Author name: Marlene Seeklander

Computer keyboard with FAFSA button

Schools directed to ignore flag associated with loan limits on student FAFSA records

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By Marlene Seeklander It’s not often that a financial aid professional can ignore an FPS C Flag without having to resolve it. In preparation to alert schools if a borrower might be considered a Legacy borrower and not subject to the new changes under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, the Department of Education has published

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Mapping Your Future Higher Ed News – June 11, 2026

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Higher Ed News Vol. 18 – Issue 12 Best Practices for preventing FAFSA fraud and protecting Title IV funds Financial aid professionals and others on the campus can look to the proven practices of other institutions to help prevent FAFSA fraud and protect federal student aid funds. Federal Need Analysis Methodology for the 2027-28 award

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Dark blue folder with FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid on the front.

FAFSA Real-Time Fraud Detection screenshots now available

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By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals, counselors and others can now better advise students who are flagged for identity verification while completing the FAFSA. The Department of Education added an update on May 29 to a recent Electronic Announcement stating they have uploaded screenshots of what applicants see when they are completing the identity verification within

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Desk with notebook, pens, cup of coffee.

Updated NSLDS Reports for Schools Guide now available

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By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals now have an updated guide to help them better understand the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) reports that are available. On June 4, the Department of Education announced that an updated NSLDS Reports for Schools Guide is now available. The June 2026 guide replaces the July 2024 version. Questions

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Interest rates on federal student loans to increase

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By Marlene Seeklander Student loan borrowers will see an increase in interest rates starting July 1 for Direct Loans borrowed on or after July 1, 2026. The new interest rates were announced by the Department of Education in a June 4 Electronic Announcement. The interest rate is a fixed rate for the life of the loan. For

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US Department of Education building

Effective dates for Pell provisions clarified

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By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals don’t always get what they ask for, but the Department of Education has responded to a request for clarification on Pell provisions. In a June 4 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education stated that some institutions have asked for further clarification of the provisions for the Workforce Pell and Federal

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Federal Need Analysis Methodology for the 2027-28 award year now available

Newsroom, Department of Education / By

By Marlene Seeklander With everything on their plate right now, most financial aid professionals are probably not thinking about the 2027-28 award year – yet. For those who like to plan ahead, the updates to the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology have been published for 2027-28. In a June 2 Federal Register Notice, the Secretary of

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Wood squares with "TIPS" next to keyboard and office supplies.

Best Practices for preventing FAFSA fraud and protecting Title IV funds

Newsroom, Department of Education / By

By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals and others on the campus can look to the proven practices of other institutions to help prevent FAFSA fraud and protect federal student aid funds. In a May 29 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education provided a comprehensive list of best practices that institutions may want to consider as they

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