FAFSA: The Key to Unlocking Financial Aid

Good morning everyone. Thank you for joining us for FAFSA, the guide, the key to unlocking financial aid. This program is part of the monthly financial skills building series, which is an ongoing collaboration between the library and the San Francisco Economic Justice Center. My name is Jonathan and I'm the personal finance librarian at the San Francisco Public Libraries Business, Science, and Technology Center. And while we give folks a few more moments to join the webinar, I'll take the opportunity to uh share some library announcements and highlight some upcoming events that we have. First off, if you need closed captions during the presentation, click on the CC or show captions button in the Zoom menu. The San Francisco Public Library acknowledges that we occupy the unseated ancestral homeland of the Ramos peoples who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. We recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. As uninvited guests, we affirm their sovereign rights as first peoples and wish to pay our respects to the ancestors, elders, and relatives of the Ramitish community. All right. You can visit the business science and technology center on the fourth floor of the main library. Email us at bizitecs sfpl.org or give us a call at 415574488. You can also contact us through our chat reference service which can be found on sfpl's homepage sfpl.org. Look for the chat with us button on any page or scroll down to the contact us link. And I will share these links in the chat in just a moment. To learn more about all of the business and finance resources that we offer, head to the library's homepage where you can find us under the research and learn tab or you can go directly to our uh department landing page at sfpl.org/bst. And if you're interested in recordings of our past programs, visit the libraries uh YouTube channel, our personal finance, small business, and jobs and careers recordings can be found at on.sfpl.org/success. And this program is being recorded and a link to the recording will be shared in a follow-up email. All right, we're really excited to announce our 2026 edition of Financial Planning Day on Saturday, October 24th. Join us for a full day of expert advice on managing your finances and planning for the future. You can get free objective, no strings attached, one-on-one counseling from a certified financial planner, and attend workshops throughout the day. Topics this year include investing, income tax updates, property tax, and intergenerational transfers, resources to strengthen your financial skills, and an empowering approach to budgeting. Visit sfpl.org/financial- oorgg/financial-planning for more information and to sign up for a one-on-one session. We also have a lot of other great programs coming up in September and October, but I'm going to um skip that for now so we can get on to this presentation. I'll share some links to those upcoming programs in the chat. Finally, you can stay uptodate about all of our services and upcoming programs via our events calendar or by subscribing to our once a month uh email newsletter. scan the QR codes here or follow the links on this slide and again I'll post these links in the chat in just a moment. Uh now I'm going to hand it over to Andrea who will provide more information about the Economic Justice Center and introduce today's presenters. >> Thanks so much Jonathan and thank you all for for your patience as we um work through our technical difficulties here. Um but yeah, thanks thanks everyone for joining today. We're really excited um and appreciate you taking the time to be here for our um webinar, FAFSA, the key to unlocking financial aid. Um which as Jonathan mentioned is a a collaboration between the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Economic Justice Center. Um a little bit here uh about us, a little bit more about us. Um, San Francisco Financial Counseling is one of the flagship programs of the Economic Justice Center, which is um, a part of the Treasures Office here in San Francisco. Um, our Economic Justice Center leverages the powers of the Treasures Office into tools that help San Franciscans build savings, reduce debt, and keep more of what they earn, all while eliminating unjust fines and fees, and protecting people from predatory financial practices. We work across city departments to help design systems and policies um that support financial stability instead of creating barriers. And we want to ensure that every resident has a fair shot at economic security and opportunity. Um my name is Andrea Ye and I lead our free financial counseling program here in San Francisco. Um some of you may know uh know us for formerly as as Smart Money Coaching. Um, we still provide free one-on-one financial counseling to anyone who lives, works, or receives services in San Francisco. And that's regardless of immigration status or income bracket because we want to make sure our services open to as many people as possible. San Francisco Financial Counseling is funded by multiple city departments um including the wonderful public library. Um and our services are provided by different providers who