Stock in FEFSA

Paying for College
1

I am planning to go to apply for fefsa in 2019.

So if I purchase facebook stock of 10K this year (2018) in open market from my savings, what would be the impact in fefsa for 2 scenario:

  1. in 2019, the stock value become 11K but I am not selling it and holding my stock. So do I have to claim 10K or 11K stock as an asset ? or do I have to claim 1K gain as an asset ?
  2. in 2019, the stock value become 9K but I am not selling it and holding my stock. So do I have to claim 10K or 9K stock as an asset ? or do I have to deduct 1K loss from my asset calculation or income calculation ?

Also how will it impack on how much FEFSA want me to spend from my pocket as I dont have the cash USD but I have only stock. So if FEFSA expect me to spend 2K by assuming that I have 10K asset, I will have to sell 2k worth of stock during first year of college ?

2
  1. You report whatever the value of the asset (stock) is on the day that you complete FAFSA (not FEFSA).
  2. The stock won't have any impact on your income as a gain or a loss until you actually sell the stock.
  3. It will be expected that you have some of your assets available to pay your college expenses; it will be up to you to decide whether or not you need to sell some (or all) of the stock to pay those expenses.