With the worsening economy, more students than usual are expected to seek financial aid for college, and a local agency that helps them navigate the process is gearing up as the application season gets under way.

In a kiosk at the Warwick Mall, the College Planning Center of Rhode Island normally expands its hours every winter to handle filings for the complicated Free Application for Federal Financial Aid, commonly known as FAFSA.

The free service is offered annually to alleviate families’ stress with dealing with the frustrating process, but this year it may even be more important.

“My message this year, especially for people who think they might not be eligible for federal financial aid, is to apply anyway. It’s like an insurance policy,” said David DeBlois, executive director of the center. “With all the economic uncertainty, and people losing their jobs, families should fill out the FAFSA. It’s crucial in this volatile environment.”

Students must complete the 100-question FAFSA form to receive federal loans and grants and, in some cases, scholarships from colleges.

Starting Friday, students and their families can get personal guidance and assistance seven days a week at the Warwick Mall location, DeBlois said. Satellite offices in Woonsocket and Bristol offer more limited hours. Students and parents can call (401) 736-3170 to set up an appointment at any of the three locations.

Trained counselors help families estimate their income, fill out the worksheet and application, and figure out the dead-lines for filing the forms for the various colleges, DeBlois said. Colleges set different deadlines for filing for FAFSA; Feb. 1, Feb. 15 and March 1 are most popular. For the first time, the center, which is run by the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority, is also providing Spanish-speaking counselors.

Parents who do not yet have W-2 tax forms from their employers can bring their last pay stub of the year, along with tax information from last year.

DeBlois says if a family’s financial situation changes, it can call the college’s financial aid office and have the application reviewed — as long as the student has filed a FAFSA.

“We know the economic conditions have a lot of families panicked,” DeBlois said. “We want people to know we are here, and we are free. Some places charge $100 per application. With us, there is no charge.”

Charles Kelley, executive director of the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority, which also provides low-interest loans to students, says he expects more students to need financial aid this year. Last year, the center advised about 6,000 families and helped fill out more than 2,000 financial aid forms.

“People are in a bind, because of unemployment and the housing crisis, which means fewer families have access to home equity,” Kelley said. “At the same time, higher-education costs continue to go up. We already know tuitions will go way up at our state colleges next year. The middle-income people are really being squeezed.”

The College Planning Center of Rhode Island is open at the Warwick Mall Monday through Saturday, from noon to 7 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; in Bristol, at 576 Metacom Ave., Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and in the Woonsocket High School guidance office on Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Appointments are strongly encouraged at all locations.

For more information, visit the College Planning Center’s Web site: www.cpcri.org

To download a copy of the FAFSA worksheet, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.

jjordan@projo.com