How Do Drug Charges Affect Your Child’s Eligibility For Financial Aid?
While attending college is a significant expense, many families can ease their financial burden through FAFSA — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For some parents and their children, a student’s encounters with legal issues can present a cause for concern, especially when drug charges are involved. But a juvenile law attorney can explain, the relationship between drug charges and FAFSA isn’t as cut and dry as it might first appear.
How Do Drug Charges Affect FAFSA Eligibility?
Whether or not drug charges affect your child’s FAFSA eligibility will depend mainly on when the conviction took place. FAFSA documents ask if a student was convicted for possession or sale of illegal drugs while already receiving student aid. If the answer is yes, the student will be ineligible. After a conviction occurs, a student who is currently receiving assistance will be suspended from eligibility for one to two years, depending on if they were charged with possession or sale.
However, this does not apply to convictions that occurred before a student attended college. Convictions wouldn't count against eligibility if the student weren’t receiving aid at the time.
What Can You Do If Your Child Is Charged?
As with other cases, working with a juvenile law lawyer can result in the reversal or dismissal of drug charges, ensuring that FAFSA eligibility isn’t jeopardized. If your child is convicted, however, they can regain eligibility before the end of their suspension. This is achieved by passing two drug tests or going through a drug rehab program. You should contact your school’s financial aid office once these steps have been completed.
Whether you need help making a will or a criminal attorney to face your charges, you can count on Michael A. Newland Esquire. Serving the Hamilton, OH area for over 20 years, this seasoned juvenile law lawyer provides aggressive defense and sound legal counsel to help with your unique situation. To learn more about how this juvenile law attorney can help you, visit him online or call (513) 887-9595.
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