Financial Aid Office • SUNY Plattsburgh • 101 Broad Street • Plattsburgh, NY 12901-2681
Tel: (518) 564-2072 • Toll-Free: (877) 768-5976 • Fax: (518) 564-4079 • email: finaid@plattsburgh.edu
Revised: 12/01/2019 SPECP
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE REQUEST FOR PARENTS FOR 2020-2021
Student Name: ___________________________ Banner ID or NetID: ____________________________
The federal government realizes that sometimes families experience changes in circumstance since the
completion of the FAFSA. This can include, but is not limited to, a change in marital status, reduction or loss of
income, and reduction or loss of benefit. For example, the student may have correctly reported on the FAFSA
that the family earned $50,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI). However, since then there has been parental
job change and the family AGI is now $30,000 instead of $50,000.
This form allows parents to request a change in the parent data reported on the FAFSA based upon changes
in parent circumstances since the FAFSA completion date. Parents can only request changes that remain in
effect during the 2020 calendar year: between January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. If the changes
are related to the student (student income, student marital status, etc), complete the student version of this
form in addition to any parent request: Student Special Circumstance Consideration for 2020-2021
.
If this Special Circumstance is approved, the Financial Aid Office will update the FAFSA with the new data.
Depending upon the magnitude of the change, this may or may not impact financial aid programs.
PARENT INSTRUCTIONS
1. Complete Section A if the parent change in circumstance is based upon one of the following:
• Change in marital status since the FAFSA completion date (widowed, divorced, or separated)
• Reduction or loss of income since the FAFSA completion date (ex. retirement, unemployment, job
change, bankruptcy, illness, death in family, etc.)
• Reduction or loss of benefit since the FAFSA completion date (ex. benefit loss or reduction due to
child support, social security, unemployment, alimony, retirement, disability, TANF, etc.)
2. Complete Section B if the parent change in circumstance is based upon any other reason.
SECTION A: PARENT CHANGE IN MARTIAL STATUS, INCOME, OR BENEFIT
1. Check the reason for the request and report the date of the change:
☐ Change in marital status
☐ Reduction or loss of income
☐ Reduction or loss of benefit
2. In order to update the FAFSA, we need to project parent income for the 2020 calendar year based upon
the new circumstances. In the table below, report the parent wages earned from work before today and
the expected or estimated wages for the remainder of the year. For example, if a job change has occurred,
report parent wages earned as of today and then estimate any unemployment compensation or additional
wages that are expected to be earned until December 31, 2020.
Leave no spaces blank, enter zeros when appropriate.
Wages earned from: January 1, 2020 to Today
Wages expected or estimated from: Today to December 31, 2020