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2008 Counselor Workshop. Presenters. OASFAA Disclaimer.
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OASFAA Disclaimer • The Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA) is a non-profit organization and provides the following information as a free service to access staff and high school counselors. Access staff and high school counselors have permission to copy and distribute these materials to their students and families. Charges may not be assessed for the material or for the information presented. Permission must be granted for other use of this information or these materials. Contact the Outreach Chairperson listed on the OASFAA web site or e-mail: outreach@oasfaa.org
Agenda • Financial Aid Basics • Applying for Financial Aid • Changes to FAFSA and Need Analysis • Federal Aid Programs • State Aid Programs • Resources
Financial Aid Money from a source other than the family to assist with the cost of attending college
Cost of Attendance • Direct costs • Indirect costs • COA varies widely from college to college
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) • Amount family can reasonably be expected to contribute • Stays the same regardless of college • Two components • Parent contribution • Student contribution • Calculated using FAFSA data and a formula specified in law
Financial Need Cost of Attendance (COA) – Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Financial Need
Need Comparison The Federal EFC is the same at each institution.
Categories of Aid • Need-based aid • Non need-based aid
Types of Aid • Grants • Scholarships • Loans • Employment
Sources of Aid • Federal government • States • Colleges • Private sources
FAFSA4caster • What is the FAFSA4caster? • Provides an estimated Expected Family Contribution (EFC) • Calculate eligibility for federal aid, including grants • Reduce time to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) • Access FAFSA4caster at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov
Who should use the FAFSA4caster? Students who want to get an early start on the application process • Any student considering their financial options to help pay for a postsecondary education • High school juniors • Parents of younger students • Non-traditional students (adult learners)
FAFSA Completion Resources • www.fafsa.ed.gov • FAFSA Tips Brochure • FAFSA on the Web Tips Card • College Goal Sunday • 1-800-4 Fed Aid • 1-877-I ATTAIN
FAFSA • Is produced by the U.S. Department of Education • Collects family’s personal and financial information used to calculate student’s EFC • Available in English and Spanish • Available in three formats: • Electronic (FAFSA on the Web or FOTW) • PDF (available at www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov) • Paper
FAFSA on the Web • Web site: www.fafsa.ed.gov • 2009-10 FAFSA on the Web available on January 1, 2009 • FAFSA on the Web Worksheet: • Used as “pre-application” worksheet • Questions follow order of FAFSA on the Web
FAFSA on the Web • Built-in edits to help prevent costly errors • Skip-logic allows student and/or parent to skip unnecessary questions • More timely submission of original application and any necessary corrections • More detailed instructions and “help” for common questions • Ability to check application status on-line • Simplified renewal application process
PIN Registration • Web site: www.pin.ed.gov • Can request PIN before January 1, 2009 • Not required, but speeds processing • May be used by students and parents throughout aid process, including subsequent school years
2009-10 FAFSA • 2009-10 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet • Instructions • 8 pages • 93 questions in 5 sections • 2009-10 Paper FAFSA • Instructions – 4 pages • Application – 6 pages • Pantone Colors • Parents: Purple Pantone 263 • Students: Green Pantone 390C
2009-10 FAFSA Changes Worksheets A, B, and C Effective for 2009-10 • Excludes the following from Worksheet A and B • Earned Income Credit • Additional Child Tax credits • Welfare payments • Untaxed Social Security Benefits • Special Fuel Tax Credit • Excluded foreign income
2009-10 FAFSA Changes Worksheets A, B, and C Effective for 2009-10 • Eliminates foreign income exclusions and credit for federal tax on special fuels from Worksheet B • Worksheet questions will become individual data elements and each data element will be listed on the ISIR
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Worksheet A deleted • Worksheet B now titled “Untaxed Income”– Q 46 for student and Q 94 for parent • Worksheet C now titled “Additional Financial Information” – Q47 for student and Q95 for parent
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Veterans Benefits Effective for 2009-10 • Provides educational assistance to individuals who have served on active duty on or after 9/11/2001 • Veterans questions have been changed to determine the type of veterans education benefits a student receives
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Changes to Dependency Status Criteria Effective for 2009-10 • Adds to Independent Student Definition • Emancipated Minors • Legal Guardianship • Adds question for emancipated minors and a question for individuals under legal guardianship • Both require a determination from a court in the student’s state of legal residence
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Changes to Dependency Status Criteria (cont.) Effective for 2009-10 • Adds to Independent Student Definition • Individuals in foster care after the age of 13 • Changes criteria for dependents/wards of the court to be considered independent. Must now be age 13 or older. • Question about orphans and dependents/ward of the court updated to include foster care • Added criteria for age 13 or older
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Changes to Dependency Status Criteria (cont.) Effective for 2009-10 • Adds to Independent Student Definition • Homeless Unaccompanied Youths • Youths at Risk of Homelessness
