Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Streamlining FAFSA Act of 2017”.
Streamlining FAFSA Act of 2017
A BILL
To amend section 479(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to clarify when the Secretary shall consider an independent student without dependents to have an expected family contribution equal to zero.
Sec. 2 Zero expected family contribution for simplified needs tests
Section 479(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ss(c)) is amended—
in paragraph (1), by striking “or” at the end;
in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and
by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
“(3) in the case of an independent student without dependents—
“(A) the student (and the student's spouse, if any)—
“(i) files, or is eligible to file, a form described in subsection (b)(3);
“(ii) certifies that the student (and the student's spouse, if any) is not required to file a Federal income tax return;
“(iii) is a dislocated worker or has a spouse who is a dislocated worker; or
“(iv) received benefits at some time during the previous 24-month period under a means-tested Federal benefit program as defined under subsection (d); and
“(B) the sum of the adjusted gross income of the student and spouse (if appropriate) is less than or equal to $23,000.”