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>> WELCOME TO THE "SEVEN EASY STEPS TO THE FAFSA--
"A STUDENT'S GUIDE TO THE FREE APPLICATION
"FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID."
THIS GUIDE IS MEANT TO HELP YOU COMPLETE THE 2012-2013 FAFSA
IN SEVEN CLEAR AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND STEPS.
WE RECOMMEND YOU CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL AID OFFICE
WITH ANY QUESTIONS NOT ANSWERED BY THIS TUTORIAL.
YOU WILL HEAR US REFER TO THE "HELP AND HINTS" BOX
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
THIS CAN BE A VALUABLE TOOL
IN ANSWERING ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE DURING OR AFTER WATCHING THIS TUTORIAL
THE FAFSA APPLICATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.FAFSA.GOV.
BEFORE COMPLETING THE FAFSA,
YOU AND YOUR PARENTS, IF APPLICABLE,
SHOULD REGISTER FOR A FEDERAL STUDENT AID PIN
AT WWW.PIN.ED.GOV.
YOUR PIN IS USED EACH YEAR TO ELECTRONICALLY APPLY
FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID
AND GET YOUR FEDERAL STUDENT AID RECORDS ONLINE.
YOUR PIN ALSO SERVES AS YOUR ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE.
SINCE IT PROVIDES ACCESS TO PERSONAL RECORDS,
YOU SHOULD NEVER SHARE YOUR PIN WITH ANYONE.
TO COMPLETE YOUR 2012-2013 FAFSA,
YOU WILL NEED YOUR PIN NUMBER, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER,
DRIVER'S LICENSE IF YOU HAVE ONE,
YOUR 2011 FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN,
AS WELL AS CURRENT BANK RECORDS AND ANY INVESTMENT IN YOUR NAME.
IF YOU ARE REQUIRED TO INCLUDE YOUR PARENTS' INFORMATION
ON THE FAFSA, YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE THEIR PIN NUMBER,
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, 2011 TAX RETURN INFORMATION,
AND ANY INFORMATION REGARDING UNTAXED INCOME RECEIVED IN 2011,
AS WELL AS CURRENT BANK STATEMENTS
AND STATEMENTS FOR ANY INVESTMENTS IN THEIR NAME.
IF YOU ARE A FIRST-TIME FAFSA FILER,
YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE ALL NECESSARY FIELDS
ON THE FAFSA, BUT IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED A FAFSA,
THE RENEWAL OPTION
WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE CERTAIN INFORMATION PRE-FILLED,
WHICH WILL EXPEDITE THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
PLEASE NOTE GRCC DEADLINES FOR FAFSA FILE COMPLETION
ARE PUBLISHED ONLINE FOR EACH SEMESTER.
FILING FAR IN ADVANCE OF THE DEADLINE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
NOTE IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO ESTIMATE INCOME
ON YOUR INITIAL FAFSA AND THEN UPDATE THE INFORMATION
WHEN YOUR TAX RETURN HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE I.R.S.
THE FAFSA APPLICATION PROCESS IS FREE OF COST
AND YOU SHOULD NEVER PAY TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID
OR SCHOLARSHIPS.
BE WARY OF WEBSITES OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT CHARGE A FEE
TO ASSIST YOU WITH THE FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION PROCESS.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE FAFSA,
HERE ARE A FEW TIPS
THAT COULD MAKE COMPLETING THE FAFSA MUCH EASIER.
IT CAN SOMETIMES BE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHO QUALIFIES AS A "PARENT"
ON THE FAFSA IF YOUR PARENTS ARE DIVORCED OR SEPARATED.
THE PARENT WHOM YOU'VE LIVED WITH THE MOST
DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS
IS THE PARENT RESPONSIBLE FOR FILLING OUT THE FAFSA.
IF THE PARENT RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING THE FAFSA IS RE-MARRIED,
YOUR STEPPARENT MUST ALSO REPORT
THEIR INCOME AND ASSETS.
PLEASE APPLY EARLY.
YOU CAN ESTIMATE ALL INCOME INFORMATION ON THE FAFSA
AND THEN REVISE THE INFORMATION UPON COMPLETION
OF YOUR FEDERAL TAX RETURN.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO A DEADLINE TO FILE YOUR FAFSA.
