Financial Aid For the Class of 2015

Presented by Cecilia E. Johnston, JD•College Applications Educator•Foothill Parent & Volunteer•www.ceciliajohnston.com•ceciliajohnston@ceciliajohnston.com

Tonight’s Presentation

Financial Aid BasicsThe FAFSAMisc. Topics in HandoutsCSS:Profile

Conquering Your Fears! For Students, the

scariest part of College Admissions is getting into the college of their choice.

For their Parents, the scariest part is paying for it!!!

Knowledge is Power! Study Your Handouts & Recommended Reading. View this PowerPoint on Foothill Counselors’ web

page. Attend FAFSA Workshops at Ventura College and

other sites. “Help” function on Financial Aid Form websites Will give you the confidence to

successfully apply for financial aid!

What kinds of Financial Aid are available?

Your handouts do a great job of setting forth information about all of the types of financial aid. Refer to them.

Two Main Types: Free Self Help

Free Financial Aid Grants

Pell (Federal) Cal Grant Institutional Grants (from

the school) Other

Scholarships: Institutional (from the

school) Private from other

sources

Self Help Financial Aid Loans (Details in your handouts)

Perkins: Federal, Low income, low interest rate. Stafford: Federal

Subsidized: Need based, limited amount. Unsubsidized: All eligible students, limited

amount. PLUS Loans: Federal, taken out by parents up

to COA Private Loans: Banks, Credit Unions.

More Self Help Aid Work Study

(Federal) On campus Well paying Doesn‘t count as

“income” for purposes of FAFSA and CSS:Profile next year.

NUMBER ONE Rule of Financial Aid

Students AND their families have the primary responsibility to pay for postsecondary education expenses. Doesn‘t matter if parents choose not

to contribute to student’s education. Therefore, it is very unusual for a

student who has just graduated from high school to be “independent” for purposes of Financial Aid.

How do I file for Financial Aid? Complete and file FAFSA

FAFSA = “Free Application for Federal Student Aid”

Make sure that your gpa has been submitted for Cal Grant consideration.

AND Submit CSS:Profile and/or other supplemental information if required by colleges to which you are applying. Usually private schools.

If You are an AB 540/Dream Act undocumented student…

You cannot file FAFSA. You do not qualify for Federal Aid.

Special form for you: “California Dream Act Application”

Qualify for California State Aid.

See your Counselor.

How do I know if I need to file the CSS:Profile?

Are any of the colleges/ universities to which you are applying listed on the reverse side of the CSS:Profile Handout?

NUMBER TWO Rule re: Financial Aid

Always, always, always apply for financial aid. Doesn‘t matter if you think that you

won’t qualify. Will need to file to qualify for non-

need based federal loans. Many schools will NOT consider you

for merit or other scholarships unless you apply for federal financial aid.

FAFSA Timeline Complete & Submit FAFSA as

soon as humanly possible. Use estimated 2014 income figures. About 100 questions—max.

Will receive SAR (Student Aid Report) via email within 3-5 days!

Amend FAFSA after 2014 Tax Return filed.

Seven Steps to filling out FAFSA

Step One: Gather information and go to www.fafsa.ed.gov

Be careful to use “ed.gov” website. FAFSA is always free!

FAFSA.ED.GOV HomepageFAFSA.GOV Homepage

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Step Two: Information About the Student

Student Demographics

Name must match Social Security Number.

Selective Service Registration (males only)

Use the Help & Hints section on each page.

Step Three: School Selection:

Add by Federal School Code List at least one California school first. (for Cal

Grants) All schools will have access to FAFSA.

If applying to over ten schools: See “Blue Sheet” for procedure .

Step Four: Dependency Status In most cases, your student will be a

dependent. There are very few exceptions.

Step Five: Parent Information Required if student is dependent. Parents must answer both

demographic and financial information to determine Custodial Parent for FAFSA

purposes. Ability to contribute to student’s

educational expenses.

Divorced or Separated Parents Provide information for parent who

student has spent at least 51% of time with in past 12 months.

Remarried Parent? Provide info about parent AND step-parent regardless of: Agreement of non-support Prenuptial Agreement Divorce Decree

Divorced or Separated (Part 2)

Parent filling out FAFSA need not be the custodial parent per divorce decree.

