Applying for Financial Aid 2016 2017 Yvonne Borrego

Applying for Financial Aid 2016 -2017 Yvonne Borrego, Financial Aid Counselor Julie Ta, Financial Aid Counselor UC San Diego January 21, 2016

What Will You Learn At This Workshop? �Types and sources of financial aid �Required financial aid application forms �How to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), CA Dream Act Application and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form �Answers to your individual questions 2

Types of Financial Aid �Gift Aid - Grants or scholarships that do not need to be earned or repaid �Work - Money earned by the student as payment for a job on or off campus �Loans - Borrowed money to be paid back, usually with interest 3

Sources of Financial Aid �Federal government �State government �Colleges and universities �Private agencies, companies, foundations, and employers 4

Cal Grants � Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards – for high school seniors and recent high school grads • • • with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3. 0 family income and assets below the state ceilings who demonstrate financial need � Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards – for high school seniors and recent high school grads • • with a GPA of at least 2. 0 who come from disadvantaged or low income families whose family income and assets are below the state ceilings who demonstrate financial need � Cal Grant C Awards - for students from low income families pursuing vocational programs of study 5

Eligibility for Cal Grants �To be eligible for a Cal Grant, the student must also: �be a U. S. citizen, eligible noncitizen, AB 540 student including AB 540 eligible DACA students �be a California resident �attend an eligible, accredited California college or university at least half-time in 2016 -2017 6

2016 -2017 Cal Grant Application Requirements • By March 2, 2016, complete and submit: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) If eligible under AB 540 or DACA, students should complete the California Dream Act Application: www. caldreamact. org Cal Grant GPA Verification Form Check with your high school or college counselor for more details on how to file the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form, required of all students 7

Possible Cal Grant and Federal Pell Maximum Awards If the student qualifies for Cal Grant, amounts vary depending on the college/university attended, financial need, year in college (full- or part -time) If the student qualifies for the Federal Pell Grant, amounts vary depending on family contribution and enrollment status (full- or part-time) Other eligibility requirements may apply Cal Grant* (From $5, 472 to $12, 240) FAFSA or - for AB 540 students - the California Dream Act Application Verified GPA Apply by March 2, 2016 + Federal Pell Grant (up to $5, 915) FAFSA = $11, 247 to $18, 155 annually depending on the college/university the student attends and financial need * Check for eligible schools at: www. csac. ca. gov 8

Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) � Undergraduates with family incomes of up to $150, 000 and net worth of assets of up to $150, 000 who: �Submit 2016 -17 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CA Dream Act Application by March 2, 2016 �attend a UC or CSU �are U. S. citizens, permanent residents, or have AB 540 status, �are California residents, and �maintain a 2. 0 cumulative GPA � Annual award amounts: �To be determined by the California Student Aid Commission 9

California Chafee Grant • The California Chafee Grant program provides up to $5, 000 annually to current and former foster youth for college or vocational training at any accredited college in the U. S. , based on available funding • To be eligible, foster youth must have been in California foster care on their 16 th birthday and not have reached their 22 nd birthday before July 1, 2016 • Foster youth are encouraged to apply during their senior year of high school • To apply, the foster youth must complete: • • • 2016 -2017 FAFSA California Chafee Grant Program Application AB 540 students may also be eligible To apply for a Chafee Grant, go to: www. chafee. csac. ca. gov 10

How Students Apply for Financial Aid in 2016 -2017 �Book about filing the FAFSA available for free download at www. edvisors. com/fafsa-book �By March 2, 2016, complete and submit � 2016 -17 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) www. fafsa. ed. gov � 2016 -17 Cal Grant verified GPA as submitted by the school �After submitting the completed and electronically signed 2016 -17 FAFSA online, Confirmation Page will show �Estimated Federal Pell Grant eligibility � a federal grant whose value ranges from $592 to $5, 915 based on the student’s calculated federal need and enrollment status �Estimated Federal Direct Student Loan eligibility 11

FAFSA Information & Tips �File early, but no later than March 2, 2016, for the Cal Grant �Use estimated 2015 income information if taxes are not complete at time of FAFSA submission �Student and at least one parent whose information is reported must complete and sign the FAFSA 12

FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) • • Internet application used by students and parents to complete electronic FAFSA at: www. fafsa. ed. gov Sophisticated online edits checks and skip logic help avoid errors Online help is available for each question Student and one custodial parent should get a Federal Student Aid ID (FSAID) to sign FAFSA at: www. fsaid. ed. gov 13

Using a FSA ID to Sign the FAFSA • The U. S. Department of Education has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN or FSA PIN with a new Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, effective May 10, 2015. • The FSA ID will allow students and parents to access and electronically sign the online version of the FAFSA with a user-selected username and password. • This new login process will be more secure, since it eliminates the need for students and parents to provide personally identifiable information (PII), such as their name, date of birth and Social Security Number (SSN), every time they access U. S. Department of Education web sites. • This change permits self-service password retrieval by email without requiring the applicant to reveal PII. It also allows for name changes (e. g. , through marriage) without requiring an application for a new FSA ID. 14

Another Useful Form FAFSA on the Web Worksheet 2016 - 2017 Though not a required form, the 2016 -2017 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet may: • Help some students and • parents prepare to complete the FOTW Be used for the January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 federal aid application cycle 15

Getting Ready �Before starting the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW), gather: • Student driver’s license • Student Alien Registration Card, if applicable • Student and Parent Social Security cards 2015 W-2 Forms and records of money earned and other taxable benefits 2015 federal income tax form (even if not yet completed) Records of untaxed income Current bank statements Business, farm, and other real estate records Records of stocks, bonds, and other investments �Complete 2016 -17 FOTW Worksheet (optional) �Create a file for copies of all financial aid documents submitted 16

FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) The 2016 -2017 FAFSA on the Web may be used for the January 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 federal student aid application cycle 17

The FOTW A Seven-Section Online Form Section 1 – Student Demographics Section 2 – School Selection Section 3 – Dependency Status Section 4 – Parent Demographics Section 5 – Financial Information Section 6 – Sign and Submit Section 7 – Confirmation 18

Getting Started on the FOTW Between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 START 2016 -2017 FAFSA Between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 START 2015 -2016 FAFSA 19

Login Using FSA ID 20

Section 1 STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

Section 1 Student Name �The FOTW will ask for the student’s last and first names �Make sure to report the student’s name exactly as it appears on the student’s Social Security card 22

Section 1 Student Social Security Number �Double check the student’s Social Security Number when entering it on the FOTW. �Student name, Social Security Number and date of birth will be compared through a database match and must match exactly 23

Section 1 – Student Date of Birth, Gender, Permanent Mailing Address 24

Section 1 Student Home State Residency 2011 �Home state residence � if the student is dependent, the Home State is usually the one in which the custodial parent(s) lives �Home state is also used � to determine eligibility for state grants � in the need calculation to determine the appropriate allowance for state and other taxes paid by that state’s residents 25

Section 1 Phone Number and E-mail Address �Throughout the application process, the student telephone number and e-mail address may be used by the U. S. Department of Education, the state, and the colleges and universities to: �Correspond with the student �Confirm FAFSA data 26

Section 1 Student Marital Status �The student should check his or her marital status as of the date the FAFSA on the Web is submitted �If the student is married or remarried, he or she will be asked to provide information about his or her spouse 27

Section 1 Student Driver’s License �Students should provide their driver’s license number, if they have one �This information may be used to confirm student identity if needed 28

Section 1 - Student Citizenship Status • • If U. S. citizen, status will be confirmed by Social Security match If eligible noncitizen, status will be confirmed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) match. This includes: · U. S. permanent residents with I-551 · Conditional permanent residents with I-551 C · The holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any of the following designations: “Refugee, ” “Asylum Granted, ” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc. ) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant; ” · The holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking. ” · A resident of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM) · Canadian-born Native American under terms of the Jay Treaty 29

Section 1 - Eligible Noncitizen If eligible noncitizen, write in the student’s eight- or nine-digit Alien Registration Number (ARN) · Precede an eight-digit ARN with a zero · Copy of the student’s Permanent Registration Card may be requested by the financial aid office If neither a citizen nor eligible noncitizen, the student is ineligible for federal aid. Such students should check with their college financial aid office for other aid opportunities. If the student is undocumented as defined in AB 540, he/she may be eligible for state financial aid. Learn more at www. caldreamact. org 30

