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How may agencies determine financial need without OPM issuing the economic guidelines?

Determining financial need and the definition of financial need is left up to each agency's discretion. Factors to consider might be the size of the family, local cost of living indicators, household income, medical expenses, educational expenses, etc. Agencies might also wish to consider other types of financial aid that the family is already receiving as indicators of financial need (e.g., food stamps, public assistance, subsidized housing, student financial aid). If the student is attending a post secondary school, information available from the financial aid office might also be considered.

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