Will the FAFSA Still Exist if the Department of Education Is Shut Down?

Although the Trump administration has reopened income-driven repayment plans for student loan borrowers, the future of federal financial aid remains very much uncertain. In lieu of President Donald Trump's executive order to begin shutting down the federal Department of Education, you may be unsure about filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. On March 20, the White House announced that the Small Business Administration would "immediately" begin handling the entire federal student loan portfolio, one day after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that student loans and Pell Grants would still be run out of the Department of Education. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon echoed Trump's sentiments during an interview with CNN on Sunday. "[Student loans] would be going to the Small Business Administration," McMahon said. "There's not going to be any defunding." One critical function of the Department of Education is the administration of federal ... Read full article.