Undocumented Students � Undocumented students, while not eligible for federal aid, may want to: � Start inquiring in elementary and high school to see if it is possible for the student to become a permanent resident � Watch for changes in federal and state laws regarding the eligibility of undocumented or under-documented students � Consider applying for federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) which allows for work authorization � Undocumented students applying for Cal Grants and other state aid should complete a California Dream Act Application, not the FAFSA � Check with colleges and universities to see if institutional financial aid is available � Call MALDEF at (213) 629 -2512 � Students should apply for all scholarships for which they may be eligible � For a list of scholarships, go to http: //www. maldef. org/assets/pdf/14 -15_MALDEF_Scholarship. pdf and www. e 4 fc. org 31

Section 1 - Selective Service Registration • All male students who are between the ages of 18 and 25 must be registered with Selective Service to receive federal and/or state aid • Answer “Register me” only if you are male, aged 18 -25, and have not yet registered. • The student may also register by going to: www. sss. gov 32

Section 1 - High School Completion Status What will be your high school completion status when you begin college in the 2016 -2017 school year? High School Completion Status When the student begins college in the 2016 -2017 school year, what will be the student’s high school completion status? · High school diploma · GED certificate or state authorized high school equivalent certificate · Home schooled · None of the above 33

Section 1 - Grade Level in 2016 -17 What will be your grade level when you begin the 2016 -2017 school 2016 -2017 year? When the student begins the 2016 -2017 school year, what will be his/her grade level? • • Never attended college/1 st year Attended college before/1 st year 2 nd year/sophomore 3 rd year/junior 4 th year/senior 5 th year/other undergraduate 1 st year graduate/professional Continuing graduate/professional or beyond

Section 1 - Degree or Certificate Objective 2016 -2017 2014 -2015 What degree or certificate will you be working on when you begin the 2016 -2017 school year? In the 2016 -2017 school year, what degree or certificate will you, the student, be working on? · Some options are: · · 1 st bachelor’s degree Associate degree (occupational or technical program) Associate degree (general education or transfer program) Graduate or professional degree 35

Section 1 Interest in Work-Study �Select “Yes” if the student is interested in a college- sponsored on or off-campus job �Answering “Yes” does not guarantee that the student will be offered a job �Answering “No” does not mean that the student will received additional grant or scholarship 36

Section 1 First Bachelor’s Degree Will you have your first bachelor’s degree before you begin the 2016 -2017 school year? Will you have your first Bachelor’s degree before July 1, 2016? · students starting college in 2016 -17 should mark “No” to this question · only students who will be pursuing a graduate or professional degree during 2016 -17 should mark “Yes” 37

Section 1 Foster Youth No Yes · Select “Yes” if you are a foster youth or were at any time in the foster youth care system · Select “No” if you are not a foster youth. Also select ‘No’ if you were not in the foster care system at any time 38

Section 1 Parents’ Educational Level Indicate highest level of schooling completed by the student’s biological or adoptive parents (for state award purposes only) · Use birth parents or adoptive parents - not stepparents or foster parents · This definition of parent is unique to these two questions 39

Section 1 - Student Aid Eligibility Drug Convictions · · Students who have never attended college since high school will not be asked any of the Drug Conviction questions Students who indicate that they have attended college before will be asked if they have ever received federal student aid If the answer is “yes, ” students will be asked if they were convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs. Most students will answer ‘No” to this question and will not be asked any additional questions Even students who have been convicted of a drug offense while in college and receiving federal financial aid may still be eligible to receive federal financial aid 40

Section 1 - High School Question • • • Enter the name, city and state of the high school where the student received or will receive a high school diploma Select “Confirm” to retrieve the high school information If no matches are found, the student should select “Next” to save the search information and continue with the FOTW application 42

Section 2 SCHOOL SELECTION

Section 2 School Selection �FAFSA on the Web allows the student to list up to 10 colleges/universities that will receive his/her student and parent information �The student should list first the California school he/she is most likely to attend �The student may re-order his/her school choices �Then list other schools to which the student is applying for admission 44

