How to Apply for Financial Aid

When it comes to applying for financial aid at Taft, deadlines not only matter, they are critical to your eligibility for aid. The good news is you can get started early. Taft uses School and Student Services (SSS) to collect and analyze each family’s financial profile. A service of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), SSS applies an objective and standardized computation methodology to estimate just how much a family can contribute to the cost of an independent school education; their methodology is built on the principle that families of equal means should receive equal awards, and is considered the industry standard. This allows Taft to make fair and objective financial aid decisions.

You can begin the filing process with SSS as early as November 15, 2022. This should position you well to have your application completed by our February 1, 2023. 

Make a note:

• Every current and prospective Taft student is eligible to apply for financial aid; be sure to indicate that you are applying for aid on your application for admission.
• Current students who have not received assistance in the past should let the Financial Aid Office know that they plan to apply as soon as possible. To be considered for financial assistance, current families who were not awarded aid at the time of enrollment must demonstrate a significant change in financial need after enrollment and may be asked to submit multiple years of past tax documents as well as brokerage and investment account statements.  Financial Aid will not be available to families who have preexisting need for tuition assistance and do not apply for aid during their initial admission.  
• Current aid recipients must reapply each academic year.
• All awards are based on demonstrated need; we do not offer merit-based awards.
• All financial documents—the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS), tax returns, W2s, business tax returns— must be filed through School and Student Services (SSS).
• Families should submit 2021 tax information by February 1, 2023. We ask that families make every effort to submit 2022 tax documents by March 1, 2023. Financial aid awards are tentative until current tax year returns are submitted.
• If you have more than one child applying to/attending Taft, one PFS gets the job done for both.
• The School and Student Services (SSS) website is an excellent resource for information relating to the overall financial aid process.

Application Instructions

Create an account with School and Student Services (SSS); remember your username and password, and bookmark the page for easy return access.

1. Download the Step-by-Step Guide and PFS Online Workbooks from the SSS site.
2. As early as November 15, begin work on your PFS by follow the prompts on the secure SSS site.
3. Upload all required supporting documentation to SSS. Taft does not directly accept financial aid documentation. Those documents include:
   1. A complete—schedules included—copy of your 2021 Federal Income Tax return
   1. As soon as it is available, please submit a complete copy of your 2022 Federal Income Tax return. For accepted students, financial aid awards will be contingent upon final receipt of 2022 1040 tax documents.
   1. Copies of 2022 W2 and 1099 forms for all parents and step-parents—failure to submit a PFS for both households where applicable may render the application incomplete
   1. 2021-22 business tax returns for business owners may be required
   1. For current students not currently receiving aid, explanation and documentation detailing changes in your family’s financial status, including tax returns from 2018-2022
4. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Michael Hoffman, Director of Financial Aid, at (860) 945-7700 or admissions@taftschool.org.