If you’re a parent with student loan debt, you may be wondering if this could affect your child’s financial aid eligibility.
The majority of federal student aid is not contingent on student or parent credit history, including any federal student loan debt the parents may have.
What Types of Financial Aid Are Available?
There are several types of college financial aid available. Some financial aid is based on need and some is based on merit; some has to be repaid; and some requires your child to work to earn money. Aid may be provided by the federal or state government, the college itself, or charitable and private organizations. Generally, college financial aid falls into four categories: grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and student loans.
How is Financial Aid Awarded?
The first step in the financial aid process is completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Parents will report their Federal Tax Information (FTI) on the FAFSA, which can be retrieved and transferred directly into the form via a direct data exchange with the IRS. This system replaces the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). There are also other questions about assets and untaxed income. Based on this information, the Department of Education calculates an Student Aid Index (SAI), formally known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which colleges use to calculate the amount of aid you are eligible for.
How Will my Federal Student Loan Debt Affect my Student’s Financial Aid?
In certain financial situations, you or your tax preparer may be including a tax deduction for the student loan interest you are paying. This lowers your adjusted gross income and may therefore decrease your SAI. Other factors that may affect SAI are household size and the age of each household member. However, the SAI no longer considers the number of household members currently attending college.
Should I Pay Off my Own Student Loans Before Filing the FAFSA?
If you have a cash reserve, it may make sense to use it to pay down some of your student loans so that your assets are not too high. It is wise to check with a financial advisor before making such a move.
Will We Be Able to Get Federal Student Loans for My Child if We Have Other Student Loan Debt?
In general, the answer is yes. Eligibility for most federal student loans does not depend on the student’s or parent’s credit history. It may, however, be more difficult for parents who don’t have a positive credit history to receive a PLUS Loan or to qualify as a cosigner on a private student loan.
Also keep in mind that it may be difficult to pay off your own student loans while trying to also pay for your child’s education. Parents should discuss the situation with their child so they will understand the impact it may have on their college choices and how to pay for school.
About the Author
Jodi Okun is founder and president of College Financial Aid Advisors. She is also the About.com Money Expert on “Paying for College,” and acknowledged by The Huffington Post as one of the “Top 30 Social Influencers in Personal Finance & Wealth.” She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Mashable, US News & Education and The Huffington Post. The opinions expressed in this article are Jodi’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Discover® Student Loans.
FAFSA® is a registered trademark of the US Department of Education and is not affiliated with Discover® Student Loans.
