Release Notes: Item 1908-02

2020-2021 Regulatory Release (Source Code Changes, with User Guide updates)

This is the second of two release items which comprise the 2020-21 Regulatory release. This item contains code modifications for 2020-21 Federal processing: ADD Load processing, FM calculations, federal corrections and COD reporting. Item 1908-01 contains the 2020-21 file changes.

Modifications to address any further federal announcements will be issued as needed. 2020-21 packaging is scheduled for release when the Pell tables are available, typically by mid-January. FISAP revisions will be released when final specifications become available, usually the following July.

The following changes were applied to the ISIR file, Federal file, and Verification file

Student and Parent Exemptions claimed

Student/Parent Untaxed portion of Pensions

Student/Parent Untaxed portion of IRA Distributions

Parent/Student IRS Untaxed Pensions Data Field Flag

Parent/Student IRS IRA Distributions Data Field Flag

Combined untaxed portions of IRA distributions and pensions into one new field

Combined IRS IRA Distributions Data Field Flag and IRS Untaxed Pensions Data Field Flag into one new field

Added the following new field to the ISIR file. Not displayed in System. Children of Fallen Heroes Indicator

Renamed field that asks the question if Student eligible to file 1040A or 1040EZ to asking the question if the student/parent filed a Schedule 1 and switched values for 1 and 2.

Type of Tax form used (fields beow) has the value of 2 removed from valid values due to 1040EZ no longer in use.

Added 8 as a new Transaction Data Source Type: myStudentAid Mobile App (origin of the transaction)

There are no NSLDS changes. Correction Field Numbers have changed. The Dictionary entries in release item 1908-01 for correctable federal fields contain the correction numbers.

There are no Verification changes.

Implementation Notes

The attached zip file contains:

To implement the 2020-21 Regulatory release, complete the following steps:

  1. Unload the SYSOBJH file in the attached zip file into a temporary library.
  2. SYSMAIN the new and updated modules from your temporary library into your development library. When copying the updated versions of source modules, be sure to review your current 2019-20 modules and apply any institutional modifications to the appropriate 2020-21 version.

    The new modules are the year-specific components named W*21*. The updated modules are:
  3. Roll your 2019-20 institutional calculations forward to 2020-21 and make any modifications necessary due to institutional requirements.
  4. Execute a CATALL against your development library to pick up all data area changes.
  5. On the FAO Table maintenance screen (under the System menu), when all FAO-specific calculations are in place, for each valid FAO at your institution, modify the High Year field (WW-TABLES.WW-HI-YEAR) to contain the new aid year.
  6. The JCL in the ADD Import job (WFADDIMJ) for 2020-21 will remain the same as last year, with ISIR record length of 4300 (Work File 1).
  7. Print the changed pages and User Guide update instructions in the zip file.
  8. Perform institutional testing. When testing is complete, you may move the released modules to your test and production environments.