Professional Judgment for Loss of Income due to COVID-19 Pandemic
***NOTICE - Beginning July 13, 2021 the U.S. Department of Education has suspended verification requirements in most instances for the 2021-2022 academic year. Any conflicting FAFSA data elements will still need to be verified for accuracy. Students will be notified if documentation needs to be submitted.***
Lewis-Clark State College is dedicated to helping students and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FAFSA is calculated using prior prior year income figures (2021-2022 uses 2019 income and 2022-2023 uses 2020 income), however, we understand this may not reflect current financial situations. If your family income has significantly changed since your original FAFSA filing, we can re-evaluate your eligibility using actual prior year income or estimated current year income. Please note, a significant change in income does not guarantee an increase in federal financial aid eligibility.
Decisions are made 2-4 weeks from the date a completed Professional Judgment packet is submitted and verification, if applicable, is finalized. All communication related to the Professional Judgment will be sent via LCMail. If additional documentation is needed, but not provided, processing time will be extended. See steps below for submitting a Professional Judgment for loss of income.
**Students who have been selected for verification MUST complete that process before their Professional Judgment request can be reviewed. If applicable, check WarriorWeb for required verification documents.**
Complete the Following Steps:
2021-2022 Academic Year
- Complete the 2021-2022 Professional Judgment Request Form.
- Submit a signed letter outlining the circumstances resulting in the change in income.
- Submit non-returnable copies of applicable documentation, see below.
Submit applicable paperwork for each person impacted:
- 2020 Federal Tax Return, tax schedules and all 2020 W-2(s).
- Official letter/proof from employer confirming employment status change (termination letter that includes the last date of employment, full-time to part-time, etc.) or similar documentation.
- Documentation of any additional resources or benefits received (2020 unemployment benefits, etc.).
Submit applicable paperwork for each person impacted:
- Proof of income from 01/01/2021 to present, including most recent paystub(s).
- Projection of total income to be earned between 01/01/2021 and 12/31/2021.
- Official letter/proof from employer confirming employment status change (termination letter that includes the last date of employment, full-time to part-time, etc.) or similar documentation.
- Documentation of any additional resources or benefits received (2021 unemployment benefits, etc.).
2022-2023 Academic Year
- Complete the 2022-2023 Professional Judgment Request Form.
- Submit a signed letter outlining the circumstances resulting in the change in income.
- Submit non-returnable copies of applicable documentation, see below.
Submit applicable paperwork for each person impacted:
- 2021 Federal Tax Return, tax schedules and all 2021 W-2(s).
- Official letter/proof from employer confirming employment status change (termination letter that includes the last date of employment, full-time to part-time, etc.) or similar documentation.
- Documentation of any additional resources or benefits received (2021 unemployment benefits, etc.).
Submit applicable paperwork for each person impacted:
- Proof of income from 01/01/2022 to present, including most recent paystub(s).
- Projection of total income to be earned between 01/01/2022 and 12/31/2022.
- Official letter/proof from employer confirming employment status change (termination letter that includes the last date of employment, full-time to part-time, etc.) or similar documentation.
- Documentation of any additional resources or benefits received (2022 unemployment benefits, etc.).