Angela Brown

Fewer questions: The FAFSA will have a maximum of 36 questions instead of the current 108 with the EFC system. Low-income families will have the fewest questions to answer.
Pell Grant eligibility: You’ll be able to see if you qualify for a Pell Grant before applying.
Suspension eliminations: Students will no longer need to answer questions regarding drug-related convictions or Selective Service System registration.
Asset information: In some cases, assets won’t be considered in financial aid calculations for low-income students and parents.
Range: With the EFC, the lowest number you can qualify for is $0. But with the SAI, the lowest number will be -$1,500 — which means you could receive more aid to cover other expenses outside of the school’s cost of attendance.
Special circumstances: Financial aid officers will have the power to adjust the cost of attendance or components of the SAI on a case-by-case basis. This means that students facing exceptional circumstances might be able to get more aid.

19+ years as a reporter and copy editor.
6+ years in personal finance.
Work has appeared on Fox Business, LendingTree, FinanceBuzz, and Yahoo Finance.

Bio and experience

Angela Brown has over six years of experience in personal finance, specializing in reverse mortgages, refinancing, real estate, student and personal loans, credit scores, and debt management.

She has worked as a freelance finance contributor at Fox Business, Credible, LendingTree, and FinanceBuzz, and is currently a finance contributor at Insurify.