Applicants for financial aid must submit with their FAFSA a copy of their most recent W-2 form, showing their income for that year. Students whose parents claim them as a dependent must submit their parents’ W-2 forms. The amount of an eligible student’s Pell Grant is based in part on a complicated mathematical formula that calculates the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the amount a student (or student’s family) is expected to contribute toward college education costs. The maximum amount of a Pell Grant for 2010-2011 is $5,550. Income is an important consideration for determining eligibility, but not the only one.
You must also submit a copy of your most recent federal income tax return (your parents’ return, if you are a dependent). Amount of income tax paid is another consideration in determining Pell Grant eligibility. Under the 2009 formula for calculating EFC, a taxable income of less than $30,000 has an EFC of zero. Although most Pell Grant funding goes to students with family incomes below this amount, students with higher family incomes may be eligible, as well. Students with family incomes as high as $60,000 a year may be eligible for some Pell Grant funding. Other considerations include the state in which you reside (state taxes are considered), whether one or both parents work, the size of your household and the number of family members attending college.
Applicants for a Pell Grant must submit with their application copies of current bank statements, mortgage information, investment account information, and information on any untaxed income, such as child support or worker’s compensation.