Due to recent changes in the Common Manual, the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) has made changes in the recommended process for granting an economic hardship deferment to borrowers serving as missionaries.  In order to receive this type of deferment, borrowers must still complete an Economic Hardship Deferment Request form.  UHEAA recommends that borrowers check box #4 in Section 2 of the form.  In most cases, missionaries will enter their total monthly gross income as “0 ” in the space provided.  Payments made to a missionary from a church fund are not considered income according to the Internal Revenue Service.  Rather, such payments are treated as reimbursement for travel and living expenses incurred in the service of the church.  As such, these amounts should not be treated as income when completing the Economic Hardship Deferment Request form.  However, any other income (such as income from investments) must be reported.

Borrowers with no income may now provide a self-certifying statement. (See Common Manual, Subsection 7.10.P,  page 41,  second column,  first paragraph.)  UHEAA has created a sample “Statement of Income” to assist borrowers in providing such certification (please see attached).  This statement, signed by the borrower, certifies that the borrower receives no income from service as a missionary.  No other documentation of missionary service or other signature is necessary.  Once completed, this statement along with the Economic Hardship Deferment Request form should be submitted to the borrower’s lender or servicer for processing.

 If you have any questions related to this bulletin, please contact the UHEAA Policy and Training Department at (801)321-7166 or by e-mail at cjudd@utahsbr.edu.
 

Attachment
 

I hereby certify that I am working full time as a volunteer missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints during the time period of                                                               .  I certify that I receive no income from my service as a missionary.

Check one of the following:

_____  I also certify that I have no income from any other source.
 

 _____  I have income from another source of  $____________ per month and I have attached documentation of this income.
 
 
 

Signature of Borrower		Date
Name (please print)		Social Security Number