ALSO, BEGINNING FEBRUARY 1, 2012,
YOU CAN USE THE I.R.S. DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL ON THE FAFSA
TO AUTOMATICALLY IMPORT OFFICIAL I.R.S. INFORMATION
FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR PARENTS.
ENTER YOUR NAME ON THE FAFSA EXACTLY AS IT APPEARS
ON YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD.
DOUBLE-CHECK ALL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS,
ALIEN REGISTRATION NUMBERS,
AND DATES OF BIRTH TO ENSURE THEY ARE ENTERED CORRECTLY.
INCORRECT INFORMATION CAN RESULT IN DELAYS
OR EVEN CAUSE YOUR FAFSA TO BE REJECTED.
THE FAFSA CAN BE CONFUSING AND FRUSTRATING,
BUT THERE IS PLENTY OF HELP AVAILABLE.
YOUR FINANCIAL AID OFFICE IS AN EXCELLENT PLACE
TO HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ANSWERED.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING
"SEVEN EASY STEPS TO THE FAFSA."
TO GET STARTED, ACCESS THE MAIN FAFSA PAGE AT WWW.FAFSA.GOV.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A .GOV WEBSITE,
AND THEN CLICK "START HERE."
TO BEGIN, ENTER YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST NAME,
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, AND DATE OF BIRTH.
FOR AN EXTRA LEVEL OF SECURITY, YOU MAY USE THE VIRTUAL KEYBOARD
TO ENTER SENSITIVE INFORMATION.
YOU WILL THEN BE PROMPTED TO CHOOSE WHICH FAFSA
YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMPLETE.
THESE DIRECTIONS ARE DESIGNED FOR THE 2012-2013 FAFSA,
BEGINNING FOR THE FALL SEMESTER 2012.
NEXT, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO CREATE A PASSWORD.
THIS PASSWORD WILL ALLOW YOU TO SAVE YOUR APPLICATION
AND COME BACK TO IT, IF NECESSARY.
THE INTRODUCTION PAGE PROVIDES HELPFUL TOPICS
REGARDING THE FAFSA ON THE WEB PROCESS.
YOU MAY SELECT EACH TOPIC FOR DETAILED INFORMATION,
AND THEN, CLICK "NEXT."
YOU ARE NOW READY TO BEGIN STEP 1,
WHICH IS INFORMATION ABOUT YOU, THE STUDENT--
--EARNED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A G.E.D.
PRIOR TO BEGINNING COLLEGE.
IF YOU WILL NOT HAVE EARNED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR G.E.D.
PRIOR TO BEGINNING COLLEGE, YOU NEED TO SELECT "NONE OF THESE."
AND THAT ENDS STEP 1.
LET'S MOVE ON TO STEP 2 TO SELECT THE SCHOOLS
TO WHICH YOU'D LIKE YOUR FAFSA INFORMATION SENT.
IN SECTION NUMBER 2,
YOU WILL BE ASKED TO ENTER THE TITLE IV SCHOOL CODES
OF THE COLLEGES TO WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR FAFSA INFORMATION SENT.
YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD OR REMOVE COLLEGES LATER, IF NECESSARY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CODES HANDY,
YOU CAN USE THE SEARCH OPTION.
FOR EACH SCHOOL LISTED, YOU WILL NEED TO INDICATE
WHETHER YOU PLAN TO LIVE ON-CAMPUS, WITH YOUR PARENTS,
OR OFF-CAMPUS.
THIS SECTION OF THE FAFSA
WILL DETERMINE YOUR DEPENDENCY STATUS.
GENERALLY, IF YOU ARE UNDER 24, NOT MARRIED,
DO NOT HAVE DEPENDENT CHILDREN WHO LIVE WITH YOU
AND YOU SUPPORT A GREATER THAN 50 PERCENT,
OR HAVE NOT SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES,
YOU ARE CONSIDERED "DEPENDENT" FOR FINANCIAL AID PURPOSES.
STUDENTS UNDER 24 WHO HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE,
WHOSE PARENTS ARE DECEASED,
OR WHO WERE APPOINTED BY A STATE COURT
TO BE UNDER SOMEONE'S LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP
MAY BE CONSIDERED INDEPENDENT.
