<p>Wait - I am not 100% sure!! I need to check some more. Social security benefits ... social security income ... those may be 2 different animals. Let me check ...</p>
<p>^^^^ hence my confusion!!</p>
<p>Pension is called a social security benefit on the SS website.</p>
<p>You know, I can't find anything definitive. If you put the untaxed amount on the worksheet last year & you aren't being asked for it anywhere on the FAFSA now, then I guess you don't have to include it. I looked at the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet, and it looks like you leave it off. Maybe if NiikkiL sees this, she can comment ...</p>
<p>I asked my dad and he says he gets social security benefits. So, when I fill out my fafsa, Im just going to leave it off. If i get audited by my school, I will just bring that PDF document with me to show them what instructions I followed. The worst that can happen is that they have to add it in and change it. Thanks for everyones help though, I didnt realize this would be so confusing, but I guess we can all thank the government for that!</p>
<p>I recently did my fafsa and was confused about the untaxed social security and the untaxed pension. Called the fafsa assitance number and the guy told me that untaxed ssi and untaxed pension is excluded. But what if your ssi and pension that isn't included the only money that gets in your checking and savings account. Do you put it on the line for checking and savings. Or you dont put it at all since untaxed ssi and pension aren't put on fafsa anymoe. Im stumped. Anyone has any ideas.</p>
<p>Thank you odc. That does help.</p>
<p>It is true ... the untaxed portion of social security benefits is no longer info that is collected on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>Concerning the auto 0 EFC or anyone w/a 0 EFC, would a college still provide the majority of student financial aid in loans?</p>
<p>It depends on the college. Some will offer aid that covers costs with little/no loans - most include loans. Often, a 0 EFC student will find that their aid does not total their costs, even with loans. That is because student loans are capped - Stafford loans for a dependent freshman cannot exceed $5500, no matter how much need you have.</p>
<p>So basically the EFC being 0 does not constitute an all-inclusive financial package with no loans, though I think alot of colleges give more aid to those in great need, and I'm going to have to be prepared to cover these loans somehow.. that's just fabulous.</p>
<p>It really depends on the school, what it costs, and whether they have any institutional aid to offer. Many State schools do not offer much, if any, institutional aid so their awards are limited to federal aid and possibly state aid. My kids are both at state schools that do not offer institutional need based aid. My daughter is at a state 4 year school with a COA of @ $20,000. Federal and state grant aid would nowhere near cover the full COA. Fortunately she has merit aid that covers about $8,000 a year. Between the merit aid, federal grants, a state grant and maximum work study she only has a few hundred in loans. Without the merit aid she would need the $8,000 in loans which would mean the maximum in Stafford loans and also some Perkins loans if they are available. Probably would not meet the full $8k. My son is at a CC with no merit aid. He has @ $4500 in loans this year.</p>
<p>Okay, so its a good thing then that I applied to a wide range of both public and private in and out of state schools to give me a greater variety of fin aid packages.
You've been really really really helpful!! lol Thanks</p>
<p>I was just wondering how many errors are made on the FAFSA unknowingly. This thread sheds light on how confusing a single question can be. Social security may be a nontaxable benefit but could be taxable if other conditions occur.</p>
<p>Can two people receiving social security have two different answers? I would think the answer is yes. For example, could one person's social security could be reportable because it is partially taxable since they also have a parttime job and their agi is raised?</p>
<p>Would sending the tax returns clarifying questions like this?</p>
<p>Social security income is separated into taxable and untaxable amounts according to IRS guidelines. If taxed, the income will be part of the AGI - thus it is not reported separately. If untaxed, there's nothing to report.</p>