Section 2 School Selection · While in the School Selection Section, the student will be asked to enter the location and name or the federal school code for each school to which he/she wants FOTW information sent · If the student does not know the federal school code, enter the state in which the college/university is located and search for the federal school code by the college/university name 45

Section 2 School Selection Strategies for Listing Colleges �List a California college or university first (for Cal Grant consideration) �Then list those schools with the earliest financial aid deadlines, regardless of whether they are in-state or out-of-state �If the student is applying to more than ten schools, wait for the processed Student Aid Report (SAR) and additional schools �via the Web, using the student FSA ID �By phone, using the DRN from the SAR NOTE: Each UC and CSU campus must be listed separately 46

Section 2 - School Selection (cont) CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF CHANNEL ISLA 039803 SAN JOSE CITY COLLEGE 001282 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UCLA) 001315 CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE CLAREMONT 001170 001282 · The student will be asked to select the housing plan that best describes the type of housing the student expects to have while attending each listed school · The choices for housing are: · The student’s choice of housing may affect the amount of financial aid for which he/she is eligible. It is usually more expensive to live on or off campus than with parents or relatives · Remember, selecting the On Campus housing option is not an application for On Campus housing. Students should check with the colleges/ universities about housing information when they apply for admission · · · On Campus With Parent Off Campus 47

Section 3 STUDENT DEPENDENCY STATUS

Section 3 Determination of Student Dependency Status 1993? 2016 -2017 2016 2017? 49

Section 3 - Determination of Student Dependency Status (continued) Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? 50

Section 3 - Determination of Student Dependency Status (continued) 2015, 51

Section 3 - Determination of Student Dependency Status �If the student checks “No” in all of the boxes about Dependency Status, the student will be asked to go to Section 4. For FAFSA filing purposes, the student is considered a dependent student and will be required to provide parental information �If any one of the items in this section applies to the student, he/she should mark the appropriate box, skip Section 4, and go to Section 5. The student is considered an independent student for FAFSA filing purposes and is NOT required to provide parental information 52

Section 4 PARENT DEMOGRAPHICS

Section 4 Parent Demographics · If the answer to any question is zero or the question does not apply, enter 0: · Report whole dollar figures: · Recommendation: If your parents have not filed their 2015 federal tax return, use W-2 forms and/or other employment records - such as final 2015 pay check stubs - to estimate total income · Remember, rather than miss any filing deadline, use 12, 356 0 (no cents) estimated 2015 income information 54

Section 4 Parent Demographics Who is considered a parent? � Biological or adoptive parent(s) � Including same-sex parents � Including unmarried parents living together � In case of divorced or separated parents who don’t live together, provide information about the parent the student lived with more in the last 12 months � Stepparent (regardless of any prenuptial agreements), if currently married to the student’s custodial parent 55

Section 4 Who is Not a Parent ? 56

Section 4 Parent Marital Status �Report your parents’ marital status as of today �Never Married to each other �Unmarried and both parents living together �Married or Remarried (also report the date of marriage or remarriage) �Divorced or separated (also report the date of divorce or separation) �Widowed (also report the date of widowhood) 57

Section 4 Parent Information � If the student is providing Parent Information, he/she will need those parents’: � � � Social Security Numbers Last names and first initials Dates of Birth 58

Section 4 - Parent E-mail Address · Provide a parent e-mail address that will be valid at least until the student starts college · If a parent provides an e-mail address, the FAFSA processor will let them know the student’s FAFSA has been processed 59

Section 4 Parent State of Legal Residence California 2011 ? 60

Section 4 - Parent Household Size 2016 -2017 · Include in the parents’ household: · the student · parent(s) · parents’ other dependent children, if the parents provide more than half their support or the children could answer “no” to every question in Section 3, regardless of where they live · other people, if they now live with the parents and will continue to do so from 7/1/16 through 6/30/17, and if the parents provide more than half their support now, and will continue to provide support from 7/1/16 through 6/30/17 61

Section 4 - College Students in the Parent Household 2016 and June 30, 2017? • • • Always include the student even if he/she will attend college less than half-time in 2016 -2017 Include other household members only if they will attend at least half-time in 2016 -2017 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate Never include the parents in the number in college NOTE: Some financial aid offices will require documentation that other family members are attending college 62