A "YES" ANSWER TO ANY OF THE DEPENDENCY QUESTIONS
QUALIFIES YOU AS AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT,
AND ALLOWS YOU TO SKIP THE "PARENT" SECTION.
IF YOU ARE MARRIED AS OF THE DATE YOU FILE YOUR FAFSA,
YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE YOUR SPOUSE'S INFORMATION
AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
KEEP IN MIND THAT GRCC MAY REQUEST DOCUMENTATION
TO VERIFY YOUR INDEPENDENT STATUS.
IF YOU ANSWER "NO" TO ALL OF THE DEPENDENCY QUESTIONS,
YOU ARE CONSIDERED A DEPENDENT STUDENT
AND WILL NEED TO PROVIDE YOUR PARENTS' INFORMATION.
SELECT "I WILL PROVIDE PARENT INFORMATION,"
AND YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE "PARENT" SECTION.
HOWEVER, IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT PREVENT YOU FROM PROVIDING PARENT INFORMATION,
YOU STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF SUBMITTING YOUR FAFSA
BY SELECTING "I AM UNABLE TO PROVIDE PARENT INFORMATION."
BUT IF YOU SELECT THIS OPTION,
YOUR FAFSA WILL BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE,
NO FAMILY CONTRIBUTION CAN BE CALCULATED,
AND GRCC MAY ASK YOU FOR FURTHER FOLLOW-UP.
STEP 4 IS ALL ABOUT YOUR PARENTS.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOUR PARENTS' MARITAL STATUS
AND THE DATE THIS STATUS BECAME EFFECTIVE.
REMEMBER, IF YOUR BIOLOGICAL PARENTS
ARE DIVORCED OR SEPARATED,
THE PARENT WHOM YOU LIVED WITH THE MOST
DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS
IS THE PARENT RESPONSIBLE FOR FILLING OUT THE FAFSA.
IF THAT PARENT HAS REMARRIED,
YOUR STEP-PARENT ALSO MUST REPORT HIS OR HER INFORMATION.
CONTINUE TO FILL OUT YOUR PARENTS' PERSONAL INFORMATION.
BE SURE TO CHECK THE ACCURACY TO AVOID PROCESSING DELAYS.
IF ONE OR BOTH OF YOUR PARENTS
DO NOT HAVE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, PLEASE ENTER ZEROES.
DO NOT LEAVE THEM BLANK.
YOUR PARENTS WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPTION
TO ENTER AN EMAIL ADDRESS.
IF THEY DO, THEY WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION
WHEN YOUR FAFSA IS PROCESSED.
NEXT, SELECT "YES" IF THIS IS YOUR PARENTS' STATE
OF LEGAL RESIDENCE, AND IF THEY HAVE LIVED THERE
FOR AT LEAST THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
IF YOU SELECT "NO," SPECIFY YOUR PARENTS' STATE
OF LEGAL RESIDENCE.
THEN, ENTER THE NUMBER OF FAMILY MEMBERS
IN YOUR PARENTS' HOUSEHOLD.
THE "HOUSEHOLD SIZE" WORKSHEET IS PROVIDED
TO HELP YOU DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS
CONSIDERED IN YOUR PARENTS' "HOUSEHOLD."
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR PARENTS, INCLUDING STEP-PARENTS,
YOURSELF, AND YOUR PARENTS' OTHER CHILDREN
IF YOUR PARENTS WILL PROVIDE MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR SUPPORT.
ALSO INCLUDE ANY OTHER PEOPLE IF THEY NOW LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS
AND YOUR PARENTS PROVIDE MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR SUPPORT.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED
THE NUMBER IN YOUR PARENTS' HOUSEHOLD,
SPECIFY HOW MANY OF THESE MEMBERS ARE ATTENDING COLLEGE
AT LEAST HALFTIME AND ARE WORKING TOWARDS A COLLEGE DEGREE
OR CERTIFICATION IN THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR.
ALWAYS COUNT YOURSELF IN THIS NUMBER,
BUT NEVER INCLUDE YOUR PARENTS,
EVEN IF THEY ARE ATTENDING COLLEGE.
