Professional Judgment for 2014-What did you see?

Matthew Stokan Waynesburg University Bernard McCree, Kutztown University Charles Scheetz, Mansfield University

I. INTRODUCTIONAs Forrest Gump once noted: “Professional Judgment is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get?”

1. Authority2. Responsibility

3. Access4. Challenge5. Rewarding

II. WHEN PJ’s are allowed?1. Dependency status2. Need analysis3. COA calculation4. EFC calculation5. Denial or reduction of a Direct Student or parent PLUS Loan6. Direct Unsubsidized Loan eligibility7. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

II. THE “WHERE” OF PJ’S: WHAT ARE UNUSUAL OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES?1. Loss of employment2. Reduction in income/benefits3. Medical and dental expenses4. Tuition expenses5. Dependent care expenses6. Divorce or separation7. Death 8. Disability

III. WHEN PJ IS NOT PERMITTED?1. Parents refusal to provide information/money 2. Tax return exemption3. Financial self-sufficiency4. Independent to dependent5. No documentation6. No verification7. Direct EFC adjustment

PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT CASE STUDIES:

SHOULD YOU DO IT? WHY SHOULD YOU DO IT?WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

HOW YOU SHOULD DO IT?

AKA:WHAT TO AVOID? AUDIT FINDINGSDISCREPANCIES

PASFAA DERISION EASFAA EXCLUSION

PEER RIDICULELOSS OF EMPLOYMENT

PRISON!!!

Matt Strokin, a tall, handsome, second year student with a full head of hair, comesinto your office with this situation: Last year, he filed his FAFSA using his grandparents’information on the form, even though he was not legally adopted by them. He justlived with them his whole life. When he was two years old, his mother, having the child our of wedlock, placed him in her parent’s care without court approval.He has minimal contact with his natural parents (He talks to them about once a week and sees them once or twice a month) and receives very little financial help from them ( birthday and Christmas gifts, a $20 here and there). He was told by his grandmother’s “financial advisor,” who claimed to be a “financial aid expert,” to complete his FAFSA with the grandparent’s information in the place of the parents’ information. This all came to your attention when this year’s FAFSA was selected for verification. So, what should you do? What are your options?Would your decision change if you found out that Matt’s mother was married toa man who won MEGA MILLIONS in last year’s Powerball?

Marisa, 21, married the heir to the Sheetz fortune, Charles Sheetz III, when she was nineteen and beginning her first year in college. After two years of wedded bliss,the marriage dissolved into irreconcilable differences due to Charles’ late nights in the office. They divorced prior to her completing FAFSA for her third year in college. Having signed a “pre-nup” on the day of her lavish wedding at the Lancaster Marriot at Penn Square, her limited refund checks forced her to move back in with her parents.Divorced, penniless, broken hearted and jobless, she depends on them for housing,food, transportation and spending money while pursuing her degree in philosophy with a minor in psychology.

Although she tried to complete her FAFSA as an independent student, it was rejectedby the central processor. So, what can we do in this situation? Call Charles III for help? Dependency override? Revised FAFSA with parental information? Nothing?

Cheryl DePaul has been living with her grandparents for the past few years, due to hermother being incarcerated for identity theft and fraudulently acquiring student loan funds.She has had contact with her father, Joe Alamoe, during this time and he actually payssupport for her each month to her grandparents from his minimum paying job at thelocal college’s financial aid office. When completing her 2014-2015 FAFSA, she wasable to get her father to complete it with his information. When selected for verification, it too was verified with the father’s tax transcript, since he had no access to a computeror the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Cheryl’s mother was then released from prison, due toovercrowding, a few weeks before the start of the fall semester. So, Cheryl now lives withher mother and has requested a “special circumstance” to update her FAFSA with her mother’s information. She contends that this would more accurately reflect hersituation and their ability to pay for school. Can a special circumstance be completed on Cheryl’s behalf? If so, what do we need to support it? If not, why not?