have expertise give um providing financial capability services to various communities in San Francisco. Balance is one of our wonderful service providers and our San Francisco financial counselors joining us today are from Balance. before um yeah, as Jonathan mentioned, uh we're going to make sure the slides and the recording are going to be made available to everyone who registered for the event. And this is going to be an interactive presentation. So, make sure you can um you have your chat uh you're you're ready to chime in on the chat and and share any of your questions there as well. Um we will try to answer your questions as they come in. Um, but we will hopefully have some time at the end to address any any additional questions there too. Um, and with that, let me go ahead and introduce our two presenters today. We have Naelli, who started her professional career working at a law and accounting firm. In her role, she witnessed firsthand the transformative power of financial capability in people's lives. As a result, she's committed to empowering others with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve financial well-being. Um, we also have Julia with us today who is a UC Berkeley alum and she resides in the San Francisco Bay area. She's bilingual in English and Mandarin and we're excited to have her share her passion for helping others with our clients through San Francisco financial counseling. Um, Naelli, Julia, go ahead and take it away. >> Yes. Thank you, Andrea and Jonathan. Um, welcome everyone. I'm so glad you're here today. Um, I want you to know that this is a judgment-free space. Today's conversation isn't just about paperwork or financial processes. It's about empowerment. It's about you taking one step closer to the life you're working towards. We're going to talk about financial wellness, what gets in the way, and walk through something concrete that affects millions of families every single year, which is the FASA. But more than that, we're going to explore how understanding money and opportunities can transform how you see yourself and your future. So, please feel free to put questions in the chat as they come up. My colleague Julia here will be monitoring the chat while I present. We may um answer some questions as we go along, but hopefully we do have some time at the end um to have a discussion and answer further questions. Okay. Thanks everyone. >> Go ahead Julen just looking at forms like I mentioned we are looking at your future. So by the end of this session you will understand exactly why the FASA is the key to unlocking your financial aid opportunities. will break down the requirements and documentation needed to complete the FASA, identify common fit pitfalls to avoid so you don't unnecessarily don't so you don't have any unnecessary delays and we'll mop out the application process from start to finish. My goal for you is to leave here feeling confident, informed, and ready to take the first actionable step towards your education. So, if you guys can all give me a thumbs up if you're ready to learn. Okay. Awesome. I'm seeing. Yeah. Okay. So, Okay. So, um let me introduce you guys to Abdul. So, Abdul is a high school senior and um this video will do a great job introducing him to us. Um, if you could play that video, Julia, please. >> Abdul is a high school senior getting ready to apply for college. He and his family are excited, but also overwhelmed. He keeps hearing about the FAFSA, and everyone said it's important, but he's not exactly sure why or where to start. His parents want to help, but they're unsure, too. There's talk about tax forms, deadlines, accounts to create. It's a lot. Abdul keeps thinking, "What if I mess this up? What if I miss something important?" So instead of starting, he puts it off. >> Okay. Thank you. So here's what I want you to know about Abdul's story. It doesn't end in confusion. It ends with inconidence and transformation from this overwhelmed feeling to empowered. And that's exactly why we're here today. So Abdul is not a cautionary tell, it's a mirror. And he has proved that preparation and support will make all the difference. Okay. Before we go any further, I want to check in not about what you know, but how you feel. Because financial wellness isn't just about numbers. It's about our relationship with money, with systems, and with ourselves. So, I'm going to ask you a poll question here, and I want you to answer honestly. There are no wrong answers. So as we see here on the screen, the poll question is when you think about the fast process right now, how does it feel? So we have options A confusing, B stressful, C manageable, D I feel confident already or E none of these and you can tell us in the chat and take a moment. How does it honestly feel? >> I'm seeing the answers rolling in the chat. We have some folks feeling a confused, b stressful, c a combination of a, b, and c. We have a variety of answers. Yeah, confus confusion is completely valid, right? Stressful makes total sense. And if anyone is feeling confident, I would still encourage you to stay. Um, we have even more to share. Okay. Okay, let's get into it. So, FASA stands for free application for