TRY TO BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE,
BECAUSE GRCC MAY ASK YOU TO VERIFY THIS INFORMATION.
WE'LL COVER FINANCIAL INFORMATION NEXT.
OKAY, WE'RE READY FOR STEP 5.
IT'S BEST IF YOU AND YOUR PARENTS' 2011 FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURNS
ARE HANDY WHEN COMPLETING THIS SECTION.
BUT, IF YOU HAVEN'T FILED YOUR TAX RETURNS YET,
YOU CAN ESTIMATE NOW AND THEN UPDATE THE FAFSA LATER.
HERE, SELECT WHETHER OR NOT YOUR PARENTS HAVE COMPLETED
A 2011 FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN.
REMEMBER, YOU MAY STILL PROCEED,
EVEN IF INCOME TAX RETURNS ARE NOT YET FINALIZED.
JUST USE ESTIMATES FOR NOW AND UPDATE IT LATER.
AFTER FEBRUARY 1, 2012, IF YOU SELECT "YOUR PARENTS
"HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR 2011 FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN,"
YOU WILL BE PRESENTED WITH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS
THAT DETERMINE YOUR ELIGIBILITY
FOR THE NEW I.R.S. DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL.
IF YOU CHECK "NONE OF THE ABOVE,"
YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO "ENTER YOUR PIN"
AND "LINK DIRECTLY TO THE I.R.S."
YOUR I.R.S. DATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHIN ONE TO TWO WEEKS
WITHIN FILING YOUR TAXES ELECTRONICALLY
OR WITHIN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS IF YOU FILE A PAPER TAX RETURN.
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE THIS OPTION,
AS IT CAN BOTH SIMPLIFY THE APPLICATION PROCESS
AND MINIMIZE THE VERIFICATION DOCUMENTATION
THAT GRCC MAY ASK FOR LATER.
IF YOU CHOOSE I.R.S. DATA RETRIEVAL,
YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED THAT YOU ARE LEAVING THE FAFSA ON THE WEB.
CLICK "OKAY."
ON THE I.R.S. WEBSITE,
YOU WILL ENTER THEIR REQUESTED INFORMATION.
BE SURE YOU ENTER ALL INFORMATION
EXACTLY AS IT APPEARS ON YOUR TAX RETURN.
THEN, CLICK "SUBMIT."
ONCE THE I.R.S. HAS VALIDATED YOUR IDENTIFICATION,
YOUR I.R.S. TAX INFORMATION WILL DISPLAY.
CLICK "TRANSFER NOW."
THEN, RETURN TO THE FAFSA WEBSITE USING THE LINKS
THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE.
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
IF YOU TRANSFER YOUR I.R.S. TAX INFORMATION,
QUESTIONS THAT ARE POPULATED WITH TAX INFORMATION
WILL BE MARKED "TRANSFERRED FROM THE I.R.S."
DON'T ALTER THIS DATA.
IF YOU ARE SELECTED FOR VERIFICATION,
GRCC MAY CHOOSE TO USE UNALTERED INFORMATION
FOR VERIFICATION PURPOSES,
IN LIEU OF A TAX RETURN TRANSCRIPT.
THIS NEXT SCREEN WILL ASK YOU TO SPECIFY THE TYPE OF TAX RETURN
YOUR PARENTS FILED OR WILL BE FILING.
KEEP IN MIND THAT IF YOU USED THE I.R.S. DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL,
MANY FIELDS WILL ALREADY BE POPULATED.
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS REFER TO ITEMS
FOUND ON YOUR PARENTS' TAX RETURNS OR W-2s.
LINE ITEMS WILL DIFFER,
DEPENDING UPON THE TYPE OF TAX RETURN THAT YOUR PARENTS USED.
LET'S GO THROUGH AN EXAMPLE.
THIS QUESTION ASKS FOR PARENTS' ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME,
OR THEIR "A.G.I."
DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF RETURN YOUR PARENTS FILED,
THE INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
IF YOUR PARENTS FILED A 1040,
THEIR A.G.I. WILL BE FOUND ON LINE 36.
