Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
|
Total |
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Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | 137,607,922 | 110,755,986 | 95,917,302 | 88,662,411 | 90,375,549 | 523,319,170 |
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf.... | 0 | |||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | 0 | |||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | 137,607,922 | 110,755,986 | 95,917,302 | 88,662,411 | 90,375,549 | 523,319,170 |
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f).. | 0 | |||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | 523,319,170 | |||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | 137,607,922 | 110,755,986 | 95,917,302 | 88,662,411 | 90,375,549 | 523,319,170 |
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | 10,636,967 | 10,700,023 | 11,825,257 | 11,770,714 | 14,426,219 | 59,359,180 |
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | 161,592 | 14,205 | 116 | 15,506 | 640 | 192,059 |
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | 582,870,409 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | ||||||
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose | ||||||
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | ||||||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | ||||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | ||||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | ||||||
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | ||||||
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | ||||||
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | ||||||
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | ||||||
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | ||||||
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | ||||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | ||||||
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | ||||||
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e |
Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): |
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| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 1-1/2% of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by .035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | ||
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
||
| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | ||
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | ||
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required) | ||
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | ||
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | ||
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
||
| 9 Distributable amount for 2018 from Section C, line 6 | ||
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | ||
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2018 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2018 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
Distributable amount for 2018 from Section C, line 6 |
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|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2018 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI). See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2018: | ||||
| a From 2013....... | ||||
| b From 2014....... | ||||
| c From 2015....... | ||||
| d From 2016....... | ||||
| e From 2017....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2018 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2013 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2018 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2018 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2018, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
6
Remaining underdistributions for 2018. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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7 Excess distributions carryover to 2019. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2014...... | ||||
| b Excess from 2015..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2016..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2017..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2018..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Software ID: | |
| Software Version: |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Go to www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| GENERAL STATEMENT 1 | FORM 990, PART III, MISSION STATEMENT "Our vision is that people receive trusted guidance to make informed decisions and improve their lives." Trellis administers the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 2 | FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A - Guarantor Operations: Trellis' guarantor operation encompasses the administration of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. As of fiscal year end, Trellis' outstanding loan portfolio balance totaled $6.7 billion and defaulted loans collection portfolio of $1.2 billion. Program Service Accomplishments: Promoting borrower success is a long-term endeavor, starting before a student borrower enrolls in college and lasting through repayment. Trellis has a set of specialized teams - Customer Assistance, Default Prevention, Claims and Default Recovery - that serve borrowers throughout the student loan lifecycle. These teams educate student borrowers about loans and their repayment options and help them return to repayment in the case of delinquency or default. Default Prevention - Trellis works with student loan borrowers, lenders and servicers to help prevent default on student loans. Counselors work with borrowers who have entered delinquency, educating them on student loan repayment options, deferments and forbearances in order for borrowers to successfully repay their federal student loans and avoid default. In FY19 the team received 96,149 Default Aversion Assistance Requests from lenders and successfully averted approximately $1.9 billion from default. As a result, more borrowers return to and make progress in repayment, which allows the borrowers to avoid the negative consequences of default, including damaged credit, the loss of eligibility for federal student aid and the high cost of collection fees. Claims - Trellis processes default claims submitted by lenders that have been unsuccessful in transitioning borrowers with delinquent loans back into repayment. When lenders submit claims on Trellis -guaranteed loans, Trellis verifies the lender's compliance with FFEL program requirements, and, if valid, manages the purchase of the loan from the lender. It is at that time that the loan enters Trellis' portfolio for collection. In FY19, Trellis processed claims totaling approximately $372 million. Collections - Upon default claim payment, Trellis is statutorily required to pursue collection efforts on behalf of the federal government on all Trellis -guaranteed student loans. While the team's core responsibility is to recover taxpayer assets, Trellis works with borrowers to find the best option for them in resolving their default. The goal is to help the borrower return to repayment in a way that repairs their credit. In FY19, Trellis' Default Recovery team set up new repayment plans for 12,948 borrowers. Of those new repayment plans, 87.3 percent started borrowers on beneficial rehabilitation programs, the best solution for borrowers with defaulted loans. In FY19, Trellis collected approximately $587 million in defaulted student loans. |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 3 | FORM 990, PART III, Line 4b - Non-Guarantor Operations: Trellis' non-guarantor operations include various endeavors related to promoting access to higher education, including Trellis' philanthropic activities. Additionally, Trellis provides a variety of services targeted at enhancing the higher education community and creating positive student outcomes, including: Research and Public Policy Services: Trellis provides extensive research services that are targeted at understanding the consumer experience related to financing, participating and