Stephon Miller (no relation to the PASFAA Treasure or the infamous Steve Miller Band of the late ‘60’s and ’70’s) submitted his 2014-2015 FAFSA application without any parentalinformation on it, claiming that he was now emancipated, a ward of the courtAND an unaccompanied homeless youth. When selected for verification, these errors were caught and corrected, so he decided to submit a dependency override form. His documentation was a letter from his parents stating that theyno longer supported Stephon nor claimed him on their federal income taxes. They also said that they would never help him complete his FAFSA with their information. In addition, Stephon provided copies of a lease and utility bills to verify hisfinancial independence. What can we do? Can we make Stephon independent?Should we make him independent?

Belinda Anderson’s daughter, Tonya, attends your university. Last year, on her 2013-2014FAFSA, Belinda requested a special circumstances application claiming that her 2012income was greatly enhanced due to significant overtime hours and a one time bonus.She claimed that she would not make nearly that amount in 2013. So, you processed thespecial circumstances application reducing her AGI from $100,000 to her projected $50,000 for the 2013 year. When Belinda completed Tonya’s 2014-2015 FAFSA, she used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and her AGI actually went up to $110,000. Now, once again,Belinda wants to complete another special circumstances application claiming that her2014 income is going to be less, a lot less in 2014. What should you do? What can you do?

Colleen Contrite’ s parents hit the “lottery” by leasing a part of their family farmto a shale drilling company in 2013. This resulted in a significant , one-time increase($100,000) in her parent’s AGI on their 2013 federal income tax return. Unfortunately, she went from being eligible for a full Pell and PA State Grantto having no demonstrated financial need. This loss in aid may not only force her to drop out of school but, more importantly, deny her childhood dream ofbecoming a financial aid administrator and a future member of PASFAA!What can you do? Anything? How?

Ms. Suzy Perfect comes into your office and demands to have her COA increasedbecause it is not high enough and her parents want to borrow additional PLUS funds to help her meet her needs and expenses. After explaining how her COA was arrived at and the financial aid principles behind it, you tell her that, with proper documentation, you may be able to adjust it for her? The next day, she parks herBMW convertible outside your office window, comes in and presents you with her monthly “budget,” including: Hair highlights and cut-$100; Car lease andinsurance- $550; Visa and Discover card-$600; Manicure and pedicure-$75; clothing-$200; undergarments-$100; makeup and toiletries-$25; food and cocktails-$150; Iphone6 and increased data plan-$300; and a new computer and printer-$1,500.After picking yourself off the ground, having been revived by the local paramedics, what do you say to Ms. Perfect? Is there anything that you can do for her?

In November of 2012, the McGee family experienced extensivehome damage from Hurricane Sandy. The devastation not only affected the home but disrupted the parent’s employment. The student, Bernard, or as he was known to his friends, Bernie, informed the school that his parents had separated and begun divorce proceedings. Since the storm destruction was so widespread and the repair of the home was so uncertain at the time, the school decided to process a special circumstances based on the separation/divorce of the parents rather than based on the home damage and its costs. The following year (2013-14), Bernie’s family came back requesting a PJ based on the costs of repairing the home. After a phone call with the mother, she verified that, with the extensive storm damage and corresponding costs for repairs, neither parent could afford a divorce so the father moved back in with the family. They now all live together on the second floor of the home since the first floor is uninhabitable. So, what can we do to help Bernie and his family now?

CONCLUSION:WITH GREAT POWER,

COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY!

RESPONSIBLE TO WHOM?THE USDE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS?

THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER?YOUR STUDENT?YOUR SCHOOL?

YOURSELF?

RESPONSIBILITY VERSUS

ACCESSIBILITY?

DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT,

DOCUMENT!!! If you can’t document it,

it didn’t happen!

There is no such thing as too much documentation!

QUESTIONS?FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT:

mstokan@waynesburg.edumccree@kutstown.edu

cscheetz@mansfield.edu

FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, GO TO:www.waynesburg.edu/financialaid/financial aidforms