federal student aid. As its c at its core, it is a tool. It is a key relief that unlocks access to financial assistance for higher education. And here's why this matters so much. Uh the fast isn't just about federal student loans. It opens doors to multiple types of aid. First, there are grants like the Pell Grants that you may have heard of which do not need to be repaid. It is free money. I know free. Um second, there are loans with low interest rates and flexible repayment options, much more favorable than if you were to take out private loans. Third, there's also work study, which allow students to earn money through part-time work to help them pay for college. But it doesn't stop there. Many states and colleges have their own aid programs such as scholarships and grants that also use FASA information. Even some private scholarships require it too. So when we say that the FASA it's is key, we mean it opens many doors, not just one. Okay. All right. So the fastway is something that millions of families never complete. Not because they're not smart or not or they don't care, but because it can feel, like we shared recently, confusing and overwhelming, especially the first time. Many families are navigating this for the first time with no guide or no road map road map and no one to really call. They're not sure which where to get help. And without support, it's easy to just stop to put it off or just hope it works out somehow. The truth is that you don't have to figure it out alone. That's why we're here. And here's a practical reframe. So, when we break the FASA into steps, small, clear, doable steps, it becomes manageable. Not easy necessarily, but manageable. And manageable is enough for us to move forward. Okay. Let's go. Okay. So let's talk about the basics because sometimes the most empowering things is simply knowing the facts. Okay. So number one, the FASA is completely free to complete. There is no application fee. If you ever see a site trying to charge you to complete the FASA, this is not the official site. The official site is studentaid.gov. Now repeat that again. Studentaid.gov. Number two, completing the FAFSA is not a commitment. You are not required to attend any school or accept any loan just because you applied. It simply gives you options. Number three, you can list up to 20 schools on a single application. So, you can cast a wide net without having to reapply separately for each school. Number four, the FASA uses something that's called student aid index or SAI to calculate your aid allegibility. Think of the SAI as a formula that helps determine how much you may qualify for. And finally, the FASA is valid for one academic year. So, it must be completed annually. Okay. Let's walk through the basic allegibility requirements. And I want to be clear, these are federal requirements. So some states and institutional programs may have additional criteria. So I encourage you to always check. So to qualify for federal financial aid through the FASA, you generally need a high school diploma or or its equivalent. So this could include a GED and other recognized credentials. You need to be enrolled or accepted into an allegible degree or certificate program. You also need a valid social security number. And you will need to be a US citizen or meet other allegible non-citizen documentation requirements. And finally, you need to provide consent for the Department of Education to access your federal tax information. So, the IRS data retrieval tool, which we'll talk a little bit more here about shortly, makes things easier than ever. You essentially give permission for your for your tax data to populate automatically, which will help reduce any errors and really speed up the process. Okay, next slide. Okay. So before we go further into content, I want to hear from you again. So the question is, what part of the fast process feels most challenging to you right now? Here are some options. So A knowing where to start, B gathering documents, C understanding financial aid terms, D meeting deadlines, or E completing the application accurately. So take a moment, think about where you are in this journey. Again, there's no wrong answers. Every single one of these is valid. So, go ahead and make your selection now in the chat. I'm seeing a knowing where to start. All the above A and D. Okay. >> C unsure. A B C. >> Okay. So, a mixture of both of all of them then. >> Okay. >> Yep. A mixture of everything. >> All right. So, next slide, Julia. Thank you everyone for sharing. I appreciate it. Okay. So, all right. We've covered a lot of important ground together so far. So, you know what the FASA is. You know why it matters. You know that it can unlock for you and your family a lot of um aid opportunities. And if you're if you've been feeling like Abdul like we just heard his story, right? He's a little bit overwhelmed, a little unsure, I hope we're starting to feel at least a little bit of shift. And right now, we're going to be turning a corner. We're going to be moving from understanding to doing. Okay, there we go. So, we made it to the most practical and important part of today's session. So, here's what you do before you ever open the