Session FF-04

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Session FF-04

• FAFSA
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Yolanda Adams
• U.S. Department of Education

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What Is The FAFSA?

• Department of Educations free application for
  Title IV aid
• Collects applicant information required by
  statute
• Processed by Departments Central Processing
  System (CPS)
• All students must complete unless parent PLUS
  loan is only aid requested

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Central Processing System (CPS)

• Processes the FAFSA for use in determining
  student eligibility
• Edits data for errors
• Calculates expected family contribution (EFC)
• Sends output documents
• Paper or electronic output to students
• Electronic file to schools

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Central Processing System (CPS)

• Matches student information with other databases
• Social Security Administration
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Selective Service
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Department of Justice
• National Student Loan Data System

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Methods For Filing FAFSA

• Student
• Paper application/PDF application
• FAFSA on the Web
• Renewal FAFSA on the Web
• School
• FAA Access to CPS on-line
• Must have completed and signed copy of paper
  FAFSA

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www.fafsa.ed.gov
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www.pin.ed.gov
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www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/faa/faa.jsp
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• FAFSA InstructionsAvailable online at
• http//studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/com
  pleting_fafsa/2008_2009/index.html

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Paper FAFSA

• Schools may receive limited number of paper
  applications
• Students may order paper FAFSA by calling
  1-800-4FEDAID
• Students and schools may print PDF FAFSA
• http//www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov/
• PDF version is official application for
  submission to CPS
• PDF version is acceptable as documentation for
  applications submitted via FAA Access to CPS

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FOTW Worksheet

• Paper worksheet that follows web version of FAFSA
• Cannot be used as official application for
  submission to CPS
• Recommended for applicants using FAFSA on the Web
  (FOTW)

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CPS Web Applications Demo

• http//fafsademo.test.ed.gov
• User ID eddemo
• Password - fafsatest
• Demos both FAFSA on the Web and FAA Access to CPS
  on-line
• Ideal for new staff, demonstrations, or practice
• Demo student information is preloaded

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FAFSA Sections

1. General Student Information
2. Student and Spouse Income Assets
3. Dependency Status
4. Parent Information (parent of dependent student)
5. Household Size and Number in College (independent
   student only)
6. College Information
7. Signature Block

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FAFSA Data

• Income is base year calendar year prior to
  award year
• Marital status, household size and assets are
  reported as of date of application

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Social Security Number

• Student enters incorrect SSN
• Must correct SSN in question 8
• CPS identifier will carry original SSN
• COD will carry corrected SSN
• Student SSN and first two letters of last name
  match application already in CPS database
• If SSN entered incorrectly, must file new FAFSA
• If SSN entered correctly, must file correction
  application
• Call 703-284-5666

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Students Marital Status

• Question 16
• Marital status at time of application remains for
  entire award year
• May not change marital status once application is
  filed
• May not change dependency status or household
  size because of change to students marital status

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Question 23 - Drug Conviction

• An applicant loses eligibility for Title IV aid
  if was convicted for a drug-related offense that
  occurred while enrolled and receiving Title IV
  aid
• Date of ineligibility begins on date of conviction

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Questions 24 25

• Parents education level requested because some
  states award aid to first generation college
  students
• Answers not required for EFC processing

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Question 26 Secondary School

• Four choices
• High school diploma
• GED certificate
• Home schooled
• None of the above

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Question 32 - TEACH Grant

• Now on paper FAFSA and FOTW

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Questions 33b 82b

• Reported estimated income information tax
  return not yet completed
• Estimated information is not automatically
  conflicting information
• After April 15 prior to start of award year, CPS
  requests that families correct information to
  reflect actual tax information

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Qualified Education Benefits

• Included in asset questions 42 92
• Include Coverdell savings accounts, state prepaid
  tuition plans and 529 prepaid and savings plans
• All are included in assets on FAFSA
• Report as asset of dependent students parent if
  parent or dependent student is owner of the
  account or plan
• Report as asset of independent student if
  student/spouse owns the account/plan

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Family Ownership of Small Business

• Asset Questions 43 and 93
• Exclude from assets on FAFSA any part of a family
  owned and controlled business with no more than
  100 FT employees or FTEs

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Worksheet C

• Separate worksheet has been eliminated
• Information from Worksheet C is now reported in
  questions 46 a-e 94 a-e
• Includes combat pay or special combat pay

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Untaxed Income

• Worksheets A B are eliminated
• Income now reported in questions 47 a-j 95 a-i
• CCRAA excluded from untaxed income
• Additional child tax credits claimed
• Welfare benefits
• Earned Income Credit
• Special Fuel Tax Credit
• Foreign Income Exclusion
• Untaxed Social Security Benefits

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Dependency Questions

• Step Three
• 13 criteria set in the law
• Student must be able to answer yes to at least
  one question to be independent

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Dependency Questions

• Must be age 24 or older by December 31 of award
  year
• Married as of date of application
• Common law marriage in states where recognized
• Same-sex marriages are not recognized for Title
  IV purposes
• Separated not divorced answers yes
• Masters or doctoral program

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Dependency Questions

• Serving on active duty in U.S. armed forces for
  purposes other than training
• Veteran of U.S. Armed forces
• Served active duty for purpose other than
  training and discharged other than dishonorably
• Database match with VA
• Have children for whom provide more than 50
  support and will continue throughout award year

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Dependency Questions

• Have dependents other than children and spouse
  for whom provide more than 50 support and will
  continue throughout award year
• At age 13 or older, were both parents deceased or
  was student in foster care or dependent/ward of
  the court
• Emancipated minor as of date of application
• In legal guardianship as of date of application

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Dependency Questions

1. Unaccompanied homeless youth on/after 7/1/08 by
   high school/school district
2. Unaccompanied homeless youth on/after 7/1/08 by
   emergency shelter program
3. Unaccompanied youth who is homeless or
   self-supporting and at risk of being homeless
   on/after 7/1/08 by director of runaway or
   homeless youth basic center of transitional
   living program

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Who Is A Parent?

• Biological and adoptive
• Stepparent currently married to above
• Grandparents cannot be parents on the FAFSA
  unless they have legally adopted the student

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Questions 63-71

• Parents SSN, Name, and DOB
• Would be used if IRS database match begins
• At least one parents data must match Social
  Security administration database
• Parent without SSN must enter all zeroes in SSN
  field
• Parents e-mail address

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Federal Means-Tested Benefits

• Questions 77-81 98-102
• Additional criteria for simplified needs test and
  automatic zero EFC
• Answering these questions will not affect receipt
  of these programs

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Dislocated Worker

• Questions 85 103
• CCRAA added as another criteria for simplified
  needs test and automatic zero EFC
• Definition in FAFSA instructions

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Step Seven Signature

• Certification by student, spouse, and parent
• To use funds for educational purposes
• Student not in default or overpayment
• Student will not receive Pell at more than one
  school concurrently
• Agree to provide information to verify accuracy
  of application, including confirmation from IRS
• Privacy of PIN
• Criminal offense to provide false or misleading
  information

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Contact Information
Your feedback and comments are appreciated.

• Yolanda Adams
• Training Officer
• 404-562-6291
• yolanda.adams_at_ed.gov