Changes ahead for student loans




Changes take effect in the coming week in a federal program that helps students in Port Aransas and elsewhere pay for college, said Danny Welch, counselor at Port Aransas High School.

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the primary form that the federal government, states and colleges use to award grants, scholarships, work study and student loans, according to the website Nerdwallet.

The changes will impact millions of students.

“Every senior that applies for financial aid uses FAFSA,” said Welch.

Students getting ready to go off to college can find the FAFSA application form at fafsa.ed.gov.

The following two FAFSA changes take effect this year, according to Welch:

• The form for each year will become available three months earlier than it had previously — in October instead of January. Applicants can access the FAFSA for the 2017-18 school year on Oct. 1. This better aligns the financial aid and college application processes and gives students more time to apply for aid.

• Families can use their 2015 tax information to complete the form instead of 2016 information to complete the 2017-18 form. This allows families to file the FAFSA before they file their previous year’s taxes.

The changes were announced last September by President Obama.

Please call Welch at 361- 749-1203 if you have any questions.



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