FASA application. Preparation is key because a lot of times families don't finish the application because they don't have what they need. So, number one here you'll see is create your account. So, before you can complete the FASA, you need a federal student aid ID, which is also known as a FSA ID. So, this is a unique username and password that's assigned by the Department of Education. It gives students, parents, and borrowers access to federal student aid services. Create your FSA ID at studentaid.gov and do it before you sit down to complete the application. And that's very important because it can take up to 3 days for the FSA ID to be verified through the Social Security Administration. So if you um wait until the day you want to apply to create it, you may be stuck waiting. Number two here is we want to gather we want you to gather your documents. So here we have a little checklist. So your social security number and if you are a dependent student, your parents social security number as well. Um your driver's license if you do have one. your federal income, tax returns, and W2s. And again, if you are a dependent student, your parents tax information, too. And other earned income records. So that includes records of untaxed income if applicable. And your bank and investment records. So this can include checking, savings, and assets. And of course, like I mentioned at the beginning, your FSA ID. Now, gathering all all of these documents can feel like a lot, right? A lot of um and for some families, tracking down tax documents or investment records takes time, and that's completely normal. The point is to just start now so that you're not scrambling last minute or doing it later. Um so, give yourself a week to pull everything together if you need to. Um the earlier you start, the less stressful this will become. And then number three, um know your deadlines and apply early as some deadlines will vary. So, an FSA ID, um, as a reminder, that stands for federal student aid identification is a unique username and password that's assigned by the US Department of Education that grants students, parents, and borrowers access to the federal student aid services. So, why does this matter, right? So, it is required to complete the FAFSA. So, you cannot submit your application without one. And it also serves as a legal electronic signature. So it carries the same legal weight as a handwritten signature making it critical for security credential. And then both student and parent each will need their own. So this is a common source of confusion I see. So a single FSA ID cannot be shared between a student and a parent. You cannot use the same email address. So, it's two people, two accounts. Make sure that your name on the FASA matches exactly with your FSA ID. So, using a name on the FASA that differs from the one associated with your FSA ID is listed as one of the most common mistakes that can delay or complicate your application. So, in short, the FSA ID is the key that unlocks the entire U FASA process. without it neither neither um you or your parents can access complete or sign the application. So it's pretty important first step. Okay, let's keep on going here. So the FASA consists of 46 question, but don't let that number overwhelm you. I know it sounds like a lot. Um we're going to break it down into two manageable segments. So the student section and then the parent section. By viewing these as an as individual steps rather than this one massive mountain, we can maintain the mindfulness needed to ensure accuracy in this application. So questions 1 through 29 are all about you. So your identity, contact information, your social security number. Accuracy here is vital for your financial wellness as errors can lead to delays in your aid processing. Questions regarding marital status and personal circumstances are essential for determining your dependency status. This is about ensuring inclusivity. The FASA is designed to recognize various family structures so that aid is distributed equitably. Um, if you're ever not sure about how to answer a qua a question based on your situation, um, you can refer to the toolkit on the studentaid.gov site. So, um, you can list up to 20 schools on your FASA as I have mentioned. So, whether that's choosing a community college or a 4-year university, ensure that you have school codes ready to go. Demographic information helps schools provide a comprehensive look at your financial context. It is important to fill this section out honestly and thoroughly. Inclusivity is inclusivity in financial aid means recognizing that every student's family background is different and this data helps the system work for everyone. Now we move to the parent section. So if you are a dependent student, this section requires collaboration. So whether you're the student or the parent, remember that you are a team. Approaching this with patience and clear communication is the best way to ensure the process remains stress-free. Okay. So you've done the hard work, right? You've gathered those documents. You filled out those 46 questions that we just broke down. Um, and you double checked your information to make sure there's no errors