In an announcement on Tuesday, the IRS issued a warning of scammers impersonating the IRS claiming they needed to click on an embedded link to receive their tax refunds. Do not click on this link! Taxpayers who believe they have a pending refund can easily check on its status at “Where’s My Refund?” on IRS.gov.

Those who receive this scam email should not click on the link in the email but instead report it to the IRS. For those who may have fallen victim to the scam, the IRS recommends obtaining an Identity Protection PIN, which helps prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns in the victim’s name.

For full details and important links read the full article.

Struggling to pay your internet bill? Good news – help is on the way.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently announced a program to help those struggling to pay for internet amid the pandemic, stating that a household is eligible to receive the benefit if one member of the household received a federal Pell Grant during the current award year, among other possible criteria for eligibility. Under the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, eligible households can receive up to $50 per month to help pay for broadband internet service. Written or electronic confirmation from a student’s school that the individual is a Pell Grant recipient will serve as verification for the program, or a student’s financial aid award letter documenting the amount of their Pell Grant award received for the current year. A copy of a student’s paid invoice that shows the student’s receipt of a Pell Grant during the current award year or a copy of the student’s Student Aid Report will all serve as proper documentation, according to the notice from the FCC.

For details, go to your internet provider’s webpage to see if they are participating in this national program.

Struggling and worried about your next meal? Good news – help is available!

College students are now eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits. In the past, there were several criteria which prevented students from qualifying; due to the pandemic, temporary relief will be offered to students through expanded SNAP eligibility.

To view if you may be eligible, go to the Wisconsin website: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/index.htm
To apply, visit: https://access.wisconsin.gov/access/

Hard copy applications can be found here:

Spanish Application ~ https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forms/f1/f16019bs.pdf
English Application ~ https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forms/f1/f16019b.pdf

Starting Jan. 25, 2021, Federal Student Aid will begin sending emails, SMS, and mobile application push notifications, when applicable, to 2020–21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) filers (and parents of dependent 2020–21 FAFSA filers) who have not yet submitted a 2021–22 FAFSA form.

The goal is to remind customers that the 2021–22 FAFSA form is available and should be completed soon for those going to school between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Students and parents can complete and submit the 2021–22 FAFSA form electronically on fafsa.gov or via the Apple or Android version of the myStudentAid mobile app using the FAFSA feature.

Eligible students and parents who have a valid email address in the Central Processing System will receive an email sometime between Jan. 25, 2021, and early February. Students and parents may receive different messages based on certain factors. The specific email text is attached to this notice for your reference.

Eligible students and parents who have opted in to receive SMS and mobile app push notifications may receive a notification in addition to an email. SMS notification text and mobile app push notification text are also attached to this notice for your reference.

For more information on financial aid services at Moraine Park, visit morainepark.edu/financial-aid.

It’s that time of the year where you receive multiple forms to file your taxes, and as they pile up you begin to wonder where to find the tax forms to file and how to figure out what information you really need? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could get someone to help you through this cumbersome process? The good news is you can, and it’s free!

Here’s the information sent out by the IRS.

IRS Free File: Ideal for young and first-time filers

What is this?

Most Free File users are under the age of 30 with modest incomes. The Free File adjusted gross income limit for 2020 is $69,000. For those who want to do their own taxes, Free File means free tax preparation, free electronic filing and free direct deposit, which is the fastest way to get a refund.

How does it work?

1. Go to IRS.gov/freefile to see all Free File options.
    
2. Browse each of the 10 offers or use a “look up” tool to help you find the right product. Each Free File partner sets its own eligibility standards generally based on income, age, and state residency, but if your adjusted gross income was $69,000 or less, you will find at least one free product to use. Two products are in Spanish.
    
3. Select a provider and follow the links to their web page to begin your tax return.
    
4. Complete and e-file your tax return only if you have all the income and deduction records you need. The fastest way to get a refund is by filing electronically and selecting direct deposit. If you owe, use direct pay or electronic options.

For more information on free file, visit irs.gov/freefile.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling! No, not really, but it is time to file your FAFSA before it’s too late.
If you wait too long and need assistance paying for your tuition, it will feel like the sky is falling come August when tuition payments are due.

Continue reading

Has anyone ever told you “college is an investment in your future”? Have you ever thought about what that truly means? The mere fact that you need to save and apply for funding makes it feel cumbersome … and really the bottom line is, is it affordable?

The good news is that it is! The direct cost of attending college is your tuition and books. With the support of your family, you can choose to reduce the additional costs of housing and meals or miscellaneous expenses by living at home or budgeting to live frugally. Sticker prices of attending college often include all of those costs showing a high price to pay towards your education; with the help of financial aid, tuition and books is easily covered. Continue reading

DATA entry can be tedious, mundane and nitpicky – but for the FAFSA it is critical to get all of the correct information entered on the FAFSA ~ especially tax information! Continue reading

It’s time! Hard to believe, but yes it is time to file your FAFSA; the application to file for the 2018/19 financial aid year is now available as of Oct. 1, 2017.

We will be hosting FAFSA workshops on the following dates: Wednesday, October 4, 2017 3:00 – 7:00 pm on the West Bend Campus, Wednesday, October 11, 2017 3:00 – 7:00 pm on the Fond du Lac Campus and Wednesday, October 18, 2017 3:00 – 7:00 pm on the Beaver Dam Campus. It is critical to file the FAFSA at the right website, with the right information early and we will be available to help you.

If you want to receive the best funding available, you will want to apply early with the 2016 tax information (the most recent tax year filed). In our next blog we will share with you how to use the Data Retrieval Tool so you can import tax information and avoid all the data entry. For now, plan to bring a few things with you to the workshops. Here is a handy list of those items: Your (and your spouse’s, if applicable) Federal Income, Tax Return for 2016 (IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ), Your parents’ Federal Income Tax Return for 2016 (for dependent students), Your (and your spouse’s /parents’, if applicable) untaxed income records, Social Security number, Additional outside resources such as TANF, WIC, or Veteran Benefits, Driver’s license, Parent’s date of birth (if applicable), and W-2 Forms.

Have you recently received an email from the financial aid office about costs and your financial aid from Moraine Park?

This email is a new state requirement that we are obligated to follow.

The intent of the email is to inform you what your costs are, list any aid you have received, repayment and financial literacy information, with the hope that once you read through it, you would feel like you have a solid understanding.

Understanding of what, you say?    Continue reading