FAFSA online question - questions:35, 38 and 39

Paying for College
1

<p>I used the auto info transfer option for my and my wife's financial information. Only the adjusted gross income field was populated. The fields for my income and hers separately, were left blank. I did not work during the 2010 to 2011 year, but did collect some unemployment money. Do I enter the amount that I received in unemployment benefits for question 38 (How much did you earn from working (wages, salaries, tips, etc.) in 2010)?</p>

<p>If I am not supposed to enter my unemployment income, but instead 0, then I fear that there will be a problem due to the fact that field 38 plus 39 will not equal the income in 35.</p>

<p>Thank you,
Carlos</p>

2

<p>No, don’t enter unemployment as income earned from work. That field is not used to calculate AGI and since your unemployment is already reported as part of AGI there is no place that you need to report it separately for FAFSA. As an aside, if you are still unemployed, you can appeal to the college for a reduction in your EFC due to your unemployement - it’s within their discretion to make the adjustment.</p>

3

<p>Enter only the amounts on your W2 form(s). If you have any business income (line 12), also list that amount on line 12. Income from work doesn’t always equal AGI, so that is not an issue.</p>