1. Session FF-04 FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid Yolanda Adams U.S. Department of Education

2. 2 What Is The FAFSA? Department of Education’s free application for Title IV aid –Collects applicant information required by statute –Processed by Department’s Central Processing System (CPS) All students must complete unless parent PLUS loan is only aid requested

3. 3 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

4. 4 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

5. 5 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

6. 6

7. 7 www.pin.ed.gov

8. 8 www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/faa/faa.jsp

9. 9 FAFSA Instructions Available online at http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/ publications/completing_fafsa/20 08_2009/index.html

10. 10 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

11. 11 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)

12. 12 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

13. 13 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

14. 14 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

15. 15 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

16. 16 Student’s 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 student’s marital status

17. 17 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

18. 18 Questions 24 & 25 Parent’s education level requested because some states award aid to first generation college students Answers not required for EFC processing

19. 19 Question 26 – Secondary School Four choices –High school diploma –GED certificate –Home schooled –None of the above

20. 20 Question 32 - TEACH Grant Now on paper FAFSA and FOTW

21. 21 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

22. 22 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 student’s 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

23. 23 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 FTE’s

24. 24 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

25. 25 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

26. 26 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

27. 27 Dependency Questions 48. Must be age 24 or older by December 31 of award year 49. 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 50. Master’s or doctoral program

28. 28 Dependency Questions 51. Serving on active duty in U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training 52. Veteran of U.S. Armed forces  Served active duty for purpose other than training and discharged other than dishonorably  Database match with VA 53. Have children for whom provide more than 50% support and will continue throughout award year

29. 29 Dependency Questions 54. Have dependents other than children and spouse for whom provide more than 50% support and will continue throughout award year 55. At age 13 or older, were both parents deceased or was student in foster care or dependent/ward of the court 56. Emancipated minor as of date of application 57. In legal guardianship as of date of application

30. 30 Dependency Questions 58. Unaccompanied homeless youth on/after 7/1/08 by high school/school district 59. Unaccompanied homeless youth on/after 7/1/08 by emergency shelter program 60. 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

31. 31 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

32. 32 Questions 63-71 Parent’s SSN, Name, and DOB  Would be used if IRS database match begins  At least one parent’s data must match Social Security administration database  Parent without SSN must enter all zeroes in SSN field Parent’s e-mail address

33. 33 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

34. 34 Dislocated Worker Questions 85 & 103 CCRAA added as another criteria for simplified needs test and automatic zero EFC –Definition in FAFSA instructions

35. 35 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

36. 36 Contact Information Yolanda Adams Training Officer 404-562-6291 yolanda.adams@ed.gov Your feedback and comments are appreciated.