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 – July 8, 2026 Read More »
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
Tip of the Week – July 1, 2026 Read More »
Tip of the Week Achieving the dream; the greatness of financial aid A time to celebrate. Just in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary, the NASFAA conference will be in Washington, D.C., next week and celebrating its own 60th anniversary. The conference, of course, is an important time to get the latest information on the
Tip of the Week – June 24, 2026 Read More »
Tip of the Week Updated interest rate information available on Mapping Your Future website July is just around the corner and that means student loan borrowers will see slightly higher interest rates starting July 1. To help your students know the upcoming July 1 interest rates, Mapping Your Future staff recently updated several references to
Tip of the Week – June 17, 2026 Read More »
Schedule of Reductions/Loan Limits webinar today It’s probably safe to say that what sounded like a reasonable idea to some a year ago has left many financial aid professionals with questions. With the implementation of new loan proration and loan limitation regulations just a few weeks away, the industry is trying to determine how to
Tip of the Week – June 10, 2026 Read More »
Selecting a student loan repayment plan It seems that everyone should know by now. For months, we’ve been hearing about the end of the SAVE Plan and the need for borrowers to choose a new repayment plan. But even many of us working in financial aid have to check the details when someone asks about
Tip of the Week – June 3, 2026 Read More »
Down Time in Financial Aid The cuckoo clock hung in my family’s den, and it served our family well. The clock told us the time and provided many hours of enjoyment with its music and “cu-ckoo” sound. However, the clock was also a sensitive timepiece that regularly needed maintenance to keep working. So, every year,
Tip of the Week – May 27, 2026 Read More »
The real reason to celebrate Memorial Day weekend It can be difficult to enjoy something if you know it has come about because of the sacrifice of someone else. That’s why Memorial Day weekend has always been a paradox of sorts for me. Like many people, I’ve looked forward to the holiday every year. It’s
Tip of the Week – May 20, 2026 Read More »
Cultivating your graduates Graduation is the time for new beginnings for students. Many are ready to walk into their new careers, while others may pursue additional education. As colleges host graduation ceremonies, it doesn’t mean it is the end of the relationship you built with your students. Many of these graduates may be student loan
Tip of the Week – May 13, 2026 Read More »
Getting ready for the 2027-28 FAFSA Financial aid professionals are talented at juggling several tasks at the same time – like dealing with multiple award years. As the 2025-26 award year winds down, the 2027-28 award year seems to be in the distant future. After all, we still have the 2026-27 award year ahead of
Tip of the Week – May 6, 2026 Read More »
