Michelle answers:

FAFSA is just the name of the application. When you submitted it, it went to the Dept of Education to be processed. FAFSA or the Deptartment of Education does not issue your award letters. All of the information regarding how much aid you will get will come from your school. The loan information you got was from the school. If you have any questions you should contact them.

Michelle answers:

Your aid for this year will not be affected because, in most cases, your FAFSA cannot be updated during the year to account for a change due to marriage. However, for next year, your wife must file as an independent, using her own income and yours rather than her parents’. When this happens, a student often receives more grant aid because typically a student and her spouse have less income that the student and her parents did. It’s not a given, though, because if you’re working, the income as a couple could still be too high to qualify for a grant. It’s also possible that her income with her parents was lower, or that there were other factors (such as the # in the household or in college) that affected her EFC before that will no longer be included in the calculation.

One effect that will definately occur is that your wife’s parents will no longer be able to take a parent PLUS loan on her behalf. In many cases, the ability to take a PLUS loan is worth much more than the slight increase in loan limits and and some Pell grant money. This is particularly true at schools that cost significantly more than the amount of aid for which she is eligible. For example, a second year independent with the maxiumum Pell grant would be eligible for $10,500 in loans and $5,500 in a Pell grant, or $16,000 total. However, say she’s attending a school that costs $30,000. That means she’s going to come up $14,000 short. As a dependent, her parents could have borrowed that $14,000 in a PLUS loan, assuming their credit was approved. As an independent, she will no longer have that option, so she would have to come up with the funds from another source, such as private student loans.

Your wife doesn’t have the choice as to whether she will file as a dependent or an independent–if she’s married, she’s an independent and her aid will be based on that status.

Michelle answers:

There are several Piece Colleges, one in LA another in Tacoma, WA. Either way, go to the college website and look at the application deadline timeline. FAFSA forms are completed and awarded in the spring of each school year. You can file late for the second semester, but don’t count on a lot of assistance. Instead, focus on grants. FAFSA awards monies and schools distribute those funds based on applications received during the award time period. When individuals apply late, the funds are rarely available, but grants and scholarships can be available throughout the year.

Michelle answers:

Assuming you mean grants by saying FAFSA, no, they cannot. A Pell Grant MUST be awarded and paid before determining other aid. It can effect how much eligibility you have in student loans and other resources though.

You can receive aid beyond the amount of direct tuition costs, up to the amount of your Cost of Attendance. Cost of Attendance includes tuition, fees & living expenses.