Parent filling out FAFSA need not be the parent who claims the student as an exemption for income tax purposes.

Non-Married Parents Living Together

Dependent students’ FAFSA must include income and other information about both of the student’s legal parents (biological or adoptive) if the parents are living together, regardless of the parents’ marital status or gender.

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Parent Income & Assets: You will see a list of types of Assets on

FAFSA—click the box next to the asset and you will be asked questions about those assets.

FAFSA looks at Adjusted Gross Income. Use 2014 Estimates. 529 Accounts are considered Parents’

assets, not student’s assets. Some assets that FAFSA does not consider

including: Your family home Your Retirement Accounts Your small business (less than 100

employees)

Tip:

Cal Grant wants asset information. Always include info on assets even if

you are given the option to skip that section.

Step Six: Student’s Assets Same list of Assets to click on. Tip: Most of student’s assets are expected to be

used for education expenses. What may make sense for tax savings may not make sense for financial aid. Ask your accountant or financial advisor for assistance.

Rule Number Three of Financial Aid

Do not do anything that could get you in trouble with the IRS!

In general, you want to look as poor as possible for FAFSA purposes.

Again, do not do anything that could get you in trouble with the IRS!!

If you have questions, talk to your accountant or financial advisor.

A few helpful hints:

Fill out FAFSA the day after you have paid your mortgage and big bills.

Value of assets is NET, not gross. Asset protection allowances are built into

the formula based on age of oldest parent. Ranges from about $8,000 (Single parent) to $40,000 (Married parents)

Questions: Call FAFSA or on line chat.

Step Seven: Submission Student and Parent(s)

electronically Sign and Submit.

Both Student and one Parent apply for a PIN to sign.

Do not use same PIN for Student and Parent. Save PINs BUT New system as of April 15.

Confirmation Page

You will receive an electronic Confirmation Page with:Confirmation NumberEstimated EFC Index NumberList of CollegesNext StepsOption of transferring parents’ data to sibling’s FAFSA!

Student Aid Report Notification

Arrives electronically in 2-5 days.

Has EFC and other important info.

If you have special circumstances or expenses: Contact individual colleges which

can exercise “Professional Judgment Override.”

“EFC” “Expected Family Contribution”

A Misnomer. IS NOT what your family will pay for a

year of college. IS an index number that indicates

your family’s financial strength. Lower the better. Used to determine your financial

need.

Your EFC is just ONE of the factors used to determine how much you will pay.

Colleges & universities vary in how they calculate Financial Need and what they will give you.

The “GAP” Not every school meets

100% of your Financial Need.

Example: (On your “Blue Sheet”) COA (Cost of Attendance) $35,000 Your Financial Need $15,000 School gives $10,000 in Financial Aid. You pay not only $20,000 ($35,000 minus $15,000) but

in addition, the $5,000 of your Financial Need not met by the school (the GAP), for a total of $25,000.

A Few Financial Aid Tools: Net Cost Calculators: School Data:

www.collegecost.ed.gov/scorecard/

www.collegedata.com www.collegenavigator.gov

Info: www.finaid.org

All links may be found on your “BLUE SHEET” handout.

BOTTOM LINE:

You do not know what your family will pay until you receive your financial aid award.

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VERIFICATION

About 30% of FAFSAs are subject to verification.If you see an “*” next to your EFC on your SAR—you will need to verify your FAFSA by submitting supporting documentation to each school on your FAFSA.

More Verification You will get letters from schools to which you

applied with instructions. Your Financial Aid Package is on HOLD until

verification completed.

“The Magic Button” The IRS Data Retrieval Tool

Only on FAFSA Not available until February 2.

Will automatically populate FAFSA with your 2014 Federal Tax Return Information.

Easy to use for returning college students with later FAFSA due dates.

Problem for Incoming Freshmen IRS Data Retrieval Tool not available until February 2,

2014. Must wait 3 weeks after electronic tax filing and 8 weeks

after snail mail tax filing. Many colleges have Financial Aid Form due dates in

February (and even January!) What to do?

