Using Your MyAmeriCorps Account to pay University of Michigan School of Education TFA Certification Program Fees

Content
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. AmeriCorps Eligibility Creating your MyAmeriCorps Account Overview of Functions in MyAmeriCorps Creating a Forbearance Request Creating an Interest Accrual Request Using your Ed Award Additional Information: Service Letter & Tax Forms

AmeriCorps Eligibility Current Criteria

Currently, corps members are limited to serving four terms with an AmeriCorps program and can earn a maximum of two full education awards.
Corps members must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or national to be eligible for AmeriCorps enrollment. Corps members coming in without prior AmeriCorps experience are eligible for enrollment with the potential of earning a full education award during their first and second year (contingent on Teach For America receiving AmeriCorps funding each year). Corps members with prior AmeriCorps service who have not reached the maximum four term limit are eligible for enrollment during their first and their second year. If youve already earned the maximum two full education awards you are still eligible for enrollment and will have access to loan forbearance and interest accrual payment options even though you wont earn an education award If youve earned some education award amounts from your previous service but are unsure whether or not they are considered full you may be eligible for additional education awards, full or partial, as a Teach For America AmeriCorps member

Creating your MyAmeriCorps Account

Once your regional office has successfully enrolled you in AmeriCorps you are ready to create your MyAmeriCorps account. Please note, you cannot create your MyAmeriCorps account until you are enrolled (this happens, in most cases, several weeks AFTER you complete enrollment paperwork at your regional Induction.)
You will use your MyAmeriCorps account to: Update your contact information Apply for loan forbearance Submit interest accrual requests Access your education awards NOTE: Do not follow any links provided in MyAmeriCorps email messages as they dont always work properly. Instead plug the website address directly into your browser https://my.americorps.gov Click on this link to create a new account. Every new AmeriCorps member has to create their account here. 4

Creating your MyAmeriCorps Account

Enter your information here. This should match what you wrote on the AmeriCorps enrollment form you turned into your region.

NOTE: If you get an error message We were unable to find a profile matching the information that you entered you should contact your regional office to verify that you have been enrolled and that your correct last name, DOB, SSN and E-mail were entered correctly into the system. NOTE: If you get an error message Our records indicate that you have already registered. Please login or contact the help desk for assistance you have already created an account. Please contact the MyAmeriCorps helpdesk to get your password/login. 5

Use the menu on the left side of the screen to access AmeriCorps benefits loan forbearance, interest accrual payments, and education awards. Please note, the education award and interest accrual links will not show up in your account until after your first year as an AmeriCorps member as these benefits only become available upon exit from AmeriCorps after year 1 and year 2.

MyAmeriCorps Account Homepage

Your MyAmeriCorps account homepage includes your biographical information and service terms, which will include any AmeriCorps programs you served-in in addition to Teach For America. Please note that Teach For America City/State information will not necessary match the region you are teaching in.

MyAmeriCorps Functions
Once you have set up your MyAmeriCorps account, you can use it to manage your major AmeriCorps benefits forbearance, interest accrual, and education awards. AmeriCorps nor Teach For America can offer you financial advice. Corps member may decide whether or not they wish to access the financial benefits offered by AmeriCorps.

Select EDUCATIONAL AWARD

Remember, AmeriCorps functions on a year-by-year basis. This means that youll become an AmeriCorps alum twice once after your first year of teaching and again after your second year. The following slide demonstrates how a typical year looks.
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CM 2011-2012 AmeriCorps Timeline

PRE-INDUCTION TFA Application College Transcripts Photocopy of Passport/Birth Certificate Publicity Release Commitment Statement FBI Fingerprint Card, Application Form, $18 Cashiers Check/Money Order Criminal History Check Authorization Form FBI Contingency Form APR /MAY 2012 2011 AmeriCorps Exit Form 2011 Principal Verification Form JUN/JUL 2012 Region Exits CMs from AmeriCorps CMs receive education award in MyAmeriCorps account Region notifies CMs and sends CMs MyAmeriCorps guidance INDUCTION Identity Check using a governmentissued photo ID 2011 CM Contract AUGUST 2011 Region Enrolls CMs in AmeriCorps (can
happen anytime between July Sept, sometimes later depending on AmeriCorps grant start dates)

These items are only done once prior to the start of your first year. Everything else in this timeline is completed twice once during your first year and again for your second year.

