Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is calling for more clarity in the wording of federal student aid applications, to help grandparents caring for their grandchildren apply for assistance.
Collins told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that because of the opioid crisis, more grandparents are stepping in to take the place of parents as caregivers. She says her offices have been hearing from some of those grandparents, who are worried that their income might be considered when determining whether their grandkids are eligible for college aid.
“This issue is coming up more and more often in the state of Maine, sadly because of the opioid crisis where grandparents have stepped in to raise their grandchildren,” she said.
Collins said she wants to see new application forms that make it clear the grandparents’ income should not be counted.
