Any advantage to an automatic zero EFC?

Paying for College
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<p>Is there any advantage to an automatic zero EFC on the FAFSA beyond the obvious of not having to fill out all the extra questions? And can you use the auto zero efc if you have below the AGI and only received the means tested benefit for just one month during the eligibility? </p>

<p>Basically my husband has early onset dementia w/behavioral changes which of course limits my ability to work outside the home. He has someone who comes in about 10 hrs a week, is on his own the rest of the time, while I work 4 days a week in another town. From time to time his behavior deteriorates to a point where it's not safe to leave him alone until the doctors figure out what's going on and adjust his meds. So from time to time, I can't work outside the home at all, which drops our income below the limit to qualify for other programs. Luckily he has a case worker who keeps up with all the paperwork, income requirements etc.. </p>

<p>So we have a complicated financial situation. I went through and figured the FAFSA both ways, not using the auto zero still leaves us with a EFC of only $5.00, (2 kids in college for next fall), so that's not an issue. I figured any school that wants the Profile would make me fill out all the paperwork for assets and stuff anyway, so thought I'd just leave it. But wanted to check, is there any advantage to the Auto zero EFC? I have to correct the FAFSA anyway so thought I'd see if there was an advantage I wasn't aware of.</p>

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<p>You won’t be making the choice of which formula … the formula is based on your honest answers to the questions asked on the FAFSA.</p>

<p>That said, there can be advantages to a 0 EFC. Some schools only award SEOG to students with a 0 EFC. The Pell grant is higher with a 0 EFC than it is with a 5 EFC (not by a lot, but every dollar helps). But the difference between a 0 and a 5 may not be all that much in terms of aid awarded. It varies by school.</p>

<p>Your situation sounds very difficult, and you have my sympathy … I know that getting a good financial aid package would really help. Is your child a senior?</p>

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<p>I believe both the schools I have had experience with only award SEOG to 0 EFC students. They don’t exactly publicize the criteria so I couldn’t swear to it. But my daughter’s first year she had a very low, but not 0, EFC and did not get the SEOG. The next 2 years with a 0 EFC she did get SEOG. The max SEOG at her school is $2000 so having the 0 EFC made a big difference for her (her EFC the year she did not get it was well under 2000)</p>

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<p>Our SEOG policy is 0 only & $500 is the award amount for all. We have a lot of 0 EFC’s.</p>