Tip of the Week

Tip of the Week Financial aid superheroes Financial aid professionals are superheroes. Granted, they don’t wear fancy superhero outfits or have special powers. Or maybe they do. This time of the year especially, financial aid professionals have always exhibited their “superhero” abilities. As another academic year settles in, a long “To Do” list continues. But […]

Tip of the Week It’s a matter of trust My flight was delayed, and the chances of getting home in time for some evening plans were getting slimmer by the minute. After checking the flight monitor, I headed back to the waiting area. That’s when I ran into Gracie. Gracie, an airport therapy dog, was

Tip of the Week A higher education battle It seemed like all hope was lost. The American army had marched for days in freezing cold – some soldiers without shoes, leaving a trail of blood where they stepped. Many were sick and had not eaten for days. How could an army that was so bedraggled

Tip of the Week What can you withstand? Growing up in the Ozarks and now living in Texas, I’ve had my share of snake encounters. Some of those encounters have been close calls – like opening the front door and if I hadn’t looked down, I would have stepped on top of a copperhead.  I

Tip of the Week Future Focus on Financial Aid  I was far away from any shore, and the waves were crashing against the fishing boat. Just when I thought the sea was calm, another wave would hit the boat, making it rock violently. My seasickness was made worse by the anxiety over when another wave would

Tip of the Week Federal Student Aid fraud alert from U.S. Department of the Treasury Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated, particularly when it comes to federal student aid fraud. According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), colleges are seeing an increase in “ghost students,” stolen identities, synthetic identities, AI-generated documents, and other methods used

Tip of the Week Beta testing plan announced for 2027-28 FAFSA In preparation for the upcoming launch of the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by October 1, the Department of Education (the Department) has announced its plans for beta testing. In a July 21 Electronic Announcement, the Department released its plan

Tip of the Week New resources for those seeking guidance in implementing Working Families Tax Cuts Act regulations Just when you have the new regulations all figured out, a new situation arises – making you question all you thought you knew. That’s the circumstance for many financial aid professionals who are working hard to implement

Tip of the Week Tax Transcript Matrix for 2026-27 Verification now available Although the number of FAFSAs selected for verification is down, financial aid professionals will, no doubt, appreciate any tool to assist with verification – particularly tax information. In a July 8 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education released the 2024 IRS Tax Return

Tip of the Week It’s been a fireworks show For many of us, the highlight of July 4th is the fireworks show. It’s always been one of my favorite things, especially seeing the night sky light up with the vibrant colors and patterns produced by the fireworks and hearing the “oohs and aahs” of the