and you submitted your FASA. And now we wait. So, let's go ahead and see this video if it'll play. So, it looks like the video isn't able to be played here on this slide. Okay, that's fine. We'll talk about what happens next. Okay. So before we do that, go ahead to the second slide, Julia. The next slide, please. Um, so let's talk about what can go wrong. And this is not to scare you, but to empower you because knowing the common mistakes is how we can avoid them. Um, so mistake number one is missing the deadlines. The federal deadline is June 30th of each academic year, but many states and schools have m have much earlier deadlines and state funds can run out. So technically on time, which is is June 30th um for the federal deadline deadline might not might be too late for some state and school aid. So I would really encourage you to apply early. Mistake number two is incorrect information. And so I know that sounds obvious, but typos do happen. For example, um transposed social security number, wrong dates of birth, misspelled names. Every air will create a delay. So please be um double check for those errors to avoid that. Mistake number three, um FASA ID issues. So, if your name on your FSA ID doesn't exactly match what's on file with the Social Security Administration, your sign your signature won't be accepted. And then mistake number four is not using the IRS data retrieval tool. So if you manually enter your tax information instead of using the tool, you risk inputting incorrect numbers which again which can trigger um a process that's called verification which is essentially an audit of your application and that would significantly delay your aid. So using the tool, so I would recommend you use the tool um and let that data speak for itself. Okay. Okay. So, before we move into what happens when aid is offered, I want to introduce you to a tool that doesn't get enough attention, but that can be genuinely transformative for the planning process. It's called that federal student aid estimator. So, here's a scenario that it's designed for. So, you want to understand what you might be eligible for before you apply. Maybe you're trying to plan a college budget, or maybe you're comparing schools and wondering how financial aid might factor in. Maybe you just want to feel a little less in the dark before you sit down to complete the full application. So, the estimator is a preview. It appro takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes to complete. It requires only the students basic financial information such as income, assets, household size, and a few personal details. You don't need any tax documents. You don't need um your parents to be present. You just need a general picture of your financial situation. So, it gives you an estimated student aid index so you can begin to understand what your aid allegibility might look like. And as a reminder, the estimator is only an estimate. It is not a guarantee of aid. It will not replace your actual FASA, but it is an excellent tool for making initial planning decisions, especially when you're comparing schools or setting expectations. A lot of anxiety people feel about the financial aid process comes from not knowing what to expect. So, the estimator hands you the knowledge early. It says, "Here's a reasonable picture of what might be possible for you." Okay, so you submitted your FASA, you've waited, and now award letters start arriving. Okay. So, when you receive a financial aid package from a school, it will likely contain a combination of different types of aid. And I cannot stress this enough. You need to know exactly what you're looking at before you accept anything. So, I'm going to break this down. So, so first you'll have um grants and scholarships, and you should accept those first. So, these are funds that do not need to be repaid. the Pell Grant, institutional grants, merit scholarships. These are gifts. Um, accept them fully without hesitation and without guilt. This is money that was set aside for students exactly like yourself. Second, you can consider work study. So, work study is a federal program that gives you the opportunity to earn money through part-time employment, often on campus, to help cover your college expenses. Now, it's not a guarantee of employment. It is an allegibility for a position. So, consider your schedule, your academic demands, and your capacity before accepting. Um, three, accept only the federal student loans that you need. So, here's what I need you to here's where I need you to slow down. So, loans must be repaid with interest. So, federal student loans generally offer lower interest rates. They're more flex. They have more flexible repayment options and stronger borrow protections than private loans do. If you need to borrow, borrow federal loans first, but borrow only what you actually need to cover your educational costs. So, um not your wants, right? Not a cushion, just what you need. And then finally, um approach private loans with extreme caution. Private loans from banks and other lenders typically come with higher interest rates and fewer protections. These are last resorts not a first option. So the order again