1 FAFSA Updates and Changes Prospective Changes for – Paper FAFSA – SAR – Student Web Applications – PIN and the PIN Website Other Noteworthy News Important Dates

The Paper FAFSA FAFSA 277 CVU Blue (students) 263 CVU Purple (parents) No new or deleted questions Design and layout remains unchanged

The Paper FAFSA (cont.) Will include return receipt postcard & insert Questions 17, 20, 56, & 69 (dates), same format as FAFSA, “month” and “year” above response boxes

Ordering Paper FAFSAs – Announcement this Fall posted to IFAP – To order FAFSAs & other student financial aid publications The Paper FAFSA (cont.)

Page 1 – Updated all state deadlines – AK moved from “Contact your FAA” listing to “State Aid Deadlines” – MN deadline changed from “14 days after term starts” to “30 days after term starts”

The Paper FAFSA (cont.) Page 2 – Questions 14–15 – Changed from “Alien Registration Card” to “Permanent Resident Card”

Pages 4 & 5 – Questions 33 b. and 71 b.: “TeleFile” tax filing options removed IRS no longer offering as a filing method – Questions 36 and 74: “total amount” for taxes paid question to eliminate confusion The Paper FAFSA (cont.)

Pages 4, 5, & 8 – Questions and 76-77: Added instructions for reporting combat pay Combat pay instructions also added to Worksheet B on Page 8

The Paper FAFSA (cont.) Combat Pay – Always report full amount of combat pay as Income Earned from Work (questions for student; questions for parent)

Combat pay is partially taxed & partially untaxed income – Include taxable portion of combat pay in AGI – Include ALL combat pay in Income Earned from Work – Report non-taxable portion of combat pay in Worksheet B – Report EIC in Worksheet A, if eligible The Paper FAFSA (cont.)

Combat Pay – Non Tax Filers – Total amount of combat pay reported as Income Earned from Work ONLY (Questions 38-39, 76-77) Income Earned from Work + Untaxed Income on Worksheets A & B, used in need analysis to calculate EFC The Paper FAFSA (cont.)

Page 4 – Question 53: Separated into two-part question for clarity Page 5 and 6 – Questions & 84-85: Instructions added to ensure applicants answer “Household Size” & “Number in College” questions

The Paper FAFSA (cont.) Page 7 – Notes for Questions 55 – 83: Foster parents are not considered parents for completing the FAFSA

FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) Apply & reapply – English & Spanish options Access PIN Web site Check status of completed FAFSA

FOTW (cont.) View Student Aid Report (SAR) information Make corrections Pre-application worksheet – Available November 2005

Section 1 - Home Page – Link to State Deadlines added back – School code search link added back – New printable checklist of items needed to complete application FOTW (cont.)

The Application – The option to apply for a PIN for use as an electronic signature is offered at the beginning of the application process – A link to the PIN web site is provided for this purpose FOTW (cont.)

When an applicant receives a reject warning, they cannot click “okay.” – They MUST - Correct the data, OR If data is correct, re-enter data in pop- up box FOTW (cont.)

Instructions for “Process my application now without signatures” improved to – Help applicant understand what needs to be done next to complete signature process – Ensure applicants successfully transmit application data FOTW (cont.)

Parents with multiple children in college can continue to transfer information to additional applications Link on confirmation page to “Begin a new application with parent data already filled in?” will display only for – Dependent students – Independent students who provided parent data on the application FOTW (cont.)

FOTW (cont.) Pre-Application Worksheet ED Seal added for more “official” look Paper FAFSA question “numbers” added Reformatted for ease of use

PIN Registration On Department of Education (ED) documents, PINs serve as a password to – Access private information – Sign documents electronically PIN request Web site – Request or re-request a PIN – Customize a PIN – Change PIN mailing address

PIN Registration (cont.) – Name, SSN, date of birth, mailing address – address (optional) – PIN applicants & holders will be required to select & answer Challenge Question

PIN Registration (cont.) PIN mailed by – Regular mail within 7 to 10 days – within 3 days or less – Beware of spam blocker software

Improved Home Page – Fly-over text describes menu items – Re-named “Change My Address” to “Update My Personal Information” – Main menu options re-ordered main menu options most frequently used are at the top & in logical order Flyover help text Formerly “Change my address” Re-ordered PIN Registration (cont.)

Clarification that there are two options for receiving PIN – – Postal mail Changed text regarding terms of receiving a PIN from “Agree” to “I agree not to share my PIN” PIN Registration (cont.)

“I Forgot/Don’t Know My PIN” option added to all PIN authentication pages Turnaround time improved for receiving PIN s – Currently sent every 12 hours – Will change to every 4 hours PIN Registration (cont.)

Will permanently disable PINs after 18 months of inactivity (students and parents) – Users will have to reapply for a PIN – Affects both students and FAAs

Printed on blue paper Overall format has not changed Paper and Web Student Aid Report (SAR) will follow order of questions on paper FAFSA Text on page 2 about importance of not sharing PINs with anyone The Student Aid Report (Paper)

Who Gets What? Application Filed Did you provide an address? Student Aid Report (SAR) receipt method PIN access code receipt method Paper FAFSA NOPaper SARU.S. Mail YES with link to Student Access on the Web with link to PIN on the Web FAFSA on the Web NOPaper SAR AcknowledgementU.S. Mail YES with link to Student Access on the Web with link to PIN on the Web Paper SAR correction NOPaper SAR YES with link to Student Access on the Web Corrections on the Web NOPaper SAR Acknowledgement YES with link to Student Access on the Web

Other Noteworthy News Web Demonstration Site FAFSA on the Web demonstration site will be available later this year – To access site, go to – User Name: eddemo – Password: fafsatest Click on FOTW at bottom of screen Available until next December

Other Noteworthy News (cont.) Number of days an application is held in signature hold file was reduced from 14 to 7 School code changes may be made by calling FSAIC, using Corrections on the Web, or on paper SAR – Letter requests will be returned to students with clear instructions about how to make changes

Important Dates January 1, 2006 – System available FOTW Renewal FOTW Corrections on the Web January 2, 2006 – Application processing system starts up