IF THEY FILED A 1040A, YOU'LL FIND THE A.G.I. ON LINE 21.
IF THEY FILED A 1040EZ, IT WILL BE ON LINE 4.
THE NEXT QUESTION ON THE FAFSA
ASKS FOR THE AMOUNT OF YOUR PARENTS' WAGES IN 2011.
THIS INFORMATION CAN MOST COMMONLY BE FOUND
ON YOUR PARENTS' W-2 FORMS
THAT THEY RECEIVED BY THEIR EMPLOYERS
AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
NEXT, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO INDICATE
YOUR PARENTS' DISLOCATED WORKER STATUS.
A DISLOCATED WORKER IS SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST HIS OR HER JOB,
HAS BEEN LAID OFF, HAS RECEIVED A LAY-OFF NOTICE,
OR IS RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
THIS STATUS ALSO INCLUDES PARENTS WHO ARE SELF-EMPLOYED,
BUT WHO HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED DUE TO ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
OR NATURAL DISASTERS, OR ARE DISPLACED HOMEMAKERS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, JUST REFER TO "HELP AND HINTS."
YOU MAY ALSO BE ASKED TO SPECIFY WHETHER YOUR PARENTS
OR ANYONE IN YOUR PARENTS' HOUSEHOLD
RECEIVED FEDERAL BENEFITS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT S.S.I., OR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME,
IS NOT THE SAME AS SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.
S.S.I. IS GENERALLY PAID TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
DEPENDING UPON YOUR ANSWERS TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS,
YOU MAY BE ASKED WHETHER YOUR PARENTS ARE ELIGIBLE
TO FILE A 1040A OR A 1040EZ.
PARENTS WHO ARE SELF-EMPLOYED, ITEMIZE DEDUCTIONS,
OR MAKE OVER $100,000 ARE GENERALLY NOT ELIGIBLE
TO FILE A 1040A OR A 1040EZ.
IF YOU'RE UNSURE, IT'S OKAY-- JUST SELECT "DON'T KNOW."
CONTINUE TO FILL IN YOUR PARENTS' TAX RETURN INFORMATION
ON THIS NEXT SCREEN.
BE AWARE, PEOPLE COMMONLY REPORT THEIR INCOME TAX AMOUNT INCORRECTLY.
IF YOUR PARENTS FILED A 1040,
THE AMOUNT THEY PAID IN INCOME TAX
WILL BE FOUND ON LINE 55.
IF THEY FILED AT 1040A, INCOME TAX WILL BE ON LINE 35.
LASTLY, IF THEY FILED AT 1040EZ,
THE INCOME TAX WILL BE ON LINE 10.
THIS QUESTION ASKS FOR YOUR PARENTS' ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
AND ANNUAL UNTAXED INCOME.
MAKE SURE YOU READ EACH LINE CAREFULLY
AND USE THE ANNUAL AMOUNTS FROM 2011.
ONLY REPORT CHILD SUPPORT PAID FOR CHILDREN
NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
PAYMENTS TO TAX-DEFERRED PENSION AND SAVING PLANS
ARE FOUND ON BOX 12 OF YOUR PARENTS' W-2s.
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED
IN THE "HELP AND HINTS" BOX.
LET'S GO THROUGH JUST A COUPLE MORE EXAMPLES.
FOR THE I.R.A. DEDUCTIONS, ADD BOX 28 AND 32,
IF YOUR PARENTS FILED AT 1040,
OR USE LINE 17 IF THEY FILED A 1040A.
FOR TAX EXEMPT INTEREST,
USE LINE 8B WHETHER THEY FILED A 1040 OR THE 1040A.
THESE QUESTIONS ARE NOT FOUND ON YOUR PARENTS' TAX RETURN.
YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS NOW IF THEY RECEIVE CHILD SUPPORT,
LIVING ALLOWANCES, VETERANS NON-EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS,
OR OTHER UNTAXED INCOME SUCH AS WORKERS COMPENSATION
OR DISABILITY.
MAKE SURE NOT TO INCLUDE ANY OTHER UNTAXED INCOME.
YOU MAY THEN BE ASKED IF YOUR PARENTS' ASSETS EXCEED
A SPECIFIC AMOUNT.