grants, scholarships, work study if you think you can handle depending on your school schedule, then federal loans and then private loans only if necessary. Okay. So, let's talk about what happens after you've reviewed your award letter. So, if you've accepted your grants and scholarships and you've decided thoughtfully that you need to accept a federal student loan. So, federal loans come with two required steps before any money is dispersed. These are not optional. These are not bureaucratic formalities that sometimes people think. These are protections for you. So step one would be the um the entrance counseling. So before your loan is finalized, you are required to complete entrance counseling, which is a brief online course available at studentaid.gov. It walks you through your rights and responsibilities as a federal loan borrower. It covers repayment options, interest, and what happens if you have trouble paying after graduation. I want you to actually engage with this and not just click through it to get it done but really actually read it because the information in that counseling session is information you will need. And then step two um we have the master promisary note or what's referred as MPN. The MPN is a legal document. It is a promise to repay the loan under the terms outlined. So, please read it before you sign it and ask questions if anything is unclear. Signing a legal document you don't understand is never a financial wellness move, no matter how much you need that money. Okay. Now, let's talk about how how dispersement works. So, federal financial aid is is sent directly to your school. It's not sent to you personally. the school applies applies it to your tuition, to your fees, and other direct educational costs first. So, if your aid doesn't fully cover your balance, you will owe the school the remaining amount, and this is your responsibility to plan for. On the other hand, if your financial aid exceeds your school expenses, the remaining amount will be refunded to you. And I want to make this very clear, that refund is not a bonus. It is not free money. If any portion of it came from a loan, it is money that you will repay and again with interest. So treat your refund with the same intentionality you give to your acceptance decision. Use it for educational expenses or build your emergency fund. Be thoughtful because the decision you make will with that refund today will follow you after graduation. And then we're going to do a quick engagement here, um, Julia. So, we're going to do the a lightning round. So, I'm going to ask you guys three rapid questions and you can answer true or false. Okay. So, the first one, financial aid is deposited directly into your account. True or false? Okay. I'm saying false. >> Yes. If you answered false, that is correct. as a reminder, it goes to the school first. Okay? You're not going to be getting that money into your bank account. And then another one, entrance counseling is optional for federal loans. True or false? >> We have a mixture of true and false. >> Okay. Yeah, it is false. As a reminder, that is required and definitely take that seriously. go through the process. So, and then another one, this is the last one. Um, if your refund came from a loan, you'll need to pay it back. True or false? Again, if your refund came from a loan, you'll need to pay it back. >> Majority of answers are saying true. >> Yeah, that is true. Right. So, um be mindful if um about that money. if it did come with the loan, you'll have to repay it um with interest. So, let's go on to our next slide there, Julia. The federal government has clear um requirements for maintaining your financial aid allegibility. So, let me walk through the three most important ones. So, requirement one is going to be the enrollment status. So to maintain most federal financial aid, you must be enrolled at least half time in a qualified degree or certificate program. So if your enrollment drops be below half time um which can happen because of a withdrawal or you may have failed a course or a leave of absence, your aid allegibility can be affected immediately. So always always talk to your financial aid office before dropping a class. Requirement two, satis satisfactory academic progress or SAP. Your school is required to monitor both your GPA and your course completion rate. So you must maintain a minimum GPA of typically a 2.0 and you must successfully complete a minimum percentage of the courses you attempt. Withdrawals and failing grades count against your completion rate. Um number three, um the PEL grant has a lifetime limit. So the federal PEL grant has a lifetime limit um equivalent of six years of fulltime enrollment. So once you've used your PEL grant eligibility, it's gone. So use it wisely and move through your program with intention. Financial aid is not passive income. It is an investment in your future. And like all investments, it requires stewardship. Protect it. Stay enrolled. Stay engaged. Ask for help before a small problem becomes a big one. Okay, let's let's listen. Okay, so do you guys remember Abdul? So we met him at the beginning of the presentation and as a reminder, right, he was a high school