Financial Aid Filing Strategy Details on “Blue Sheet” Complete and submit FAFSA & CSS:Profile with

Estimated figures by Feb. 1st. or College Due Date. File Income Tax Returns Electronically ASAP. Wait three weeks. Update FAFSA with IRS Data Retrieval Tool. (Automatic

Verification!) Submit required CSS:Profile documentation via I-Doc by College Due Date. (If needed.)

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Ventura College Promise Grant

Available on a first come, first serve basis. (Only about 800 available.)

Covers a Ventura County high school graduate’s first year fees at Ventura College. (Tuition)

Must file FAFSA to be eligible. Don’t miss Field Trip to VC in May to

matriculate!!

CAL GRANT

Key Points: Automatic application when

Submit FAFSA. Based on GPA & Need (see income

ceilings on on Blue Sheet) May only be used at a California

School. Deadline to submit FAFSA and gpa is

March 2. (Don’t worry about gpa submission—done by high school registrar in fall 2014.)

More about Cal Grants Different amounts depending on

which California school you attend: CSU: $5,970 UCs: $12,192 Private: $9,223

Different types of Cal Grants: A,B & C Info. In Handouts Some schools are not Cal

Grant eligible. (ex. ITT Tech, U of Phoenix…)

Middle Class Scholarship Program (MCS)????

California Aid Report (CAR) You will receive your CAR electronically. Will notify you if you will receive a Cal

Grant (and possibly the Middle Class Scholarship.)

Financial Aid Packages You will receive your

financial aid package shortly after you receive your offer of admission from a college or university.

Compare the packages.

The more Free Money, the better the package.

Universal College Acceptance Date

MAY 1, 2015 The last day to pay your deposit to the

college or university of your choice! Deposit is usually between $500-$1000.

Remember: Need to fill out FAFSA and

CSS:Profile every year. Save all PINs, usernames and

copies of submitted paperwork.

Much of info is transferred from this year’s form to next year’s form!

Due dates are later in the Spring for continuing students.

WARNING: “Certified College

Financial Planners/Advisors”are also Licensed Life Insurance Brokers who are trying to sell you expensive financial products to “shelter your assets.”

Please be careful!!!

Confused? Overwhelmed? Read your Handouts . This PowerPoint on FTHS Counselors’ page

on website. Talk to your Guidance Counselor. Use the “Help” function as you

are filling out forms. Call or ‘On Line Chat’ with FAFSA

Ventura College FAFSA Workshops

Book Recommendations “Paying for College

Without Going Broke” by Kalman Chaney 2015 ed.

Freebie! Download “Filing The FAFSA” (updated for 2015-16)

CSS Profile and other Financial Supplements

Some Private Schools use FAFSA and CSS Profile and/or their own supplemental Financial Aid Forms.

CSS Profile on line. Costs $ (Waivers available.)

Looks more deeply into family finances. Fill out one form for all

colleges: different questions for different colleges

CSS-Profile Differences Many schools require that Non-Custodial Parent fills out Supplement. Considers Family Home as an asset.

For valuation: subtract mortgage from value as determined by Federal House Price Index Calculator or Zillow.

Don’t forget to subtract mortgages, down payment loans from value.

More Differences: Value of Businesses: NET Worth

Most Service Businesses have a very low net worth for Financial Aid Purposes.

Assets held in sibling’s names are counted Retirement funds counted Not a free form. Use College Board id and

password to access. (Save this info. for next year!) Space to explain Unusual Circumstances: ie. large

medical expenses etc.

Even More Differences! Contribution from Student’s

Parents: One expert recommends that you wait

until you get SAR, take the EFC and reduce it by 30%.

Estimate Prior Year and Future Income.

CANNOT amend CSS-Profile so make sure that your estimates are very close.

IDOC: free service where you submit supporting documentation-not all schools use this.

CSS-Profile: Finally,

Every school that uses CSSProfile or own Supplements will treat your assets and liabilitiesdifferently; many times in your favor!

Questions? Use the CSS:Profile toll free number on the CSS:Profile handout.

Cute Panda Cub Says Goodbye,Thank you and Good Luck!

Questions?