Does paying down a loan, hurt future aid?

[swimcatsmom]

<p>On the FAFSA instructions for student assets it states:</p>

<p>

Student Asset Information Questions</p>

<ol>
<li>Total current balance of cash, savings, and checking accounts. Include the balance of your (and your spouse’s) savings and checking accounts as of the date the FAFSA is completed. Do not include student financial aid.

</li>
</ol>

<p>from [Completing</a> the FAFSA 2010-2011/The Application Questions(41-43)](<a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/2010_2011/ques3-2.html]Completing”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/completing_fafsa/2010_2011/ques3-2.html)</p>

<p>federal WS is part of student aid so I would interpret that as falling withing these instructions.</p>