The McClintock Knowledge Library

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Higher Ed Compliance Insights, Straight from the Experts

Article

A Heads-Up to All Institutions: Low Earnings Indicator on the 2026/2027 FAFSA

On December 8, 2025, the Department of Education published an Electronic Announcement stating that, effective December 7, a low earnings indicator will be implemented on the 2026/2027 FAFSA. This indicator will appear on a first-year undergraduate student’s FAFSA Submission Summary for any institution they select to receive their FAFSA data if ED determines that an undergraduate completer

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Article

Federal Student Aid Changes: What Survived, What Didn’t, and What’s Next

If you’ve followed the news lately, you may have noticed the same legislative package referred to by multiple names—the Reconciliation Bill, House Bill, Senate Bill, and even “The Big Beautiful Bill.” This terminology confusion has made it challenging to determine what’s proposed, what’s final, and most importantly, what applies to your institution. Here’s what matters:

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Article

How to Navigate the Sweeping Changes to Federal Student Aid: Part 1

On Friday, July 4th, President Trump signed the Reconciliation Bill (“Big Beautiful Bill”) into law. With changes taking effect as early as July 2026, financial aid leaders face their most significant operational overhaul in decades. It’s important to note that no provisions will take effect during the current 2025–26 award year. The breadth of these changes—from

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