Loans Information

Debunking the FAFSA Myth


With the plethora of big-business entities jockeying for the money of students on the path to becoming well-to-do responsible consumers with a house, car, and 1.5 children, it's often missed that the US Government is the first place to start when planning student finances.

Scholarships, traineeships, fellowships, loans: Uncle Sam is nothing if not prolific in the diversity of programs available. For most students, the acroynm FAFSA is their first encounter with the cold hard seriousness of bureaucratic forms, most commonly dealt with before the dreaded and stereotypically cryptic IRS forms such as the 1040.

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is a free form and free service provided by the Department of Education. If you do not fill it in you will not be eligible for federal (government-backed) student loans. However, you will still be eligible for private, or alternative student loans.

Almost every school sets its own deadline for when the different forms of financial aid are due. Some may be as early as the second week of January and some have no deadlines at all. It is strongly recommended to check with your own school's financial aid office to find out exactly when your deadlines may fall. In order to meet a "Transaction Receipt Date" deadline for your college, it is recommended to submit to us at least 2 weeks prior to the published deadline to insure submission.

There are a myriad of large, well-oiled companies that will gladly take your money and 'process' your FAFSA application on your behalf. The fees for this service typically range from $50 to $100. You could also go with a private accountant, however the 'personal touch' will of course usually cost you more.

Wait! Do you really want to start your experience with Government forms as one of resignation that no, you are really not bright or organized enough to be able to fill it in yourself? Learning to 'do it yourself' with the Government can be not only a satisfying but potentially educational experience that will teach you the skills that many self-made millionares taught themselves: relying on an accountant or anonymous firm does nothing except save you some time, and in fact with big-ticket money decisions who is to say that your 'assistants' are not putting their interests before yours?

Just as their are firms such as H&R Block that will open up retail outlets in your neighorhood every year at tax time, there are companies that specialize in FAFSA applications. Now, as with the majority of tax returns, the FAFSA is anything but rocket science. It is simply a matter of making sure you know all your variables and where to write it on the form. For companies who perform this work day in day out, your financial future is simply an algorithm which is input and output in moments. They typically spend more printing the paper for your documents and checks then they do in any actual 'labor'.

SO, consider tackling the FAFSA yourself. Just like learning to do your taxes on your own, a few hours spent researching how to do the forms ONCE will enable you to conquer them the next time, and you can even make money on the side on campus teaching others how to complete such forms.

Here is the Government's central page for the FAFSA. Everything you need to know is here and studying all the resources here WILL let you fill in this form without errors, and without giving your money away:

http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/2003_2004/english/general-applying.htm#renewal

About The Author

This article reprinted courtesy of HungryStudents.com - Independent Student Loan Consolidation Info. http://www.hungrystudents.com

Copyright 2004 HungryStudents.com

  


MORE RESOURCES:

CNBC

New low for US market Loan crisis shifts to home owners with risky ...
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 5 hours ago
TROUBLE in the United States mortgage market has shifted from subprime loans made to borrowers with bad credit to home owners who had solid credit but took ...
Home loan troubles break records again The Associated Press
Report says 3.1 percent of Conn. mortgages overdue Newsday
Troubles spread to prime Md. mortgages Baltimore Sun
Salt Lake Tribune - Seattle Post Intelligencer
all 671 news articles


Counseling on Student Loans Now May Ease Pain Later
New York Times, United States - 1 hour ago
In the late 1980s, amid concern about the rising number of students who were skipping out on loan payments, the Education Department began requiring all ...
Student loan companies in settlement talks BusinessWeek
Student Loans Under Fire Forbes
all 36 news articles


Silver State Bank in Nevada is shut
The Associated Press - 14 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Regulators on Friday shut down Silver State Bank, saying the Nevada bank failed because of losses on soured loans, mainly in commercial ...
Silver State Bank in Nevada is shut Washington Post
Regulators Shutter Silver State Bank Wall Street Journal
BANKING: Silver State Bank seized and sold Las Vegas Review - Journal
Reuters - KLAS-TV
all 308 news articles


Ford backs federal loans
Detroit Free Press, United States - 12 hours ago
Executive Chairman Bill Ford voiced his support Friday for government loans for the auto industry and growing attention on the nation's lack of energy ...


Out-of-state payday loans must adhere to state rules
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - 16 hours ago
The Commerce Department made its ruling as the volume of short-term loans has 'exploded' on the Internet. By NEAL ST. ANTHONY and HJ CUMMINS The typical ...


Making a Business of Family Loans
New York Times, United States - 16 hours ago
Unlike a traditional bank, which pools its available lending funds from various sources, Virgin Money organizes and processes loans among family, ...
Should We Let the Federal Government Run the Mortgage Industry? Town Hall
all 2 news articles


Financial Post

Crumbling financials have further to fall
Financial Post, Canada - 10 hours ago
A huge number the loans were "subprime," a class of loan made to buyers with little or no credit history. The air soon started whooshing out of the bubble ...
Banks borrow more from Fed; Wall Street takes pass San Jose Mercury News
Credit Crunch: The Sequel U.S. News & World Report
UPDATE 1-US banks' direct borrowing hits record in week Reuters
Reuters
all 79 news articles


Bad loans fuel losses for a quarter of Baltimore’s banks
Bizjournals.com, NC - 4 hours ago
“This one’s worse than 1990, at least for us,” said Wells, the CEO of K Bank. The last banking crisis had its roots in commercial real estate, which wasn’ta ...


Risky Loans Hurt Lender in California
New York Times, United States - 17 hours ago
Today the Downey Financial Corporation, the big California savings and loan that Mr. McAlister founded, has effectively put up the same sign. ...


Don't be quick to fix loans
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 4 hours ago
VICTORIAN house hunters have been given a new headache with last week's interest rate cut leaving them tossing up between fixed and variable loan deals. ...

loans - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.