Are You Ready For "Early FAFSA" Starting October 2016? 2017-2018 FAFSA ® What You Need to Know May 3, 2016 U.S. Department of Education
Topics 1. 2. 3. 4.
2
2017-18 FAFSA Updates FSA ID and Other Changes Outreach Plan for 2017-18 FAFSA Outreach Resources
2017-18 FAFSA Changes
3
2017-18 FAFSA Changes Change #1: Earlier FAFSA Launch • •
2017-18 FAFSA available Oct. 1, 2016, at fafsa.gov Change to October 1 launch will be permanent
Change #2: Earlier Income Info Required • •
4
2015 tax/income information required IRS Data Retrieval Tool available at time of launch
Benefits of FAFSA Changes Benefit #1: Alignment Many college application deadlines occur in the fall Alignment of FAFSA availability = less confusion
• •
Benefit #2: Certainty No need to estimate tax information IRS Data Retrieval Tool available at launch Earlier receipt of Expected Family Contribution (helps with assessing net costs)
• • •
Benefit #3: Less Pressure More time before (most) state and school financial aid deadlines More time to compare school offers before College Signing Day
• •
5
2017-18 FAFSA Changes
6
Important Dates • 2017-18 FAFSA on the Web available (10/1/16) • IRS Data Retrieval Tool available (10/1/16) • Student Aid Report distribution begins (10/3/16)
7
Enhanced FAFSA Instructions • Which FAFSA should you complete? • For which tax year should you report income and tax information? • What should you do when your current marital status doesn’t match the way you filed your tax return? • Why should you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool? • How do you know if you are or were in foster care?
8
Myths and Helpful Hints v We are asking colleges to package financial aid earlier. FALSE • Discretion is left to each individual institution. v The new FAFSA should be called “Prior-Prior FAFSA.” FALSE • The upcoming FAFSA should be marketed as the “17-18 FAFSA.” Students will not actually be using prior-prior tax information if they are filing between October and December 2016.
v All state deadlines are changing. FALSE • Very few states have indicated, thus far, that they are moving their deadlines. Discretion is left to each individual state.
9
10
FSA ID and Other Changes
11
Other FAFSA Changes • FSA ID • Printed FAFSA availability • Addition of Medicaid to FAFSA questions 75 & 97 • Sharing the college list with state grant agencies
12
13
FSA ID: Needed for FAFSA.gov
14
15
Federal Student Aid YouTube Video
16
Frequently Asked FSA ID Questions •
Do I need an email to create an FSA ID? •
•
What if I try to sign my FAFSA with an FSA ID and I get an error message? •
•
•
Your name must be typed exactly how it appears on your social security card on your FSA ID profile and FAFSA. Verify your name is spelled the exact same way in each place and make sure your DOB and SSN is correct as well.
Do I need a SSN to create an FSA ID? •
•
No, an email is not required to create an FSA ID, but it highly recommended.
Yes, and your SSN, name, and DOB must all match with the Social Security Administration.
Can I still complete the FAFSA without an FSA ID? Yes, you can print the signature page and mail it in.
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ FSA ID Advanced Placement
18
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ You must wait one to three days for your Social Security match before you can submit an original FAFSA® a) TRUE b) FALSE
19
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ You must wait one to three days after creating your FSA ID for your Social Security match before you can submit an original FAFSA®
FALSE You can create, sign and submit a new FAFSA® immediately after creating an FSA ID
20
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ You must verify your e-mail before you can use your FSA ID a) b)
TRUE FALSE
21
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ You must verify your e-mail before you can use your FSA ID
FALSE You are not required to verify your e-‐mail in order to use your FSA ID
22
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ Once you create an FSA ID, you can never update or change your contact information, e-mail address, challenge questions or username and password a) b)
TRUE FALSE
23
FSA ID – AP ‘Exam’ Once you create an FSA ID, you can never update or change your contact information, e-mail address, challenge questions or username and password FALSE Logging on to the ‘Edit My FSA ID’ tab allows you to update all of this information, verify your e-‐mail address, and check your SSA Match!
24
Outreach Plan for 2017-18 FAFSA
25
2017-18 FAFSA Outreach Plan FSA will provide counselors and mentors with: 1. Language on the 2017-18 FAFSA that can be shared with students and parents via emails, newsletters, etc. The language will focus on the availability of the 2017-18 FAFSA on October 1 and the use of 2015 tax information for the FAFSA. In addition, the language will contain information on securing an FSA ID over the summer 2. A suggested calendar/timeline for outreach efforts 3. A calendar of when FSA resources re: the 2017-18 FAFSA will be available on www.FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov 26
High Level Outreach Plan
Engage:
Increase Fluency:
Let y ou k now we’ve got tools and resources ready now to s upport your needs.
HS & College Students, Parents, Adults:
Partners
1 strategic campaign. 2 core audiences. 3 phases.
Provide education materials about 2017–18 FAFSA and any c hanges t hat impact y our students/clients.
Increase Awareness: Drive awareness of f inancial aid and FSA ID over t he s ummer while students/parents are planning f or college.
27
Arm You: Continue to listen and provide y ou with materials t o s upport y our outreach about t he 2017–18 FAFSA and financial aid.
Prepare Them for the FAFSA: Keep federal student aid t op of mind.
Drive FAFSA Submissions: Starting Oct.1, promote t hat FAFSA is now available and increase t he s ense of urgency t o f ill out t he FAFSA for financial aid.
High Level Outreach Plan May/early June: Prep for the fall! Tell rising seniors to get FSA IDs (full info: StudentAid.gov/fsaid) & research colleges September: Hold financial aid night • Remind students and parents about the FSA ID • Explain FAFSA is coming soon & importance of filling it out promptly
October: Hold FAFSA completion event • Provide hands-on help filling out FAFSA • Explain what happens next
November - April: Help students interpret/compare aid offers • Emphasize importance of meeting deadlines set by colleges • Remind students to check e-mail 28
Outreach Resources
29
Materials & Resources for Outreach FAFSA: FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov/fafsa Resources: FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov/resources FAFSA Changes: FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov/fafsa-changes • • • • • •
30
Talking points Table of FAFSA launch dates and tax years Fact sheets for counselors and parents & college students Outreach calendar PowerPoint presentations Information about upcoming webinars
FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov
31
Connect With Us!
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
YOUTUBE
Federal Student Aid
@FAFSA
Federal Student Aid
www.facebook.com/FederalStudentAid
32
www.twitter.com/FAFSA
www.youtube.com/FederalStudentAid
Federal Student Information Center (FSAIC) FSAIC can answer questions via: o E-mail o Live Chat o Toll Free Hotline
1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) Monday through Friday 8:00a.m. – 11:00p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday 11:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. ET 33
2016 FSA Webinar Series
Online registration is available at: http://fsaregistration.ed.gov/d/vfqcw2 34
Ordering Publications • Order publications from FSA Pubs: www.FSAPubs.gov
35
FAFSA Demo Site Use the FAFSA demo site as a learning tool for yourself, training for staff, and/or as a part of a presentation for students and parents. The 2017- 2018 version will be available by the end of September 2016.
36
Thank You! Thank you for attending! Please feel free to contact me at
[email protected] with any additional questions or to be added to our database.
38