student, high school senior. He was very excited about his future but also felt a little bit overwhelmed. He was worried about those deadlines and unsure about tax forms and afraid of making the mistake. So, let's see this video and get an update on how he's doing. Perfect. But because he took action later when financial aid offers came in, he and his family understood what he was looking at and could make a more informed decision. Now, instead of feeling unsure, Abdul feels prepared. He didn't just complete a form. He opened the door to opportunities. Okay. Thank you. We're glad that Abdul is doing a lot better. Um, as we see like through breaking it down, this process is more manageable. Okay. So, be before we move into our final key takeaways here, I want to pause and check in with you. Um, so what changed most for you during today's session? So your options are I feel more informed. A, B, I feel more confident, C, I feel less stressed about the process, D, I understand financial aid options better, E, I'm ready to take action, or F, something else. And you can always tell us in the chat. Folks are feeling combination of A, B, C, D, all of the above. >> They're feeling more informed. >> Yay. >> A little less stressed. >> Okay. Happy to hear. >> Okay. So, let's go to the next slide here, Julia. Um, so let's bring it all together. Right. So, we've covered a lot of ground today and I want to make sure you leave with a clear picture of the most important things to carry with you. So, think of this as your financial aid road map. Um, a reference you can return to anytime the process feels a little overwhelming again. Um, so here are some key takeaways. So, FASA opens the door to financial aid opportunities. Preparation and early action can reduce stress and delays. Small steps make the process more manageable and compare financial aid offers carefully and borrow thoughtfully. Um, confidence grows through understanding and action. So look at where you um look at where we started right with uncertainty or the fear of making a mistake. to you claim the tools to handle the FASA, understand the aid, and protect your future. I want to invite you guys to take one one of these steps today. So, one, as we talked, that's the first step to unlocking FASA, right? Create your FSA ID if you haven't already. Two, gather the documents you'll need. If you have a lot, give yourself a week. Don't stress over it. Three, review FASA deadlines for your school and states. Um, make sure you really know those deadlines because as we talked throughout the presentation, right, that federal deadline sometimes may be too late for those um, state um, funding. Set aside time to complete the application. Ask for help if you need support. Um, you don't have to do it any of this alone. Okay. So if you have additional questions um you can use the following resources as well. So you can use the FASA website for frequently asked question section. The federal student aid help center can be contacted via phone, email or live chat. And then if you are a high school student, your high school counselor is another reliable source for answering questions um as it relates to the process. Okay. All righty. So, we have some times for questions. We have a couple of questions in the Q&A. Okay. Is June 30th, 2027 the deadline for the 2027 to 2028 college school year? Yeah. Yeah. So, the June 30th um deadline um for this June 30th is going to be for the following school year. And then Julia, feel free to chip in here as well with these questions. Yeah, that's the typical deadline for federal aid, but do check with your state or your school about its specific deadlines >> and those schools are going to have specific grants and scholarships. So, um don't wait until that deadline. Um really, if you do apply earlier, you'll be the first one to have access to that aid. Where can we find the IRS data retrieval tool? >> That's going to be with embedded within the application. So the application will give you access to um use that tool to grab that information to that um your application. So as you're going through that application um that will be one of the options. So you can either use that or do it manually. Um, and as we've discussed, doing it with the data retrieval tool will decrease those errors and those delays because manually you you're a little bit more prone to making those mistakes. >> Exactly. Thanks, Naelli. And then we have an attendee with a question about, "We receive a lot of ads from companies offering college planning advice. They talk about strategies to maximize financial aid and they mention how income is taken from two years prior and assets are reported the day of the application. What is the best strategy that most families miss that keeps them from getting the maximum amount of aid they can receive? >> I would say that applying applying too late, right? Or not really um taking advantage of those scholarships um that are offered through the schools. um sometimes right waiting to the last minute to the application deadline and and maybe you don't have access to your FSA ID right so now you have to wait to get that um you have to wait to get it approved so that you can then