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Welcome to King’s College Financial Aid Night . January 09, 2013. Financial Aid. Financial Aid is assistance to help students fund their education. It can take the form of: Scholarships Grants Loans Employment . Gift Aid vs. Self-Help Aid. GIFT AID
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Welcome toKing’s College Financial Aid Night January09, 2013
Financial Aid Financial Aid is assistance to help students fund their education. It can take the form of: • Scholarships • Grants • Loans • Employment
Gift Aid vs. Self-Help Aid GIFT AID • Grant/Scholarship = Aid awarded that does not have to be repaid. SELF-HELP AID • Loans = Borrowed money that has to be repaid over a period of time, often after the student completes their degree. Available to students and parents • Work-study = Money students earn by working on campus.
Merit versus Need-Based Merit-Based Aid (Need blind) • Academic record • Skills or talents • Involvement - community service; extracurricular activities Need-Based Aid = awarded on the basis of financial need. Re-evaluated each year as financial situations may change.
Filing the FAFSA • Available in English and Spanish • Complete as soon as possible after January 1, 2013 and by college deadlines. Must be filed by May 1, 2013 for PHEAA
Getting Ready • Before starting the FAFSA, gather: (student and parent) • Social Security cards • 2012 federal income tax form (even if not completed) and W2 forms • Records of untaxed income • Current bank statements (as of filing date) • Business, farm and other real estate records • Records of stocks, bonds and other investments (including 529 accounts) • Asset information may not be required
Student Financial Aid (SFA) PIN • Web site: www.pin.ed.gov • Pin # used to sign FAFSA electronically • May be used by students and parents throughout aid process, including subsequent school years • Link to Pin website is also on FAFSA website
PIN Usage If filing FAFSA online, • Parent & student sign electronically. Must first apply for PIN at http://www.fafsa.gov • PIN can be created or will be emailed to student for immediate use. • PIN serves as e-signature Additional PIN uses: • submit info and make corrections online. • sign Promissory Notes for Direct Loans. • Access Financial Aid history on NLSDS
FAFSA-Filing Tips • Based on prior calendar year tax return • May use estimated income and taxes • May submit prior to college acceptance • PA residents must file by May 1 for state grant consideration; state will follow up with student (via email)
FAFSA on the Web • Web site: www.fafsa.gov. • 2013-2014 FAFSA on the Web available as of January 1, 2013
FAFSA on the Web Good reasons to file electronically: • Built-in edits to 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
FAFSA on the Web Good reasons to file electronically: • Can complete in stages and save and submit when complete • Incomplete applications saved and not submitted will be sent emails after 7 days and again in 14 days if still not submitted • Emails sent to student and parent when both provide email addresses
FAFSA on the Web • The IRS Data Retrieval continues in 2013-2014 beginning February 3, 2013. • Also available in Corrections • Electronically filed tax return information will be available from the IRS in 2-3 weeks, data from paper tax returns will be available in 6-8 weeks.
FAFSA on the WEB General student information • Name • State of legal residence • Social Security Number • Citizenship
FOTW Student demographic information • Marital status • Selective Service Registration • Drug Conviction Question • Parents’ Educational Background
FOTW Student Income and Assets • Adjusted Gross Income/Earned wages • Untaxed Income • Assets
FOTW Student’s dependency status: • If all “No” responses, student is dependent • If “Yes” to any question, student is independent • Under limited special circumstances, student may submit electronic FAFSA without parental data. If there is a special circumstance, student will be instructed during online application process on how to proceed; documentation will be needed by Financial Aid • Examples of special circumstances: parents incarcerated, left home due to abusive environment, unable to locate and contact parents
FOTW Data for parents of dependent students • Parents’ name, social security number, date of birth
FOTW Data for parents of dependent students: • Are either parents a dislocated worker? • Job loss, laid off, receiving unemployment, unlikely to return to previous occupation or • Displaced homemaker – person who previously provided unpaid services to family & is no longer supported by spouse, is unemployed & is having trouble finding or upgrading employment. • Documentation will be needed by Financial Aid Office
FOTW Financial data for parents of dependent students: • Tax filing status and return type already completed, will file, will not file 1040, 1040A/EZ, foreign tax return wages, adjusted gross income, federal tax paid
FOTW Financial data for parents of dependent students: • Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for 2012 • Income earned from work
FOTW Financial data for parents of dependent students: • 2012 Additional Financial Information • Education credits on tax return, • child support paid/received • payment to tax deferred pension, • IRA deductions
FOTW • Cash, savings, and checking • Net worth of investments: • Net worth equals current value minus debt • Don’t include primary home, life insurance, retirement plans • Do include real estate, money market, mutual funds, CD’s, stocks, education savings plans (even if owned by student, parent reports in parent section) • Review instructions for all items to be reported
FOTW Asset data for parents of dependent students: • Net worth of business and investment farms: • Net worth equals current value minus debt • Don’t include farm if you live on & operate • Don’t include value of small business if parent owns & controls & has 100 or fewer full-time or full-time equivalent employees
School Information • List a Pennsylvania school with the highest cost first; first college used by PHEAA Grant to determine state grant • If you are applying to more than six schools, wait for the processed Student Aid Report (SAR) and add additional schools via the Web Strategies for Listing Colleges
Signatures • Required • Student • One parent (dependent students) • Format • Electronic using PIN • Signature page • Paper FAFSA
Frequent FAFSA Errors • Social Security Numbers • Divorced/remarried parental information • Income earned by parents/stepparents • Untaxed income • U.S. income taxes paid * • Real estate and investment net worth • Missing signatures • Parent income data in student section
Making Corrections If necessary, corrections to FAFSA data may be made by: • Using FAFSA on the Web student and parent PIN required • Updating paper SAR (SAR Information Acknowledgement cannot be used to make corrections); or
FAFSA Processing Results • Review data for accuracy • Update estimated income information when actual figures are available using the IRS data retrieval tool.