Section 5 PARENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Section 5 Parents’ 2015 Tax Return Filing Completion Status 2015, · Students will be asked to provide information about their parent tax filing status for 2015: · If parents have completed a 2015 federal income tax return, select “Already completed” · If parents have not as yet filed, but plan to file a 2015 federal income tax return, select “Will file” · If parents have not, nor will not, file a 2015 federal income tax return and are not required to do so, select “Not going to file” 64

Section 5 - Parents’ 2015 Tax Return Filing Status 2015, · Students will be asked to provide information about their parent tax filing status for 2015 according to their tax return: · If parents have (or will) file(d) a 2015 income tax return, will they file as: · Single · Head of Household · Married-Filed Joint Return · Married-Filed Separate Return · Qualifying Widow(er) · Don’t Know 65

Section 5 Type of Tax Return Filed 2015? · Students will be asked to select what type of 2015 federal income tax return their parent(s) will file · · IRS 1040 A or 1040 EZ Foreign tax return A tax return with Puerto Rico, a U. S. territory or Freely Associated State 66

Section 5 IRS Data Retrieval · This question asks if parents have completed their 2015 IRS income tax return · If parent(s) answer “Already completed, ” they will be given the option to transfer their 2015 income tax information directly from IRS records to the FOTW · If parents indicate that they have recently filed their 2015 taxes, they may not be able to access their IRS data if they have filed taxes electronically within the last three weeks or by mail within the last eleven weeks 2015, · Instead, they should use their actual 2015 IRS tax return to complete the FOTW so the student does not miss any important financial aid deadlines 67

Section 5 IRS Data Retrieval (continued) 68

Section 5 IRS Data Retrieval (continued) 69

Section 5 IRS Tax Transcript 70

Section 5 2015 Adjusted Gross Income 2015? • • • If the student’s parents have not yet filed their 2015 federal tax return, use estimated 2015 information for this question The “Income Estimator” on the FOTW may help calculate this amount If the student’s parents have completed their 2015 federal tax return, use actual 2015 tax return information to complete this item if they are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval process 71

Section 5 - Money Earned from Work by Parent(s) in 2015 How much did your Parent 1 earn from working (wages, salaries, tips, etc. ) in 2015? How much did your Parent 2 earn from working (wages, salaries, tips, etc. ) in 2015? Use W-2 forms and other records to determine all income in 2015 earned from work (including business income earned from self-employment) for Parent 1 and Parent 2 72

Section 5 - Parent Dislocated Worker �The student will be asked to check if parent 1 and/or parent 2 is a dislocated worker � A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she: � lost his/her job � has been laid off or received a layoff notice � is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or is losing a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation � is self-employed but is unemployed due to economic conditions or natural disaster � is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces and has experienced a loss of employment because of relocating due to permanent change in duty station � is a displaced homemaker � A displaced homemaker is generally a person who previously provided unpaid services to the family (e. g. , a stay-at-home mom or dad), is no longer supported by the husband or wife, is unemployed, and is having trouble finding or upgrading employment 73

Section 5 - Parents’ 2014 or 2015 Household Federal Benefits 2014 or 2015, Indicate if the student, his/her parents, or anyone in the parents’ household received benefits in 2014 or 2015 from any of the federal programs listed �Supplemental Security Income (SSI) �Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) �Free or Reduced Price (School) Lunch �Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) �Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) 74

Section 5 – 1040 A or EZ Tax Return • This question asks whether the student’s parents, who indicated they will file an IRS 1040, are eligible to file a 1040 A or 1040 EZ instead • Students and parent should read the directions accompanying this question carefully • If students or parents are uncertain as to the answer to this question, it is fine to select “Don’t know” 75

Section 5 Parents’ 2015 U. S. Income Taxes 2015. • Enter the amount of parents’ income tax for 2015 • Use U. S. income tax paid (or to be paid), not the amount withheld from parents’ paychecks 76

Section 5 Parent 2015 Tax Exemptions 2015. · Enter the parents’ tax exemptions for 2015 · Be sure to include all persons being claimed on the parents’ 2015 federal tax return, regardless of whether they are included in the parents’ household size question 77

