Applying this year's Work Study to FAFSA?

Tried searching for this but seemed to just bring up either WS or FAFSA but not both…probably user error, so please point me in the right direction if this has been discussed in a thread somewhere.

D earning WS for this school year, the first time she has done so. I was uncertain, while filling out FAFSA for 2018-19 school year, if there was somewhere to put those earnings? I know they aren’t suppose to count when it comes to awarding FA, but since FAFSA is prior-prior, she obviously did not have WS earnings on her taxes.

Are we able to indicate it somewhere or will the FA office know because they awarded it to her for this year? Or will it not matter either way?

Thanks for the assistance!

The federal work study income she earns in 2017 and 2018 will be used for the 2019/20 FAFSA and 2020/21 FAFSA.

There will be a question in the FAFSA’s student income section asking about “income from need based employment”.

If she has money in her bank account then she reports that as an asset on the day she files FAFSA.

On the 2018/19 FAFSA she would only report income she earned in 2016. And assets in her account on the day she files FAFSA.

Thanks @mommdc - so essentially we are out of luck for this helping on the FAFSA as she is a junior now so this will be the last FAFSA we fill out.

@ILMom13579

Out of luck for what? Not sure I understand what you mean by being out of luck!

If your kiddo is a junior now…her work study earnings from 2016 will be on the 2018-2019 FAFSA…her senior year. But those earnings will not be used to determine her aid…as there is a question on the fafsa about WS…and that amount is not used in the calculation.

If she reported income on FAFSA and then specified that it was from federal work study, all that would do is zero it out so it doesn’t count against her EFC.

What did you think it would help with?

She just started WS this school year 2017-18 so we could have indicated it on next year’s FAFSA but she graduates next year so we don’t need to fill out any more forms . =D>

@thumper1 - I guess I was thought applying her WS earnings would help the EFC a little since she had to report the income she earned from WS as an asset. I know earned income is counted heavier than actual $$$ in the bank but wasn’t sure that was the case for the student as well.

@mommdc - If I really use my brain power on this one (better but still chilly in IL!), I guess it really wouldn’t have mattered…she doesn’t have WS, it’s zero on earned income…she has WS, it’s still essentially counted as zero earned income.

Thanks for your help!