UPON ENROLLMENT CMs setup their MyAmeriCorps accounts and verify their enrollment CMs submit loan forbearance requests using their MyAmeriCorps accounts

Emergency Contact Form

2011 AmeriCorps Enrollment Form

Region notifies CMs and sends CMs MyAmeriCorps guidance

SCHOOL YEAR CMs fulfill all program requirements CMs participate in all required AmeriCorps events

UPON EXIT CMs submit education

award to the University of Michigan-SOE (typically by 6/30 each year) payment and interest accrual payment requests using their MyAmeriCorps accounts

Education Award Available After Exited

Eligible corps members who successfully complete their service meet all paperwork and programmatic requirements earn an education award.
NOTES ON THE EDUCATION AWARD: Depending on what grant you were enrolled on your education award at the end of each service year (school year) could either be $5350 or $5550. Awards are deposited electronically into your MyAmeriCorps account when you are exited from the grant each year by your regional office, and become available for use immediately. This usually happens in June or July. You have six years to use your award, after which youd want to apply for an award extension using your MyAmeriCorps account. You can use your education award to pay: The cost of current the TFA Interim Certification Program at the University of Michigan School of Education, because we are a Title IV institution of higher education The cost of current or future expenses at other Title IV institutions of higher educations Qualified student loans (see slide 9) in your name Note: Education awards are taxed as income in the years they are used. Any payment amount (to pay on student loans, or on current educational expenses) in excess of $600 results in owing taxes. Interest accrual payments, although coming from funds separate from your education award, are also included in this $600. Please consult your financial/tax advisor with any questions regarding the taxing of AmeriCorps benefits. Note: You cannot use education awards to reimburse yourself for educational expenses or to pay on private loans, including transitional loans issued from Teach For America. 9

Creating an Education Award Payment Request

Click on Create Education Award Payment Request and select the payment type: Education

Expense and insert the authorized amount ($4850). Please follow this
procedure even if you are currently or plan to enroll in the MA in Ed Studies: Urban Pedagogy Program.
Education expenses: select to use your Education Award to pay an education expense at

The University of Michigan-

SOE.
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Creating an Education Award Payment Request

Click Search for Institutions to

THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SOE (education expense).

NOTE: Be sure to include SOE at the end of your search. UM and a few other of its schools are listed. Youll want to take extra care that you search and find the School of Education (SOE) at the University of Michigan.
Check all the boxes and click Submit. NOTE: Review slides 11-14 for more detailed instructions.

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Select: University of Michigan-SOE

UM and other UM schools may show up n your search. PLEASE BE SURE TO SELECT

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANSOE (School of

Education).

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Reviewing Your MyAmeriCorps Activities

You can use your MyAmeriCorps account to review your award status, award balance, pending and completed requests.
Click on My Education Award and view your Account Statement. Keep in mind that requests can take several weeks for processing or can happen very quickly. Please be patient and prepare for a lag time.

NOTE: If your Education Award(s) is missing reach out to your regional office to verify that they have received all of your AmeriCorps exit paperwork and that your region has completed the exiting process with AmeriCorps.

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Additional Information

Questions regarding requests or the status of your requests should be directed at AmeriCorps and/or your lender (institution).

Use the My Service Letter function to create a letter verifying your enrollment in AmeriCorps should a lender request one or if you feel it would support your forbearance or other request.
My Tax Statements are where youll find your 1099 IRS form should you make payments equal to or greater than $600 in a tax year (payments are considered taxable income). Remember, this includes payments made using your Education awards and/or Interest Accrual payments. Please direct any tax questions to your financial/tax advisor.
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Thank You!
For further information or questions regarding your MyAmeriCorps Account, please contact:

AmeriCorps@teachforamerica.org

Teach For America and the University of Michigan School of Education may be unable to assist corps members in some AmeriCorps benefits as these are provided directly by AmeriCorps and not by Teach For America or the University of Michigan School of Education . We will, however, provide as much guidance as we can and direct you to the appropriate contact at AmeriCorps when necessary. Its always best to seek financial guidance from a financial/tax advisor.
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Great Resource from AmeriCorps:

http://edaward.org

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A few important notes

This presentation was adapted from one presented to corps members by TFA Detroit in August, 2011. For questions regarding your invoice with the University of Michigan SOE for certification program fees, please contact the Teacher Education Department.
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Teacher Education Department

MondayFriday:8:00 a.m.5:00 p.m.610 E. University Avenue, Room 1228Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1259 Phone: 734.615.1528Fax: 734.647.9158te.program @umich.edu