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Changes to Dependency Status Criteria (cont.) Effective for 2009-10 • Adds questions for students that meet the homeless unaccompanied youth criteria established in the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Act and the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act • Students should have a determination from a homeless liaison, HUD emergency shelter, runaway or homeless center, or transitional living program
2009-10 FAFSA Changes Effective for 2008-09 • Created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant • New question added to provide colleges with information on students that are interested in the TEACH Grant • Students who indicate an interest in the TEACH Grant receive a detailed FACT sheet with their Student Aid Report
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Qualified Education Benefits (529 Plans) Effective for 2009-10 • Qualified Education Benefit (529 Plan) owned by the student is an asset of the parent • Distributions from 529 Plans are excluded from other financial assistance
2009-10 FAFSA Changes Federal Means Tested Benefits Effective for 2009-10 • Increases time for federal means tested benefits to 24 months • Impacts Simplified Needs Test and auto-zero EFC • Questions for independent student and parents updated to account for two years instead of one
2009-10 FAFSA Changes • Dislocated Worker Effective for 2009-10 • Adds Dislocated Worker in addition to type of tax return and federal means tested benefits test for SNT/Auto Zero EFC • Questions for independent student and parents added
Need Analysis Changes • 2009-10 CCRAA Changes - • Updates Income Protection Allowances • Increases Automatic Zero EFC income parameter to $30,000 • Dislocated worker becomes an eligibility criteria for Simplified Needs Test (SNT) and Automatic Zero EFC • Applicant qualifies for SNT or Automatic Zero EFC, as appropriate, if parent of a dependent student, or an independent student - • Answers “Yes” to Dislocated Worker question, and • Meets SNT and/or Auto Zero income thresholds
Frequent FAFSA Errors • Parent and student Social Security Numbers • Divorced/remarried parental information • Income earned by parents/stepparents • Untaxed income • U.S. income taxes paid • Household size • Number of household members in college • Real estate and investment net worth
FAFSAProcessingResults Central Processing System (CPS) notifies student of FAFSA processing results by: • Paper Student Aid Report (SAR) if paper FAFSA was filed and student’s e-mail address was not provided • SAR Acknowledgement if filed electronically via FAFSA on the Web and student’s e-mail address was not provided
FAFSAProcessingResults • CPS notifies student of FAFSA processing results by: • E-mail notification containing a direct link to student’s on-line SAR if student’s e-mail was provided on paper or electronic FAFSA • Student with PIN can view SAR on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov
Making Corrections If necessary, corrections to FAFSA data may be made by: • Using FAFSA on the Web (www.fafsa.ed.gov) if student has a PIN; • Updating paper SAR (SAR Acknowledgement cannot be used to make corrections); or • Submitting documentation to school’s financial aid office
Verification • Selected by the Central Processing System (CPS) or the Institution • Keep copies of 2008 Tax documents • If selected, completion is required before aid can be disbursed • Verification materials are sent to the financial aid office, not federal processor
Special Circumstances • Can’t include on FAFSA • Contact each college student has applied to • Each college will: • Request documentation • Review situation on case by case basis • Decisions final and cannot be appealed to U.S. Department of Education
Special Circumstances • Examples Reported to the Financial Aid Office • Parent loss of income • Marital Status changing from married/remarried to one parent • Medical not covered by insurance • Property loss not covered by insurance • Unusual debt or one-time income • Tuition expenses at an elementary or secondary school • Parent in college
Special Circumstances • Dependent students having difficulty obtaining parental information • May submit incomplete FOTW • FOTW provides examples of acceptable and unacceptable special circumstances • Students should contact financial aid office at their college • Students must document their special circumstance
FSApubs • FSAPubs is the one-stop source for ordering all of Federal Student Aid’s free publications. • www.fsapubs.org • 1-800-394-7084
FSApubs • Paper FAFSAs will not be available for order in bulk. • The FAFSA on the Web Worksheet will still be available for bulk order by schools. • Students will be able to obtain up to 3 paper FAFSAs by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or by visiting www.edpubs.org.
Federal Financial Aid Programs • Federal Pell Grant • need-based as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) • EFC less than 4042 • Maximum award for 2008-09 is $4731, • Maximum award for 2009-10 has not yet been finalized
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) • $750 to first year students ($1,300 to second year students) • Federal Pell Grant recipient for same award year • First or second year student in: • A two or four year degree program; or • A one or two year certificate program offered at a two or four-year degree-granting institution
ACG Rigorous Program Options • Completion of a rigorous secondary school program • Coursework designated by the Secretary • Ohio Honors Diploma • Successful completion of any secondary school program for a student who completes at least two courses with a minimum passing test score on the exams in those courses
How Students Apply for ACG: • Submit FAFSA on the web • Submit Paper FAFSA • Self identify to financial aid office at college