Wednesday, September 3, 2008
New legislation intended to simplify the financial aid application process could mean a revised FAFSA application form for some KU students — but it won’t be soon, it won’t be widely available, and it may not even be simple.
The 1,200-page Higher Education Act reauthorization bill, recently signed into law by President Bush, includes a provision for the “EZ FAFSA,” modeled after simplified versions of the IRS’s 1-4- income tax form.
The current FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is five pages long and deals mostly with the income of the applicant or the applicant’s family.
Todd Cohen, director of University Relations, said the form’s length might have had an intimidating effect on lower-income and first-generation students. He said he could empathize with the anxiety caused by the form’s complexity.
“It’s comparable to filling out tax forms,” Cohen said. “You don’t want to miss out on something just by virtue of a simple clerical error.”
Though the proposed revised form would be three pages shorter, critics of the proposal said the legislation’s approach was doomed from the outset because determining whether someone was eligible to use the EZ FAFSA would be as confusing as the FAFSA itself.
According to Christina Satkowski and Stephen Burd of the New America Foundation, a nonpartisan public policy think tank and media watchdog, the very process of determining eligibility for the EZ FAFSA is too complex.
In an article recently published on NAF’s Web site, Satkowski and Burd said eligibility would be reserved for students “whose families earn less than $50,000 a year and either are not required to file the long version of the 1040 federal income tax return or receive certain means-tested benefits such as welfare payments or food stamps.”
Satkowski, a research associate with NAF, agreed that finding ways of simplifying the FAFSA was important. She said many applicants were not aware which version of the 1040 they were eligible to use.
According to Cohen, 24.3 percent of the University’s 5,474 incoming freshmen in Fall 2007 were from families that reported $50,000 or less in adjusted gross income.
Lauren Asher, Vice President of the Institute for College Access and Success in Berkeley, Calif., said though knowledge of IRS forms might be the Achilles heel of the EZ FAFSA concept, the IRS could offer a solution.
“If it’s difficult to figure out whether to use the 1040A or 1040EZ, it’s going to be just as difficult to figure out if you’re eligible for the EZ FAFSA,” Asher said. “Why not simplify the process by using IRS info to pre-populate the FAFSA? They’re basically asking you to tell them everything you’ve already told the IRS anyway.”
It will likely be several years before college students see the new form. According to Asher, now that the bill has been signed into law, the U.S. Department of Education must determine how to implement its regulations. This process will include holding public hearings on the legislation in three locations around the U.S., gathering public input, appointing a negotiation committee and reconciling any disagreements that may arise.
Further, the language in the Act indicates that the EZ FAFSA would be implemented only “after appropriate field testing” is complete, making a timeline for the new financial aid application process even more speculative.
“My concern,” Satkowski said, “is that, while well-intentioned, it’s going to create more, rather than less, complexity for low-income students.”
— Edited by Mark Sorrick
KU encourages early FAFSA filing
The Monday deadline encourages students to file early to get the most ...
Multiple options exist for students filing taxes
Affordable outside help is available for students concerned with filing taxes this ...
Free tax filing service for students
A national program helps students file taxes by offering free advice.
Students seek financial aid through FAFSA
Students can apply for loans through June 30.
Coalitions plan financial advising office
Plans will offer students opportunities to advise peers and get real-life experience ...
Business students gain real-life experience
Those enrolled in ‘Tax Research’ class present new form guidelines to community ...
Down the aisle before the hill
Tax season is here again
Brownback focuses on taxes in State of ...
The governor hopes to eliminate income tax to bring more businesses to ...
Students protest financial aid drug policy
Students who are convicted drug users may be unable to afford college. ...
Cain’s 9-9-9 Plan not ideal for students
Leading in the Republican polls, Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” tax plan is popular, ...
Cohen: Grim predictions reflect flaws in system
Difficulty in passing legislation complicated by partisan politics, checks and balances.
Politically correct: Columnists weigh in on cigarette ...
Cohen, Thompson and Compton discuss Gov. Parkinson's proposed tax increases.
Campus tutoring services help students succeed
Here are a few places where students can find affordable peer tutoring.
Evaluating presidential platforms
Obama and McCain differ on three major points during campaign.
Editorial: Brownback's tax plan is a step ...
The governor's tax plan increases taxes for lower income earners while decreasing ...
Students look for tax advice online and ...
The University of Kansas offers resources for students who need help filing ...
Nygaard: Buffett Rule not all it is ...
Recent legislation brings up questions about future of economy and exposed how ...
Regents propose $10 million in new financial ...
The program is a reaction to dramatic tuition increases and a lack ...
City debates approving a law to liberalize ...
City staff members are debating lowering the food sales threshold to 55 ...
GI Bill updates create problems
Some Kansas student veterans are having problems receiving their GI Bill benefits ...
Students have on-campus help filing taxes
Legal Services for Students and Student Union Activities team up as April ...
Letter to editor: Bill will help students
Loan programs to remain even if Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act ...
Regents have eventful meeting
A $5 million dollar approval for campus improvements was only one issue ...
Revised GI Bill could help schooling for ...
The bill’s benefits include cost of the most expensive public university and ...
State employees should see paychecks Friday
Gov. Sebelius signed bill to help state in budget crisis.
New rules could improve elections commission procedures
Past controversies have hurt the commission’s reputation, but a revision of the ...
State moves money to pay employees
Gov. Sebelius and legislators approved transfer of funds Wednesday.
Bill could mean financial aid overhaul
All future government loans would be offered as Federal Direct Loans.
Organizers recruit to show concern for coal ...
Great Plains Alliance for Clean Energy expect the bill to be vetoed ...
Editorial: Kansan editorial board endorses Renew KU
The Kansan editorial board supports the student body presidency of Casey Briner ...
Nygaard: Proposed changes to tax plan don't ...
Kansas law makers need to get their act together and choose a ...
Planned Parenthood now granted state license
Last-minute granting prevents Kansas from losing abortion provider.
Committee requests grade policy change
The current “WP” and “WF” policy may be reversed back to just ...
Student Senate delivers some platform promises, others ...
Did the Student Senate earn a passing grade for the platforms it ...
Task force to work with administration on ...
The Student Rights’ Committee formed finalized a task force to investigate the ...
Mangiaracina: Prostitution 21st century prohibition
Legalization of prostitution will help society.
Realignment means revision for fight song
Nebraska and Colorado's departure leaves no room for them in the KU ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID