Adjusted EFC for Divorce in 2009?

Paying for College
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I am wondering how common it is for a FA office to make an adjustment to the FAFSA figures/results because of a current year (2009 - right now) occurrence - divorce - for the 2009-2010 school year?</p>

<p>I realize that I need to call the FA office(s). Just looking for input or things to consider as to how to present this to them. She has enrolled at a public instate school as of now. There are several private FAFSA only schools that have indicated that they are still interested too if she changes her mind. She would prefer to stay at in state public.</p>

<p>If I am reading the rules right. Since she has lived with is both an equal time (we are doing 50-50, if there are changes she would be staying with me more of the time), but during that time we were married I made 60% of the income and my wife 40%, we should then use my info on FAFSA?</p>

<p>Do the FA offices have the "power" to award federal grants such as Pell after an initial offer?</p>

<p>It looks like this would change our EFC (using FinAid.org ) enough that we would be Pell eligible if only counting either one of our incomes. </p>

<p>Thanks for any advice</p>

<p>DKC</p>

2

<p>Aid officers can adjust for divorce of the parent (not student) after the FAFSA is filed using professional judgment. As a matter of course, my office does not. I did recently do an adjustment for a student because 1) the divorce was finalized 2 days after she filed the FAFSA, and 2) it was a step that the parent was divorcing. The student had no idea that we might adjust for her … I actually offered because I found out the actual circumstances in a conversation that had nothing to do with the situation. If it was a normal divorce situation after FAFSA filing, I would not adjust. You can try … it is PJ, so different offices handle it differently. It will catch up to you next year, in any case.</p>