Jo-Ann Craig, Cape Fear Community College Julie Poorman, Eastern Carolina University Michelle Day, William Peace University

What is a Professional Judgment or Special Circumstance?

 Cost of Attendance Adjustment  Federal Methodology data element adjustments  Student/family Expectations  Standard Forms?  Policies and Procedures  Review process? Committee?

 Do all schools make the same decisions?  Remember our Code of Conduct

Dependency override vs Professional Judgment

Case Studies 1: Dependent or Independent Samuel had to leave his home four years ago at age 18 when his mother was incarcerated. He’s bounced around with different friends and relatives, but none has obtained legal guardianship or provided much financial support. Samuel’s father was never a part of his life; he doesn’t even know if his father is still alive.

Case Study 2: Chloe has lived with her grandparents since she was in junior high school. Her father was unable to care for Chloe after the death of her mother. Chloe has had only infrequent and brief contact with her father; she and her grandparents have no way of contacting her father.

Case Studies 3: One-time or Unusual Income Sam is a 35 year old divorced man who has shared custody of his five year old daughter but has a court order to pay $800 per month in child support and provide health insurance. Sam was laid off March 1, His vacation and sick leave was paid out as severance and he qualified for and received unemployment starting May 1, Because 26 weeks unemployment was exhausted November 1, 2013, Sam decided to tap into his retirement account on September 1, 2013 in the amount of $9,000. Sam now plans to enroll for Fall 2014 to finish his undergraduate degree. His 2013 IRS 1040 shows: Wages, Salaries, Tips, Etc…………………………………………………………….$4800 Total IRA Distributions…………………………………………………………………$9,000 Taxable IRA Distributions…………………………………………………………….$9,000 Unemployment Compensation……………………………………………………$8,476 What do you do to make Sam’s income a more realistic reflection of his current situation?

Case Study 4: Janie is a 19 year old sophomore. Her parents inherited about $30, 000 when her grandmother died in Her parents decided this was their opportunity to buy the acreage they always wanted and to build a new home. So they bought that acreage in 2013 and sold their existing home in November They have a capital gain on the sale of the house and have not yet begun to build their new house. What help can you provide Janie’s family?

Case Study 5: Elective Medical procedures and/or expenses Jax is spending over $100 a month in protein drinks, vitamins and supplements. He would like more financial aid to cover these expenses. He has receipts from the last several months to demonstrate these expenses.

Case Study 6: Melissa is going to Study Abroad in Italy during Fall She has her Study Abroad expenses from the Vatican School of Theology which includes tuition, fees, room, board and books. She has also provided her best projections for travel expenses. What would you do?

Professional Judgment Resources The Higher Education Act of 1965, Sec 479A: Discretion of Student Financial Aid Administrators The FSA Handbook, Application and Verification Guide, Chapter 5: Special Cases Online Review of PJ Practices GEN Use of “Professional Judgment” by Financial Aid Administrators GEN Update of the Use of “Professional Judgment” by Financial Aid Administrators GEN Update of the Use of “Professional Judgment” and Reminder of Combat Pay Exclusion NASFAA Monograph 26: Professional Judgment in Eligibility Determination and Need Analysis NASFAA “AskRegs” Knowledgebase: Search “Professional Judgment”

Dependency Override Resources The Higher Education Act of 1965, Sec 480(d): Independent Student The FSA Handbook, Application and Verification Guide, Chapter 5: Special Cases GEN Dependency Overrides GEN Dependency Overrides NASFAA “AskRegs” Knowledgebase: Search “Dependency Override”