persisting in higher education. These services are utilized to better understand the challenges associated with post-secondary financing and participation and are used to inform campus administrators, student service providers and policy makers. Trellis administers a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative research throughout the year to support these goals. Student Support Services - Trellis provides a variety of support services targeted at assisting students in navigating the college access and completion journey. These services include: 1. Financial coaching services (which provides in depth one on one consultations regarding student finances), 2. Support services for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), 3. Student financial literacy resources, 4. Communication services to help students start and stay in college, 5. A free, public-access website Adventures in Education (aie.org) to provide resources about how and why to pay for college, 6. Default prevention services to students prior to default, and 7. Support to assist students who have stopped-out to return to complete the degree. Institutional Support Services: Trellis provides support resources for college and universities to assist in developing capacity on campus. These services support the development of policies, procedures and programs that assist in helping more student obtain a postsecondary degree or credential. |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 4 | FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 2: The following Trellis Company employees, as officers/directors of Trellis Holdings, have a business relationship: Yvonne Batts Renard Johnson Edward Escudero Dennis Moroney Greg Dickenson The following Trellis Company employees, as officers of Waypoint Resource Group, have a business relationship: Scott Giles Greg Dickenson Danen Shiek |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 5 | CHANGES TO GOVERNING DOCUMENTS FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 4: EFFECTIVE JUNE 7, 2019, TRELLIS established the role of the Treasurer for the Corporation, where the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee shall serve as the Treasurer, and the Controller or highest-ranking finance employee shall serve as the Assistant Treasurer and the Controller or highest-ranking employee in the Finance group as the Assistant Treasurer. The Treasurer will have oversight for certain finance activities. The Assistant Treasurer will have the right to sign documents on behalf of the Treasurer. |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 6 | PROCESS OF REVIEWING THE 990 FORM 990, PART VI, Section B, Line 11b: Trellis' Accounting Department works with its CPA firm to prepare the 990. Once a final draft is available, it is submitted to executive management for review. Once all questions have been resolved, the return, in its final form, is provided to the Trellis Board of Directors for their review. |
| ENFORCEMENT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY | Form 990, PART VI, Section B, Line 12c: Trellis' Code of Business Conduct is a policy which all employees, officers, and directors must agree to. Within the Code of Business Conduct, managers, keys employees, officers and directors are required to disclose any business interests outside of Trellis. Trellis' legal counsel proactively reviews and acts on potential conflicts. Actual conflicts, should they occur, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination and possible criminal prosecution. Trellis team members are required to complete periodic training as it relates to Trellis' Code of Business Conduct. |
| COMPENSATION DETERMINATION | Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a and 15b: Trellis contracts with a third party consultant to provide benchmark data for Trellis employees and officers, including annual compensation studies which are presented to the Trellis Board of Directors for their review. In 2015, Trellis also engaged a third party consultant to perform a compensation analysis for the board positions and the Board adopted the consultant's recommendations. The third party consultants use compensation data for similarly qualified persons in the comparable positions for both officers and key employees in similar organizations. Documentation to support benchmark decisions regarding compensation arrangements for all employees is retained. The officer and employee positions for which the benchmarking process is used to establish compensation occurs annually. The Board of Directors specifically reviews executive management compensation benchmarks and approves annual adjustments and/or merit increases as recommended by the President/CEO. Annually, the Board makes specific decisions of the President/CEO's salary. Decisions regarding compensation are documented in the board meeting minutes. |
| DISCLOSURE OF DOCUMENTS | Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19: Trellis' Code of Business Conduct is available to all employees and the general public via Trellis' website: www.trelliscompany.org. Trellis' audited financial statements are available upon request. |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 7 | FORM 990, PART VII, SECTION A: OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, TRUSTEES, KEY EMPLOYEES, AND HIGHEST PAID COMPENSATED EMPLOYEES Renard Johnson also served as Trellis' Interim CEO prior to the hiring of the current Chief Executive Officer Scott D. Giles in 2018. |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 8 | FORM 990, PART VII, SECTION B: INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS Name & Address Description of Service Compensation -------------------------------------------------------------------- LOAN SCIENCE, LLC Loan Management 1,274,603 2201 Donley Drive, Suite 110 Services Austin, TX 78758 ACCOUNT CONTROL TECHNOLOGY, INC. Collection Service 392,103 6918 Owensmouth Ave. Canoga Park, CA 91309-8102 KPMG Audit/Tax 319,630 3 Chestnut Ridge Road Montvale, NJ 07645 WHITEHAT VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC Info Tech 236,615 7301 Ranch Rd Services 620 N Suite 155-266 Austin, TX 78726 CLARUS CONSULTING, LLC Consulting Service 210,468 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr. Suite 600 Fairfax, VA 22031 ---------- TOTAL COMPENSATION 2,433,418 ---------- |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 9 | FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 9: Back a Boiler - ISA fund II, LLC - Loss not recorded on books $1,420 |
| GENERAL STATEMENT 10 | Section 1.263(a)-3(n) Election - Book Conformity Election TEXAS GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN CORPORATION D/B/A TRELLIS COMPANY is making the election under Treas. Reg. 1.263(a)-3(n) to capitalize those repair and maintenance costs that it treats as capital expenditures on its books and records for the tax year ended SEPTEMBER 30, 2019. Taxpayer Name: TEXAS GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN CORPORATION D/B/A TRELLIS COMPANY Address: P.O. BOX 83100 ROUND ROCK, TX 78683 Taxpayer Identification Number: 74-2094204 Section 1.263(a)-1(f) De Minimis Safe Harbor Election TEXAS GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN CORPORATION D/B/A TRELLIS COMPANY hereby makes the de minimis safe harbor election under Section 1.263(a)-1(f) of the Treasury Regulations, effective for the tax year ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2019. Taxpayer has an Applicable Financial Statement for the year of the election. This election permits the taxpayer to deduct for tax purposes any item deducted under its book policy that does not exceed $5,000 per invoice (or per item, as substantiated by the invoice) or items having an economic useful life of twelve months or less as described in Section 1.263(a)-1(f)(1)(i). Taxpayer Name: TEXAS GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN CORPORATION D/B/A TRELLIS COMPANY Address: P.O. BOX 83100 ROUND ROCK, TX 78683 Taxpayer Identification Number: 74-2094204 |
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