THE AMOUNT IS DETERMINED BY THE OTHER INFORMATION
YOU PREVIOUSLY ENTERED
AND WILL DIFFER FROM STUDENT TO STUDENT.
IF YOU ANSWER "YES," YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION
ABOUT YOUR PARENTS ASSETS.
THE AMOUNT YOU REPORT SHOULD REFLECT THE VALUE
AS OF THE DAY YOU FILE YOUR FAFSA.
REPORT THE TOTAL CURRENT BALANCE OF ALL CASH, SAVINGS,
AND CHECKING ACCOUNTS HELD BY YOUR PARENTS.
YOU WILL ALSO BE ASKED THE NET WORTH
OF YOUR PARENTS' CURRENT INVESTMENTS.
INVESTMENTS INCLUDE REAL ESTATE OWNED OTHER THAN THE HOME
OF YOUR PARENTS, TRUST FUNDS, MONEY MARKETS, MUTUAL FUNDS,
STOCKS, BONDS, AND C.D.s.
PARENT INVESTMENTS ALSO INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS,
SUCH AS THE 529 COLLEGE SAVINGS PLANS,
EVEN IF THEY ARE UNDER THE STUDENT'S NAME.
DO NOT INCLUDE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME YOUR PARENTS LIVE IN,
LIFE INSURANCE, OR QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS.
IN THIS LAST QUESTION, REPORT THE NET WORTH
OF YOUR PARENTS' BUSINESS OR FARM.
PLEASE CHECK THE HELPFUL "HINTS" FOR THESE QUESTIONS.
WE'VE NOW COVERED YOUR PARENTS' FINANCIAL INFORMATION
AND WE WILL MOVE ONTO YOURS.
THIS FIRST QUESTION ASKS YOU TO SPECIFY IF YOU HAVE
OR WILL COMPLETE A 2011 FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN.
IF YOU HAVE COMPLETED AN INCOME TAX RETURN,
YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO USE THE I.R.S. DATA RETRIEVAL.
THE NEXT SCREEN WILL ASK YOU WHAT TYPE OF RETURN
YOU HAVE OR WILL FILE.
IF YOU SELECTED "WILL FILE,"
YOU CAN ESTIMATE YOUR INCOME INFORMATION NOW,
AND THEN UPDATE YOUR FAFSA LATER.
IF YOU WILL NOT FILE A TAX RETURN BUT WORKED IN 2011,
YOU WILL STILL NEED TO PROVIDE YOUR W-2 INFORMATION.
HOWEVER, IF YOU DID NOT EARN ANY WAGES IN 2011
AND DID NOT RECEIVE A W-2, SIMPLY ENTER A ZERO.
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS REFER TO ITEMS FOUND ON YOUR TAX RETURN.
LINE NUMBERS WILL DIFFER,
DEPENDING UPON THE TYPE OF TAX RETURN YOU FILED.
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS
PROVIDED IN "HELP AND HINTS,"
AND PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE LINE NUMBERS.
THIS QUESTION ASKS FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ON UNTAXED INCOME.
MAKE SURE YOU READ EACH LINE CAREFULLY
AND USE THE ANNUAL AMOUNTS FROM 2011.
CHECK ALL THAT APPLY AND PROVIDE THE ANNUAL AMOUNTS.
REMEMBER, LINE NUMBERS WILL DIFFER DEPENDING UPON
THE TYPE OF TAX RETURN FILED,
SO BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS
PROVIDED IN THE "HELP AND HINTS" SECTION.
YOU SHOULD REPORT LIVING ALLOWANCES,
VETERANS NON-EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS,
AND OTHER UNTAXED INCOME SUCH AS WORKERS COMPENSATION
OR DISABILITY, AND ANY MONEY RECEIVED OR PAID ON YOUR BEHALF.
BE SURE TO NOT INCLUDE OTHER UNTAXED INCOME.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO YOUR ASSET INFORMATION.
THE AMOUNTS REPORTED SHOULD REFLECT VALUES
AS OF THE DAY YOU FILE YOUR FAFSA.
REPORT THE TOTAL CURRENT BALANCE OF YOUR CASH, SAVINGS,
AND CHECKING ACCOUNTS.