FAFSA Processing Results • 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.gov. • Separate electronic record sent to colleges 10 - 14 days after filed; record also sent to state
FAFSA Processing Results • Paper Student Aid Report (SAR) if paper FAFSA was filed and student’s e-mail address was not provided • SAR Information Acknowledgement will be mailed if filed electronically via FAFSA on the Web and student’s e-mail address was not provided
EFC-Expected Family Contribution Once the FAFSA is processed the result is the “Expected Family Contribution” or the EFC. The EFC is determined by a federal formula and is an index used by the college , federal, and state government to determine need based aid eligibility. The EFC is not equivalent to out-of-pocket costs.
EFC-Expected Family Contribution • The EFC stays same regardless of college • The EFC has two components: • Parent contribution • Student contribution
EFC – Calculations Primary Factors: • Dependency Status • Taxable Income: AGI (wages earned + interest dividends + other taxable income) • Untaxed income & benefits • Number in family • Number of dependent children in college • Assets
Cost of Attendance Includes: • Tuition • Fees • Room and Board • Books and Supplies • Personal Expenses • Transportation • Loan Fees
Cost of Attendance • Will vary by college • Will vary by housing status (commuter vs. resident)
Financial Need Cost of Attendance (variable) -Expected Family Contribution Financial Need (variable)
Sources of Aid • Federal • State • College Aid • Outside Organizations • Examples: civic organizations, parents’ employers, high schools, churches, etc.
Federal Pell Grant • Federal Pell Grant (need-based): • $5,500 max/year for 2013-2014 year • Must have demonstrated exceptional financial need • Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $4,995 or less to qualify in 2012-13 2013-14 EFC not available yet • Iraq/Afghanistan award
Federal SEOG Grant Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): A “campus-based” program; funding is limited • Annual awards of $500 to $1,000 per year (King’s College) • Must have demonstrated exceptional financial need • Priority to Federal Pell Grant recipients • Undergraduates pursuing 1st bachelor’s degree
Federal Work Study (FWS) • A “campus based” program; funding is limited • Employment for full time undergraduate • On or off-campus • Students paid at least minimum wage
Federal Perkins Loan • A “campus based” program; funding limited. • Must have demonstrated financial need • Interest subsidized while in-school and during grace and deferment periods; 5% interest rate during repayment • Repayment period up to 10 years
Federal Direct Loans • Student loans available under: • Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program • School determines loan eligibility and delivers loan proceeds to students • Available to all students, regardless of need • Repayment begins 6 months following graduation, withdrawal or less than half-time enrollment
Federal Direct Stafford Loan TYPES: Subsidized • Based on financial need • Government pays interest on loan while student is enrolled • 6.8 % interest rate effective 07/01/2012 Unsubsidized • Non-need-based • Interest paid either quarterly or capitalized upon repayment • Fixed interest rate of 6.8% AMOUNTS: Annual maximums capped by grade level • $3,500 subsidized/$2,000 unsubsidized - freshmen year • $4,500 subsidized/$2,000 unsubsidized - sophomore year • $5,500 subsidized/$2,000 unsubsidized - junior/senior year • Additional amounts for independent and graduate students • Loan fees of 1% of approved amount deducted prior to disbursement.
Federal Direct PLUS Loan • Credit-based federal loan for: • Parents of dependent undergraduate students • Graduate students • Interest rate capped at 8.5% • 4% origination fee • Repayment begins 60 days after 2nd disbursement (other repayment options available and forbearance; can defer repayment while student enrolled & can receive 6 month grace period) • Annual maximum is the “cost of attendance” minus other financial aid student is receiving • (If a parent is denied due to adverse credit history, a dependent student can access additional Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan)
Pennsylvania State Grant (PHEAA) Pennsylvania State Grant (for PA Residents): $4348 max/year for 2012-13 for students attending a PA school • Eligibility based on need and family’s unique circumstances and FAFSA information • Partial PHEAA Grant can transfer out-of-state to: ($600) • CT, DE, MA, OH, RI, VT, DC, WV (ME eliminated 13-14) • NJ, MD and NY -- $0 transfers there (some exceptions) • Student must file FAFSA by May 1 for upcoming fall term
Pennsylvania State Grant (PHEAA) • PHEAA State Grant info not available on FAFSA will be collected online via State Grant Form (SGF) on PHEAA’s Account Access system PHEAA State Grants • Upon FAFSA completion, PHEAA will email student directing them to Account Access via link in email • If student is dependent and parent provided email address, email will be sent to parent also • 1st time applicants have to provide 8-9 items • Student and parent will still have to print, sign and mail certification statements
Pennsylvania State Grant (PHEAA) • Changes to information should be made through FAFSA correction process; will update both FAFSA and PHEAA State Grant records • State Grant Form must be completed in order for state grant to be finalized and money credited to student’s account. • If additional information requested or student selected for PHEAA Validation, student must provide information directly to PHEAA