As we all know the government is currently shut down due to President Donald Trump wanting 5.7 billion dollars to build a steel wall between the US and Mexican border. This has left thousands of people without a paycheck. These people must cut back on expenses, are unable to pay rent or mortgages and struggle to live comfortable lives.
This government shutdown has been the longest one in history and Trump doesn’t look like he’s letting up anytime soon due to him and the Democratic party not being able to communicate and find a compromise. Paychecks aren’t the only thing that are influenced by this shutdown though. What about FAFSA?
FAFSA released that they currently have funding through September 2019, so if this government shutdown lasts as long as Trump says it might, the funding will be there for at least next semester. However, that money will be inaccessible because income verifications won’t be possible due to the IRS being shut down. People who started classes for the first time this spring semester are already feeling the effects while waiting for IRS receipts and being unable to receive them.
Colleges are trying their best to accommodate this issue, but there is only so much they can do. Tuition has to be paid by the end of the semester no matter the situation or you risk to be kicked out.
What happens when the government does open back up? Well, if the government does open back up before next fall, then money should be dispersed as normal. However, if the government opens in the middle of the fall semester or after, there’s no knowing if you will get reimbursed or not for that semester that you paid for— even though you qualified for financial aid. And if you do there’s no knowing how much you will be reimbursed.