THIS NEXT QUESTION ASKS FOR THE NET WORTH
OF YOUR CURRENT INVESTMENTS.
PLEASE CHECK THE "HELP AND HINTS" BOX,
AND YOU'LL FIND OUT THE ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION.
OKAY, THE MOST DIFFICULT PART IS ALL OVER.
LET'S CONTINUE ON TO STEP 6 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SIGNING
AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUBMITTING YOUR FAFSA.
STEP 6 IS REALLY SHORT.
IF YOU ARE THE STUDENT, THE SPOUSE, OR THE PARENT,
YOU SHOULD ANSWER "NO" TO THIS QUESTION.
ONLY THE SOMEONE COMPLETING THE FAFSA ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT
AND PARENT SHOULD ANSWER "YES" TO THIS QUESTION.
THAT WOULD BE LIKE A PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
OR SOMEBODY COMPLETING THE FAFSA FOR YOU.
NOW, IT'S TIME TO SIGN YOUR FAFSA.
THIS IS THE SECTION WHERE YOU WILL ADD YOUR PIN.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR PIN OR IF YOU FORGOT IT,
YOU CAN CLICK "APPLY FOR A PIN"
OR "I FORGOT-- I DON'T KNOW MY PIN."
AFTER YOU ENTER YOUR PIN, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO CERTIFY
TO THE TERMS SPECIFIED AND AGREED
TO PROVIDE ANY AND ALL INFORMATION TO GRCC
IN ORDER TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE FAFSA.
IF YOU AGREE TO THESE TERMS, SELECT "I AGREE."
YOU WILL THEN BE ASKED TO SPECIFY HOW YOUR PARENTS
WILL SIGN THE FAFSA IF YOUR PARENT INFORMATION
WAS USED ON THE FAFSA.
IF YOUR PARENTS CHOOSE TO SIGN ELECTRONICALLY,
THEY WILL ENTER THEIR PIN NUMBER HERE.
REMEMBER, SIGNING ELECTRONICALLY WILL ENSURE
THE TIMELY PROCESSING OF YOUR FAFSA.
WE RECOMMEND YOU REVIEW YOUR FAFSA SUMMARY
TO BE SURE THE INFORMATION YOU ARE ABOUT TO SUBMIT IS ACCURATE.
ONCE YOU HAVE REVIEWED YOUR APPLICATION,
SIMPLY CLICK "SUBMIT MY FAFSA NOW."
AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR FAFSA, YOU WILL GET A CONFIRMATION PAGE.
WE SUGGEST YOU PRINT OUT THIS PAGE FOR YOUR RECORDS.
ONCE YOUR FAFSA IS PROCESSED,
YOUR STUDENT AID REPORT WILL BE SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS
PROVIDED IN THE FAFSA IN ABOUT A WEEK.
IF YOU DID NOT PROVIDE AN EMAIL ADDRESS,
A PAPER STUDENT AID REPORT WILL BE MAILED TO THE ADDRESS
PROVIDED ON THE FAFSA,
WHICH COULD TAKE UP TO SIX WEEKS.
ALSO, REMEMBER,
IF YOU USED ESTIMATES TO YOUR FINANCIAL INFORMATION,
YOU'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO LOG BACK INTO THE FAFSA
TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION AFTER YOU AND YOUR PARENTS
HAVE FILED YOUR TAXES.
THE I.R.S. DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL IS THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THIS,
AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN JUST A COUPLE WEEKS
AFTER ELECTRONICALLY FILING YOUR TAX RETURN.
REMEMBER TO CONTACT GRCC FINANCIAL AID OFFICE
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THE GRCC WEBSITE CONTAINS MANY IMPORTANT DETAILS
ON FINANCIAL AID POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
YOUR ONLINE STUDENT CENTER WILL BE A RESOURCE
TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATES ON ANY INFORMATION
NEEDED FROM THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE.
YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR "TO DO" LIST
ON YOUR ONLINE STUDENT CENTER FREQUENTLY.
THE PROCESSING OF FAFSAs AT GRCC FOR THE 2012-2013 ACADEMIC YEAR
WILL BEGIN MID-FEBRUARY 2012.