I have received the same emails. I wanted to double check to confirm I submitted everything I needed to (school never asked for 1099s). I think I may have triggered something but maybe I didn’t.
We received an email to Submit documents for IDOC for some colleges but not all. For example Cornell needs IDOC but have not rceieved an email or its not in the list of colleges showing up on IDOC portal when we sign in. Do some colleges only ask IDOC when the admission confirmed or should we expect another email soon?
Thank you
This happens sometimes. Even though they are received they take a bit to “process” and probably more so right now as so many people are sending things. no worries! The emails are just automated.
Also, yes.
If the NPC shows we won’t qualify for need based aid, should we fill out the CSS? We are hoping for merit aid and I read that the CSS is often used for scholarships as well. Or will it not make any difference?
You will need to check your colleges to see whether they require completing the financial aid application forms for merit aid consideration. Some colleges do. Some colleges don’t.
And be aware (and this may be different from one school to the next as well - so always good to ask FAO once you get a determination) is that any grants based on financial information are likely to change year to year based on your re-submission of that years CSS.
You also need to ask IF you need to complete the financial aid application forms annually to continue to receive your merit aid. At both of my kids’ colleges, we had to do the FAFSA and Profile as incoming freshmen for them to receive their merit aid. But we did not have to do them again unless our financial situation changed….or the FAFSA because we wanted the kids to take the Direct Loan.
There are two questions “Dependent Education Expenses Prior Year for [sibling]” and “Dependent Education Expenses Current Year for [sibling]” - what is the “Prior Year” and “Current Year”?
I interpreted it as - if I’m applying for aid for the 24-25 school year then “prior year” is 23-24.
I’m having a hard time figuring out how I differentiate “income from work” and “untaxed income and benefits”? Let’s say my total income is $100,000 but then I make an optional 401 contribution of $1000/year and contribute $1,000/year to a pre-tax medical flexible benefits account.
Do I report my “income from work” as $100,000 and report “untaxed income and benefits” as $2,000 OR do I deduct the “untaxed income and benefits” from total income- this would result in my “income from work” to be $98,000 and my “untaxed income and benefits” as $2,000?
And do I include my mandatory employee-paid health insurance premium costs (these are $4,300/year as “untaxed income and benefits” or not?
Income from work is your taxable income as reported on your W-2. You’ll need to review the instructions to see if the flexible spending amount is reported anywhere. I know that 401k contributions are no longer reported on FAFSA effective 2024-25, but you’ll need to review Profile instructions to see if they have to be reported on Profile. This tutorial may be helpful for you: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7M5mCZWX0zc.
I have to submit some documents to IDOC, everything seem fine until step 5, it doesn’t show me the review document also I cannot press the submit button. Does anyone have the same problem?
<parent_rant> Universities relying on CSS or requesting full tax return documents via IDOC is a large scale data breach waiting to happen!! And having a fee to apply for aid via CSS for every school is additional plunder. Why cant all universities just rely on FAFSA!! </parent_rant>
Financial assistance with the Profile application fee is available (although I do agree that the College Board, which runs CSS, is a racket). The possibility of a data breach is a legitimate concern, but chances are that your information is already out there. And there are lots of reasons that schools, in distributing millions of their own dollars for need-based financial aid, can’t/shouldn’t just rely on FAFSA. All that being said, if you feel so strongly about it, simply don’t complete and submit Profile. It’s totally optional.
And you also have the option of your kids not applying to colleges that require the Profile for need based aid consideration.
Remember, when you do the FAFSA, you must link to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Are additional questions from the college seen to all colleges, which have access to my CSS profile? I made a mistake in one of the extra questions (from Colby) and don’t know if I should contact the particular college (in case if it only the one which sees the answer) or should I make the correction in CSS profile?
Questions that are from a particular college will not be seen by colleges that did not ask those questions.
If you make the correction on the Profile, it will go to Colby, I believe. Not sure the process of resubmitting…but I do believe you can now make corrections on the Profile.