuts down on the number of questions asked, allows you to directly transfer information from your tax returns, and it uses a new “Student Aid Index” instead of the complex Expected Family Contribution.

Divorced parents may see some big changes when they complete the next FAFSA. In this article, I'll explain what divorced parents need to know when it comes to completing the FAFSA.