Section 5 2015 Additional Financial Information The student will be asked to report if his or her parents received or paid any of the following items in 2015. Check all that apply and provide amounts. · · · American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning tax credits Child support paid Taxable earnings from Work-study, Assistantships, or Fellowships Taxable grant and scholarship aid reported to the IRS Combat pay or special combat pay Cooperative education program earnings 78

Section 5 2015 Parent Untaxed Income · The student will be asked to report if his or her parents had any untaxed income in 2015. Check all that apply. Some examples of the most common items are: · Payments to tax-deferred pension and savings plans such as 401 K · IRA deductions, and payments to self-employed SEP and Keogh · Child support received · Tax exempt interest income · Housing, food and other living allowances paid to members of the military and clergy 79

Section 5 Parent Asset Information Parents may be asked to report their assets as of the day they complete the FOTW if amounts exceed those shown in the question on the FOTW. If so: · · Parent(s) must list the net value of their assets as of the day they complete the FOTW 0 If net worth is zero, enter 0 NOTE: Some financial aid offices may request supporting documentation for the answers to these questions 80

Section 5 Parent Assets � If asked, students should report the current balances of their parents’ cash, savings, and checking accounts as of the day they complete the FOTW � They may also be asked to provide information about the net value of parent investments such as real estate, rental property, money market and mutual funds, stocks, bonds and other securities � In addition, they may be asked questions about the net value of parent businesses and investment farms � They should not include the home in which they live, the value of life insurance and retirement plans, or the value of a family-owned and controlled small business 81

Section 5 STUDENT INFORMATION

Section 5 Student Financial Information �Student questions in Section 5 are identical to the parent financial questions we covered �If the student is married, also report spouse’s income and assets �The questions in Section 5 also ask: �Which 2015 federal tax return the student filed or will file �The student’s 2015 Adjusted Gross Income, if filing a tax return, and earnings from work as well as untaxed income and assets 83

Section 5 – Student Information (Independent Students) �There are questions in Section 5 that the student will be asked only if he/she checked at least one “Yes” response in Section 3 – Dependency Status 84

Section 5 – Student Household Size (Independent Students) �Student Household Size �Include in student’s household: �the student and the student’s spouse (if married) �the student’s dependent children, if the student provides more than half their support �other people, if they now live with the student and will continue to do so from 7/1/16 through 6/30/17, and if the student provides more than half their support now, and will continue to provide that level of support from 7/1/16 through 6/30/17 85

Section 5 – Student Number in College (Independent Students) �Student Number in College �Count the student even if the student will attend college less than half-time in 2016 -2017 �Report others if included in the previous student household size question only if they will attend at least half-time in 2016 -2017 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate 86

Section 5 - Student Dislocated Worker (Independent Students) �A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she: � lost his/her job � has been laid off or received a layoff notice � is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or is losing a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation � is self-employed but is unemployed due to economic conditions or natural disaster � is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces and has experienced a loss of employment because of relocating due to permanent change in duty station � is a displaced homemaker � A displaced homemaker is generally a person who previously provided unpaid services to the family (e. g. , a stay-at-home mom or dad), is no longer supported by the husband or wife, is unemployed, and is having trouble finding or upgrading employment 87

Section 5 – Student Household Federal Benefits (Independent Students) �Indicate if the student, his/her spouse, or anyone in the student’s household received benefits in 2014 or 2015 from any of the federal programs listed �Supplemental Security Income (SSI) �Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) �Free or Reduced Price (School) Lunch �Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) �Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) �None of the above 88

Section 6 SIGN AND SUBMIT

Section 6 Student Signature Page · Sign and Submit · Recommend that students and their parents sign the FAFSA electronically using their FSA IDs · Remember to read and mark “Agree” to the student Terms of Agreement What is your (the student’s) ID? I Forgot/Don’t Know MY ID 90

Section 6 Parent Signature Page · Sign and Submit · Recommend that one custodial parent signs the FAFSA electronically using his/her FSA ID · Remember to read and mark “Agree” to the Terms of Agreement · Parent(s) without Social Security Numbers · Click on “Other options to sign and submit” for Paper Signature Page 91

