This presentation is part of the College Access Coffee Break Webinar series. To learn more visit http://eqf.org/CACBWebinar.

1. Welcome to :
Common Questions on the FAFSA

2. ■ Future topics:
• KnowHow2GO Best Practices
• Using Social Media to Reach Students and Parents
• Resources for Adult Learners
■ Participants are eligible to win one of four travel mugs.
Thank you for joining us today!

3. Common Questions When
Completing the FAFSA…

4. Dependency Status
When is a student
considered “dependent”
and, therefore, must include
parental information on the
FAFSA?

5. #
#
Born before Jan. 1,
1992?
When is a student
considered…
Married?
Working on a master’s
or professional
program?
On active duty or a
veteran of the US
Armed Forces?
Have children or
dependents they are
providing more than
half the support for?
An orphan, ward of the
court, or in foster care at
any time since age 13?
Have a legal guardian
or emancipated by the
court?
An unaccompanied
youth who is homeless
or in danger of
becoming homeless?
If student answers NO to
all questions, they are
dependent and must
provide parental
information on the FAFSA.
Dependent?

6. “Homeless” definitions
■ Unaccompanied:
– not living in the physical custody of a parent or guardian
■ Youth
– 21 years of age or younger or are still enrolled in high school
as of the day they sign the FAFSA
‒ Living in shelters, parks, motels, or cars -
or temporarily living with others
• If fleeing an abusive parent, may be
considered homeless even if parent
would provide support and a place to live
■ Homeless:

7. Parents’ Marital Status
In certain circumstances,
whose parental information
should be included on the
FAFSA?

8. Parental Marital Status
Sarah’s parents are married and are
living together.
She should report information for
both parents on the FAFSA.
Same-sex couples should report their status as married if legally
married in a state that permits same-sex marriage, regardless of
where they reside.

9. Parental Marital Status
Eli lives with his mother and step-father.
He should report information for both
his mother and step-father on the FAFSA.
Abbie’s parents are not married, but
they live together.
She should report information for
both parents on the FAFSA.

10. Parental Marital Status
Michael’s parents are divorced and do not live
together.
He should report information only for parent
he lived with the most in the last 12 months.
If a student did not live with one parent more than the other:
• give information about the parent who provided more financial
support during past 12 months, or
• during the most recent year the student actually received support
from a parent.
This is also the case with parents who are separated and not
living with each other.

11. Other Parent Marital Status
Considerations
■ Divorced but living together
– Select “Unmarried and both parents living together”
– Answer questions about both parents
■ Separated but living together
– Select “Married or remarried,” not “Divorced or separated”
– Answer questions about both parents
■ Widowed
– Report only surviving parent’s information
– Notify college if death occurs after FAFSA is filed

12. Other Parent Marital Status
Considerations
■ Grandparents, foster
parents, legal guardians,
aunts, and uncles are not
considered parents on the
FAFSA unless they have
legally adopted the
student.

13. “Number in household”
Who’s considered a
“member of the household”
when completing the FAFSA?

14. Who’s included in
“Number in Household?”
Student – even if
not living with
parents.
Parents
Parents’ other children, if:
• parents will provide more than half of their
support between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016
• children are “dependent”
Other people if they live with the parents, the
parents provide more than half of their
support, and the parents will continue to
provide more than half of their support
between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016

15. Special Family Situations
What circumstances might
affect the FAFSA?

16. Special family situations
that can impact the FAFSA
Unusual circumstances
– Parent’s loss of employment
– Significant medical/dental expenses
Change in student’s marital status after
filing FAFSA
– At the discretion of the college
Student should contact the college financial aid office.

17. Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals
FAFSA considerations for
children of undocumented
immigrants

18. Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
■ DACA is an American immigration policy
– allows certain illegal immigrants who entered the country
before their 16th birthday and before June 2007 to receive a
renewable two-year work permit and exemption
from deportation

19. Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
■ Students approved for DACA are assigned a Social Security
number
■ Although not eligible for federal financial aid, students can still
complete a FAFSA:
– Enter Social Security number
– Answer “Are you a U.S. citizen?” as “No, I am not a citizen or
eligible noncitizen”
– May be eligible for state or college aid
• Not eligible for state aid in Nebraska (Nebraska Opportunity Grant)
– May help access other types of aid
■ Parents without a Social Security number:
– Use 000-00-0000

20. What are considered
“assets” on the FAFSA?

21. Checking Savings Stocks
Bonds CDs
Mutual
Funds
Rental
Property
2nd
Residence
College
Savings
Plans
Families must include these
assets:

22. *Qualified Retirement
Accounts
*Primary Residence
What assets are NOT included?

23. Exclude value IF…
They own and control the
majority interest in the business
and employ fewer than 100
people
What if the family has a business?

24. • They live on the farm and operate it and it is
their main source of income.
Exclude value if:
• Receive rent from farm ground or pasture
from someone else
• Member of family farm partnership or
corporation and do not participate in running
the farm
Include value if:
What if they have a farm?

25. Other FAFSA details:
• IRS Data Retrieval
• Estimated taxes
• PIN

26. IRS Data Retrieval
■ Parent and student can transfer tax information directly
from the IRS to the FAFSA
■ Need to have exact address as it appears on the tax return
■ Two-week processing time for electronic filers
■ Will not need to provide tax forms if selected for verification
■ Can still input tax information manually

27. Using Estimated Tax Information
■ Can use estimated or previous year’s tax information
on FAFSA
■ Will need to update FAFSA using current tax
information as soon as available

28. Department of Education PIN
pin.ed.gov
■ Each student needs a PIN
■ One parent needs a PIN
(if parent information is
required)
– Parent with multiple
students in college only
needs one PIN
■ Use PIN as signature on FAFSA, sign student loan
promissory note, access National Student Loan Data
System

29. PIN changes coming…
■ Changes to PIN coming in April
■ Student and parent will need to register for a
Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)
– Will replace the PIN
– Users will be prompted to sign up when
accessing any Federal Student Aid website
(FAFSA, NSLDS, FSA, studentloans.gov)
– Will include challenge questions
– Verify email address

30. EducationQuest.org
■ FAFSA Tools at
EducationQuest.org
– FAFSA Checklist
– FAFSA Tutorial
– FAFSA Demo
– IRS Data Retrieval video
■ Check out our new website!

31. Thank you for joining us today!
Kearney Lincoln Omaha
EducationQuest.org
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@FreeCollegeHelp)