Financial Aid

Financial Aid Petition for Income Adjustment

Posted November 20, 2009 by dvaldespino

The NMSU-A Financial Aid Office would like to get the word out to students and prospective students that are currently unemployed that now is the time to see about applying for a Petition for Income Adjustment (PIA).  A person whose income significantly dropped for any reason from 2008 (which is the information used on the FAFSA)  to 2009 can request that the financial aid office do a PIA.  This allows the financial aid office to collect 2009 income information and make adjustments to a student’s FAFSA based on 2009 information.

Those that experienced a decline in income may then become eligible for Pell Grant or in some cases may be eligible for a larger amount of Pell Grant.  It may be possible to have the resulting change in eligibility, be retroactive to Fall 2009, if the students was enrolled.  The newly established eligibility is effective FA09, SP10 and Summer 10.   This is not something a student can go online at the FAFSA website and do himself, it requires that a Financial Aid Advisor use professional judgement to make the adjustments.

We must have the complete 2009 income and tax information.  The student does not have to have filed a 2009 tax form.  If the student can get that information to us early January,  we will be able to tell within a few working days what the new eligibility will be.  Although it will be unlikely to have their aid here by the beginning of classes, we would recommend that the student enroll in classes.  Should the student want to withdraw, there will be no charge if it is done within the 100% refund period.  The first payment is not due to the business office until February 19th.

The idea is to reach out to the people that have been so adversely affected by the down-turned economy and help them get in classes (or stay in classes) for Spring 2010.

Call (575-439-3710) or come by the financial aid office.

Comments

2 Responses to “Financial Aid Petition for Income Adjustment”

  1. Sirena Gibson on November 23rd, 2009 9:24 am

    I would like to do a PIA as I am recently unemployed. I would like to recieve workstudy funds. Will filling out a PIA help me to recieve workstudy alottment?

  2. Petition for Income Adjustment (PIA) Information - NMSU Alamogordo on November 23rd, 2009 3:01 pm

    [...] to 2009 can request that the financial aid office do a PIA.  For more information go to the financial aid [...]

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