Section 7 CONFIRMATION

Section 7 Confirmation 2016 -2017 Confirmation Page · Confirms date and time of submission of the FOTW to the U. S. Department of Education · Shows · Expected Family Contribution (EFC) · Estimated Federal Pell Grant and Federal Stafford Loan eligibility · List of schools to receive FAFSA data 93

Go to www. fafsa. ed. gov to complete and submit your application. For more information on federal student aid, visit www. Student. Aid. gov You can also talk with your college’s financial aid office about other types of student aid that may be available 94

Special Circumstances � Contact the Financial Aid Office if there are circumstances which affect a family’s ability to pay for college such as: �Loss or reduction in parent or student income or assets �Death or serious illness �Natural disasters affecting parent income or assets such as the recent California wind storms, wild fires, floods, or mudslides �Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance �Reduction in child support, Social Security benefits or other untaxed benefit �Financial responsibility for elderly grandparents, or �Any other unusual circumstances that affect a family’s ability to contribute to higher education 95

Application Filing Tips FAFSA on the Web � Gather necessary documents ahead of time � Complete a FAFSA on the Web available at: www. fafsa. ed. gov � Allow ample time to complete the online FOTW application for submission by the deadline � Check the FAFSA on the Web for accuracy prior to submission � Save all work periodically � Sign the application using student’s and one custodial parent’s FSA IDs � Print and keep a copy of the FAFSA before submitting data � Print and keep a copy of the Submission Confirmation Page 96

Student Aid Report (SAR) �After the student completes the FAFSA on the Web, a SAR will be sent to the student �An electronic SAR Acknowledgement will be sent if student provides an e-mail address �A paper SAR will be mailed if no student e-mail address is provided �An electronic copy of the data will be sent to each college or university listed by the student in Section 2 �Keep a copy of the SAR with other financial aid documents 97

What Happens Next? Students and the colleges the student listed receive Student Aid Report (SAR) from federal processor ê Students who complete FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form receive California Aid Report (CAR) ê Students and families review SAR and CAR for important information and accuracy of data ê Colleges match admission records with FAFSA and other required financial aid forms to determine aid eligibility ê Colleges provide notices of financial aid eligibility to admitted students who have completed all required financial aid forms 98

Federal Verification � Some students may be required to verify the information reported on the FAFSA � If selected for verification, the tax information of federal tax filers will be verified through � The IRS Data Retrieval Process, or � IRS Tax transcripts if requested by the college or university � Non-tax filers selected for verification may be asked to provide � Signed statements confirming that they did not file a 2015 federal tax return and were not required by IRS to do so � Copies of W-2 s or other income documentation from each employer , if any income was earned from work � All selected aid applicants will also be asked to verify certain demographic data listed such as � Household size and number in college � Child Support paid and SNAP, if reported on the FAFSA � Enrollment History for transfer students � Identity Confirmation 99

Check Your Cal Grant By opening a Web. Grants Account a student can: �Check Cal Grant award status 24/7 �Confirm student’s high school graduation as required �Make changes to Cal Grant school choices �View how much a Cal Grant is worth at different California colleges and universities �View Cal Grant payment history �Create a Web. Grants account at: www. webgrants 4 students. org 100

Summary of the Financial Aid Process �Submit all required forms, including the FAFSA, by each college’s published deadlines (but no later than March 2) �By March 2, submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form �Keep a copy of all forms submitted �Review the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) Acknowledgement or the paper SAR sent to the student �Review the California Aid Report (CAR) �Watch for financial aid award notifications from colleges to which the student has been admitted �Be sure to apply for financial aid this year and every year as soon as possible after January 1 to receive the best financial aid award possible ASK QUESTIONS! 101

If You Need Help at Any Time � FAFSA on the Web – Live Help � Phone 1 -800 -4 -FED-AID -800 -433 -3243) � Email the U. S. Department of Education at: (1 Federal. Student. Aid. Customer. Service@ed. gov 102

Must-Have, Comprehensive Resource �Increase eligibility for student aid �Avoid common errors �Complete the form quickly, easily and accurately �Free download at www. edvisors. com/fafsabook