Summer Pell Grants

Q: I am a college student and am thinking of taking classes during the summer. Can I receive financial aid if I choose to enroll in summer courses?

A: In 2017, Congress reinstated year-round Pell, which allows students to receive up to 150 percent of a regular grant award over the course of the academic year so that they can continue taking classes in the summer and finish their degrees faster than they would otherwise. In order to qualify you must have either have submitted a FAFSA for the 2017/2018 school year and been awarded a Pell grant or, if you did not submit a FAFSA, you can still submit the 2017/2018 application before June 30 of this year.

Depending on how many units you were enrolled in during the academic year, there may be minimum unit requirements. You should be aware that Pell grant used during the summer counts towards your federal 6-year maximum and so it would not be wise to take summer classes while receiving a Pell Grant that are not required for your degree.

It is recommended that you consult with your school’s financial aid office in order to determine exactly how much aid you would qualify for and what restrictions are in place based on your particular circumstances.

Minimum Income for Filing Taxes

Q: I am working with youth to ensure they file their income taxes before the April 17 tax filing deadline. What is the minimum income level after which an individual is required to file taxes?

A: Assuming the youth is single, those who make $10,400 and over are required to file a tax return for 2017. However, even if they do not meet the minimum required income, youth should consider filing taxes if they can get money back.  According to Efile.com, an individual can get money back for the following reasons:

• If they had taxes withheld from their pay, they must file a tax return to receive a tax refund.
• If they qualify, they must file a return to receive the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit.
• If they are claiming education credits, they must file to be refunded the American Opportunity Credit.
• If they have a qualifying child but owe no tax, they can file to be refunded the Additional Child Tax Credit.
• If they qualify, they must file to claim the refundable Health Coverage Tax Credit.
• If they overpaid estimated tax or applied a prior year overpayment to this year, they must file to receive the refund.

For assistance with filing taxes, please visit a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site near you.  You can find a site near you by visiting www.CalEITC4Me.org and using the Free Tax Prep Finder Tool, or call the IRS at 1-800-906-9887.

Foster Care Payments for NMDs

Q: When do foster care payments for non-minor dependents cease – the day the NMD turns 21 or at the end of their birthday month?

A: As of February 16, 2018, foster care payments for non-minor dependents (NMDs) will end no later than the day before their 21^st birthday. This is a change from the previous practice of the foster care payment covering the entire month during which the NMD turned 21.

Unless you hear otherwise from your county that they intend to use county-only funding to provide a full month’s payment, be aware that the payment will be pro-rated based on the number of days in the month that preceded the NMD’s 21^st birthday or preceded their juvenile court jurisdiction termination date (which in some cases may be set prior to their 21^st birthday).

Citation: California Department of Social Services, All County Letter 18-15 (February 16, 2008)

FAFSA Submission

Q: I am working with foster youth to complete their FAFSA by the March 2 deadline. How do we know it was successfully submitted and received?

A: The FAFSA form will be processed a few days after submission, and it will be indicated when you log back into FAFSA.

You can also make a correction by choosing “Make FAFSA Corrections,” or click to “View or Print your Student Aid Report (SAR).”

 

For additional resources on completing FAFSA, please review the Financial Aid Planning Guide.

Cal Grant Time Limits

Q: I was awarded a Cal Grant to attend community college, but my counselor is telling me I shouldn’t take the money because it could run out later. Could you explain why I wouldn’t want to accept this money?

A: Currently, the Cal Grant is available only for a maximum of four years of full-time enrollment at a community college, CSU, UC or private institution. At a community college, the grant provides up to $1,672 to cover non-tuition costs, such as books, housing and transportation. At a 4-year university, the money can also be used to pay for tuition costs and therefore provides significantly more: up to $7,414 for a student attending a CSU campus, $14,302 for students attending a UC campus and $10,756 for students enrolled at a qualifying private institution. If you utilize the funding while in community college, you run the risk of not having enough funds remaining when you transfer to a university and when the available benefit is significantly more.

It should also be noted, that this limitation would change if Senate Bill 940 passes. For foster youth specifically, the maximum time would be extended from four to eight years, allowing students to utilize the grant throughout their educational career. To support the passage of this bill, please consider sending in a letter of support as well as sign on to the budget request letter to expand Cal Grant access for foster youth. Support letters can be sent to Carolyn@jbay.org

Independent Status on FAFSA

Q: How do I know if I qualify for independent status on the FAFSA, and what exactly does it mean to be an independent student?

