NASFAA Mention: The Government Is Reopening, But Some Students Still Feel Shutdown Pain

"Casey Monahan was very excited to start studying at Florida International University this month. The 21-year-old, who had just earned an associate's degree at her local community college, signed up for four classes in her quest to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology," CNN reports. "But the partial government shutdown threw a wrench in those plans. With the Internal Revenue Service closed, Monahan wasn't able to retrieve tax documents she needed for financial aid in time and was forced to drop three classes -- and even then she had to borrow money from family to pay the first installment of $270 on the single class she kept."

"... President Donald Trump signed a bill ending the shutdown Friday. Top Trump administration officials had suggested that the effects of the shutdown will evaporate as soon as the government reopens. 'The moment, the nanosecond the government is ... reopened all these glitches will go away,' National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said Thursday.

But the experience of students like Monahan shows that's not true. The 35-day closure wreaked havoc not just on furloughed workers and contractors, but on the millions of Americans who depend on the government to provide crucial services or information.

College students ran into trouble because the IRS tool to get tax transcripts was down until last week. Many students needed these transcripts to receive their financial aid for the spring semester, and it was 'causing a lot of problems,' said Megan Coval, vice president for policy and federal relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

The agency's website said the tool was down for maintenance, but students were unable to get help on the phone or at IRS offices because the workers had been furloughed. The IRS did not return a request for comment."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

 

Publication Date: 1/28/2019

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