use it what would you say Julia >> yeah I would say that the application meeting the deadlines and some of the planning that falls outside of our scope. So I would refer back to the FAQ, excuse me, the FAQ section on the FSA website and also using other refer resources that are available to you. >> Okay, thank you Julia. What happens if we plan on starting classes mid academic year? >> Mid academic year. Let's see. You should still um Yeah. What do you think, Julia? I'm not too sure. Yeah, I think it's annual, right? Um let's let me get back to you on that one. I just want to be sure. Um, so before I give an answer or do you have one, Julia? Do you know? >> That's a great question. We need to do a little more research on that. >> Yeah. So, we'll get back to you on that question um and send an answer to um either Jonathan or Andrea that will be delivering those slides to the people that participated today. >> We don't want to misinform anyone. Oh, go ahead. >> I also just wanted to sort of chime in here. Oops. Sorry. Let me share my camera. Um, yeah, great idea. Whatever follow-up answers you all come up with, um, feel free to channel that through through myself and we can get that out to people. I'm also just going to encourage folks for like these types of questions to please sign up for a financial counseling session with our SF financial counselors. It's completely free and these in in in these sessions they can really um address these uh uh situation specific questions and also you can meet with them more than once so that they can you know have time to look into any of these more um uh specific situational questions um and then get back to you with with uh the solutions that that fit your your situation. Um, yeah. Good. Does that sort of help, Na Julia? >> Yeah, that's perfect. Yeah, because um they'll be a they'll be a lot more informed and um if it's situational, we can have time more than enough time to discuss your specific um situation. Um and if we don't know the answer, we will find a way to find an answer that so you we make sure that you are informed. Um and the next slide, we can actually see where you can make that appointment. Julia, if you want to share the next slide, please. So, you can always scan the QR code um to make an appointment. As a reminder, these are free. So, and there is no limit to how many times you can meet with a counselor. Um so, take advantage of that, especially if you do need support because it is overwhelming and it can be a little bit stressful. So, having someone there to help guide um is always helpful. I want to thank everyone for coming to our presentation today. U Julia, I will also let you say any final thoughts that you have with that. Thank you everyone for attending. Let's hand it back to Andrea and Jonathan. >> Thank you Julia and Naelli for that informative presentation. Um we really uh and thank you all for joining us today. We appreciate, we know your schedules are busy and especially with the start of the new school year, you're juggling a lot of different things and so we appreciate you taking the time to to join us today. Um, as we mentioned previously, we really hope to see you sign up for a San Francisco financial counseling session, which is again free to anyone who lives, works, or receives any type of service here in San Francisco. Um, and I think I I just want to make the caveat that it's open to anyone who is 18 and older. Unfortunately, we can't um work with minors at this time. Um, but if you are 18 and older or you are emancipated, we're happy to provide free financial counseling um for for you and um your family. Uh so, we hope to see you sign up for a counseling session. Um we also hope to see you at our next webinar. Um, it's going to be next month on October 1st called Mindful Money: Financial Decisions with Intention. And that's where we'll discuss how emotions, habits, and external influences shape everyday money choices. Um, and also how to slow down decision-m so that you can um, make your financial decisions with intention. Um, so yeah, thanks so much for joining us today. We're going to be sharing the recording along with the slides from today's prevent uh presentation soon. Um and go ahead and enjoy the rest of your afternoon. Thanks so much everyone. Oh, and sorry Jonathan feel free to chime in with any other last parting thoughts. >> Oh yeah, I um really quick um someone was asking for the link uh for financial counseling since um they do not use QR codes. So maybe we could drop that into the chat really quick. Um while you're doing that, yeah, I just wanted to thank um Naelli and Julia for that presentation. Um and also thank everyone for attending today. Um like Andrea said, um we encourage you to sign up for financial counseling, especially if you have uh sort of uh specific questions about your situation that you would like addressed. Um and also feel free to reach out to the library. um visit us or call us or email us at the business science and technology center at the library and uh we'll do our best to connect you to the resources that will help you with your question. >> Thanks again everyone. >> Thanks so much everyone. Take care. Bye-bye. Bye.