A: “Independent Status” on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) means that youth do not have to provide any information, including income and asset information, about their biological, adoptive, or foster parents (including relative or non-relative caregivers) or legal guardians in the Parent Demographics section. This will mean that parental contribution is not added into a student’s contribution to determine his or her Estimated Financial Contribution (EFC), the index number that determines how much a student can pay for education and how much financial aid students receive.

If any of the below applies to students, then they qualify as independent students on the FAFSA:

• Was an orphan, foster child, or ward/dependent of the court at any time since the age of 13
• Age 24 or older at any time before December 31^st of the award year
• Was determined at any time since July 1^st of award year to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless
• Is married as of the date student applies
• Will be a graduate or professional student when the award year starts
• Is currently serving on active duty for purposes other than training
• Is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Has dependents other than a spouse

Citation: U.S Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid, 2018-2019 Application and Verification Guide https://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1819FSAHbkAVG.pdf

GPA Verification for Cal Grant

Q: I’m assisting a high school senior with submitting his FAFSA. I understand that students must have their school submit a Grade Point Average verification form by the March 2^nd deadline to be eligible to receive a Cal Grant entitlement grant. This seems like an important detail – how would we know if his school got the GPA verification in by the March 2^nd deadline and how much time will it take the school to submit it?

A: You are correct. The GPA Verification Form must be submitted by the March 2^nd deadline in order to be eligible to receive a Cal Grant High School Entitlement Award.

California law requires that all public and charter high schools electronically upload GPAs by October 1^st of the year prior to the award year for current enrolled seniors that do not opt-out. If a student is attending a different type of high school, the student should check with the school as to whether they electronically upload GPAs. For schools that do not submit GPAs electronically, students should use the paper GPA Verification Form, which is available through their high school or at www.csac.ca.gov (click on “Cal Grant GPA Forms” under “Students and Parents”). The paper form must be postmarked by the March 2^nd priority deadline of the award year.

Students can log on to WebGrants for Students to find out if their GPA verification has been received by the California Student Aid Commission. Here, students can also view the status of their Cal Grant or Chafee Grant application, update their address, submit corrections, view their payment history, update their college of attendance, or satisfy outstanding requirements.

Citation: http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=1177

Emergency Child Care Bridge Program

Q: I have a parenting foster youth who needs help with child care. I’m hoping to connect her to the new Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children. She lives outside of her county of origin/jurisdiction. My question is, which county does she go through to access the Bridge Program, and how do we find out whether that county has opted into the program?

A: To receive assistance from the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program, her county of origin/jurisdiction would have to be participating. This is the county she would access the funding/services through.

According to the recently released County Fiscal Letter 17-18/50, all counties have opted into the program with the exception of the following:

• ALPINE
• AMADOR
• DEL NORTE
• INYO
• LASSEN
• MADERA
• MARIPOSA
• MODOC
• PLUMAS
• RIVERSIDE
• SANTA BARBARA
• SIERRA
• SISKIYOU
• SUTTER
• TUOLUMNE
• YUBA

In the CFL, if the county has funding allocated to it, it has opted into the program.

Citation: California Department of Social Services County Fiscal Letter 17/18-50 (January 23, 2018)

Selecting a Housing Plan on FAFSA

Q: I am completing the FAFSA and on the page where I indicate which schools I want my information sent to, it asks me to indicate if I will be living on-campus, off-campus or with parents. I am currently in foster care and have lived with my aunt since I entered the system, and I plan to continue living with her while I go to community college. Which option do I select?

A: You would select “off-campus.” Students should not select “With Parent” as their housing plan if they plan to live with a foster parent, relative caregiver, or legal guardian. Instead, select “Off-Campus.” This is crucial for getting all the money that is available to you to pay for your living expenses. The option you select has an impact on how much money you receive as the “cost of attendance” is considered more when living off-campus than when living with a parent. For more tips on how to complete the FAFSA, check out the Financial Aid Guide for California Foster Youth.

Youth in guardianship with open dependency case: what happens at 18?

Q: I’m working with a 17-year-old youth who is in a guardianship, but there is still an open dependency case. What happens when she turns 18? Can she opt to move into a placement like a SILP or THP+FC for non-minor dependents? Or must she remain in the home of her guardian?

A: Because there is still an open dependency case, this youth is technically in foster care, meaning when she turns 18 she can access the placement types that other non-minor dependents (NMDs) can access, assuming she meets the eligibility criteria for extended foster care.

For youth in guardianships with open dependency cases, the guardianship terminates by operation of law at age 18. The home of the guardian can still be a foster care placement for the NMD if the guardian is willing and the NMD chooses to remain in the home, however the NMD can also choose to reside in a different placement.