How do I get my EFC to 0?

How do I lower my EFC score?

Reduce family income

If possible, defer any workplace bonuses or avoid exercising stock options. If you have an investment that's losing money, consider selling it. The capital loss will factor into your adjusted gross income and could lower your EFC.

Why is my EFC so high?

EFC is based on the parents' and student's income and assets. A high EFC is likely the result of high income or a high value of assets as reported on the FAFSA. Assets considered include bank account balances, capital gains and, sometimes, equity held in businesses and real estate.

Is a EFC of 00000 good?

Basic formula, total cost of attendance minus your EFC number equals your family financial need. When your score is o0000 colleges consider your financial aid need “exceptional” and often times use the term “full-need student” (not to be confused with “need met” by each college explained below).

What is the automatic zero on EFC?

Zero is the lowest possible number your EFC can be. If your family makes less than $29,000 a year, you likely fall into the automatic zero category, which means your family isn't expected to have financial resources to contribute to your education.

Finding Your Expected Family Contribution Number

Is it good if your EFC is 0?

It just means that the government determined you qualify for all types of need-based financial aid. Families with a total income of $27,000 or less will receive an automatic 0 EFC, along with most families that receive federal benefits like food stamps or Medicaid.

What is a good EFC number?

The overall average EFC is about $10,000, with an average of about $6,000 for students at community colleges and $14,000 at 4-year colleges. Slightly more than half of students have an EFC of $2,500 or less.

Why does my EFC say 00000?

If your income is below $49,999, your family qualifies for a simplified needs test. This means both the parent's and student's assets are not counted in the EFC calculation, and may lead to a 00000 EFC result. A student will also have a 0 EFC if they are considered independent from their parents.

What does an EFC of $20 000 mean?

An Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $20,000 on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) means that the federal government has determined that your family is expected to contribute up to $20,000 towards your college education for the upcoming academic year.

Is a negative EFC good?

A student with a negative EFC has more need than the current formula reveals and as a result, the financial aid you provide may seem like it achieves less than intended. Seeing the negative EFC helps you target those students for other supports and/or additional aid if it is available.

What if I think my EFC is wrong?

It's possible mistakes can be made, or your circumstances have changed since you filled out your FAFSA. If you believe that a college has calculated your EFC incorrectly, contact the financial aid office. Financial aid officers will explain how they determined your EFC and discuss your options.

What is a bad EFC number?

Once your FAFSA form is received, the schools arrive at a number between 0 and 4617 that will result in a federal student aid grant for the following academic year. Any person with an EFC number at 0 will receive the maximum amount of student aid, while a number over 5273 will result in no aid at all.

Can EFC be changed?

The school can recalculate the student's EFC using the updated data and use that EFC to award campus-based, Direct Subsidized Loan, or Federal Stafford Loan funds. The school can also choose not to recalculate, and instead have the student submit the updated information for the CPS to recalculate the EFC.

How high can EFC go?

Use of the expected family contribution

Zero is the lowest EFC number (indicating that the family cannot afford to pay anything) and 999,999 is the highest.

How accurate is EFC?

The accuracy of your EFC estimate depends upon the accuracy of the information you enter. If you are using the EFC Calculator after you have completed your FAFSA and/or income tax forms and have them to refer to, your results will be more accurate.

What affects my EFC?

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The information you report on your FAFSA form is used to calculate your EFC. The EFC is calculated according to a formula established by law. Your family's taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits (such as unemployment or Social Security) all could be considered in the formula.

Do you want a high EFC?

College financial aid offices use the EFC to estimate how much financial aid the school will offer to enrollees. Students with low EFC receive the most student aid. Learners with high EFC receive less aid. Applicants with family incomes below $26,000 qualify for an automatic zero EFC and maximum federal funding.

Is an EFC of 4000 good?

For a student with the average American household AGI of $50,000, their EFC typically ranges from $3,000-$4,000. Very wealthy families may receive an EFC that is greater than the cost of an expensive private university.

What does an EFC of $50000 mean?

An Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $50,000 means that the family is expected to contribute $50,000 toward the student's education expenses for the academic year.

How is EFC calculated?

The EFC for a dependent student is calculated using the FAFSA data for the student and his parents. The CPS calculates the parents' contribution (which includes their assets), the student's contribution from income, and the student's contribution from assets; the EFC is the sum of these three.

Is 3000 a low EFC?

The EFC for the average American household with an AGI of $50,000 will usually range from $3,000 to $4,000. There is no cap on EFCs so some very wealthy families will have EFCs that exceed the cost of an expensive private university.

What is replacing EFC?

The new changes mean the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be replaced with something called the Student Aid Index (SAI) beginning in the 2024-25 award year (which is the FAFSA you will begin to fill out this year).

Does debt affect EFC?

Impact of Debt on Financial Aid

For example, using cash in the bank, which is a reportable asset, to pay off credit card debt, which is an unsecured debt, will reduce the reportable assets and thereby reduce the EFC. It is also good financial planning to use low-interest savings to pay off high-interest debt.

Does household size affect EFC?

The number of family members in college directly affects the family's ability to contribute to the student's education costs. The student's EFC is divided by the number of family members in college.

Why is the EFC so important?

Because your EFC estimates how much your family should be able to contribute towards your education, your EFC ultimately determines how much financial aid you can receive. The higher your EFC is, the less need-based aid you will get. Those who qualify for the most financial aid have lower EFCs.