By Marlene Seeklander As Federal Student Aid (FSA) prepares to upgrade SAIG in early 2027, schools need to ensure they are ready or they will lose access. In a November 6 Electronic Announcement, FSA stated that all users should ensure they are using the latest version of the SAIG software by December 7, 2026. They must
Schools need to prepare for Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) upgrade Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Completing the FAFSA usually isn’t difficult, especially if students and families are prepared. There are two important steps when preparing to complete the 2027-28 FAFSA: Setting up StudentAid.gov account (also known as creating an FSA ID) is the first step when completing the FAFSA. To assist students and parents with setting up the
Two important steps to make completing the 2027-28 FAFSA even easier Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals have a new tool available to help them comply with the earnings accountability reporting requirement. Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) reference tool – NSLDS Earnings Accountability User Guide is now available and provides instructions and guidance for schools in order to comply
NSLDS Earning Accountability User Guide released Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals, students, and parents will soon see new “sender” email addresses when receiving communications from Federal Student Aid (FSA). In a November 5 Electronic Announcement, FSA announced that starting this fall they are changing the email address used to send critical information and announcements. FSA will migrate outbound email communications from
Federal Student Aid migrating to new “sender” email addresses Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education is among the federal offices closed for the Veterans Day federal holiday on Wednesday, November 11. The November 4 Electronic Announcement states that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) offices and most contact centers will be closed on November 11. All FSA websites will be operational on the holiday. The
Veterans Day holiday closings for November 11 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals once again have access to the FSA Training Center. In a November 5 update to an October 21 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education announced that the emergency updates have been completed, and the website is back online. If users discover anything that doesn’t work as expected, the Department welcomes
FSA Training Center back online Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander For some students, one of the most challenging parts of the FAFSA is knowing which parent to invite as a contributor. The Department of Education provides a parent wizard tool available outside of the FAFSA form, making it easier for students, families, and others to make this determination ahead of time. In addition, Mapping Your
Determining the parent for the 2027-28 FAFSA Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The 2027-28 FAFSA now makes things a little easier for those who file an income tax return with both the IRS and a U.S. territory. In an October 28 update to a previous Electronic Announcement, Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced that it implemented a solution allowing dual tax filers to indicate they have
Solution implemented for dual tax filers when completing the 2027-28 FAFSA Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals who regularly use the 2026-27 FSA Handbook could be impacted by some recent changes to the Appendix. In a November 2 update to an August 14, 2026 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education announced the following changes to the Appendix:
Updates made to 2026-27 FSA Handbook Appendix Read More »
Tip of the Week The all-too familiar feeling of working in financial aid The following feelings may be all too familiar to you: your heart starts racing, you feel the tension rising in your neck and shoulders, or your heart starts beating rapidly. With all the changes and confusion with financial aid recently, it’s probably
Tip of the Week – November 4, 2026 Read More »
