Am I independent?

Paying for College
1

I have posted before of my situation but I am having issues yet again filing my FAFSA. Since my Dad had his stroke last year, our financial situation in general has been rough. I support myself and my sister supports herself as well. I work upwards of 45-50 work weeks while going to school full time (13 credit hours).

It is very difficult. I pay for my food, gas in my car, car payment, car insurance, credit card bills, doctor bills…etc… the list could go on and on. The only thing I do not pay for is rent and utilities as a family member is letting me stay here momentarily for free. She began asking for rent money as of last month, however, which…frankly I just can’t afford. She wants around $100 a month.

I just got accepted to the school I would like to attend for the remainder of my college career. I would still be working full time but I am having some trouble with my anxiety disorder trying to balance it all. In regards to the independent vs dependent thing- my father claimed me on his taxes so I always filed as single. However, my family member has threatened to remove me from her home if I do not begin paying her rent (She is my half-sister from my mom not my dad).

I am basically homeless and have nowhere to go. She said that I need to “grow up and be an adult.” Its mighty hard to do these things and invest in yourself at only 19 years of age. I don’t even get paid a good hourly wage. I am getting paid minimum wage at 7.25 an hour working at a fast food restaurant with around 4 years of food-industry experience.

Is there any way I could be labeled as independent on my FAFSA? Also, I qualify for the pell grant currently with my Dads income but every cent goes towards his nursing home bill each month. His monthly income is approximately $4,200 a month and his nursing home bill is $4,102 each month and the little money he does have is used to pay for a landline ($25-30) a month so that I can communicate with him.

My sister who is 11 months older than me is going through the same situation except he claimed her on his taxes and she is a junior in college. I made an honest effort this past year to make sure I can afford school and attended a junior college to save money. My education was paid for by the pell grant.

I am just having issues again and again, and my 32 year old half-sister is not being very cooperative with helping me in the best way possible (letting me live rent-free for the time being). I have set aside a savings account for additional money towards my education ($500- which isn’t much) but like I said, I am having issues.

Also…I forgot to mention that my mom is incarcerated. So I am in a very difficult situation. my GPA is a 3.0 cumulative so I can’t get much scholarship aid. Please let me know what you all think… I am in a predicament yet again.

2

Are you asking if you are independent for taxes or FAFSA? For taxes, you might be as you provide more than half of your own support It may not matter, as you probably pay no income taxes anyway. For fafsa, you are not because your father is alive, but it may not matter anyway. If you are getting full Pell, the only other benefit would be a larger Stafford loan, but you could get that if he applied for a Plus loan and was denied.

Have you asked the school you want to attend what the benefit would be if were independent? It might be able to grant you independent status (professional judgment) due to your homelessness.

3

I have not asked yet. I have been searching for that answer. Thats where I am in a predicament. My parents are divorced. My dad WAS my primary caretaker (no longer is because of his medical expenses- he currently owes more than $80,000 in medical bills from one year which he cannot pay). He is retired so his paycheck is a good amount less than when he was working. He still is paying tax money to the federal gov’t for something my mom did. And then there is the situation with my mom: She is incarcerated. So at this point I am stuck like I was last year.

4

I made a typo earlier …* he NEVER claimed me on his taxes

5

Go and talk to someone at your college. My guess is they will be able to give you the most accurate answer for that school. Make an appointment with a financial aid officer to do this. Bring any and all documentation you have…most important would be documentation of your mom’s situation, and your dad’s health and medical bills situation…and some kind of documentation of your homeless status.

Each school has its own policy with regard to professional judgement.

Good luck…I hope you are successful.

6

Well it doesn’t matter about claiming you on taxes. For financial aid, students are dependent until they turn 24, or a few other circumstances like supporting a baby or military. You don’t mention anything that makes you independent for financial aid…

What is this college and how much does it cost? Do they give their own aid? Because you say you are already getting Pell grant, so I’m not sure what you hope to gain by being independent. Has your college said they will give you money if you are independent? You are a transfer, right? and I don’t think transfers usually get money from colleges. Unless it is a meets full need for transfer college, which is rare. All you get from federal govt is Pell and Loan and you can get that now it seems.

If you are held back from school aid because of father’s income, did you include the medical expense data? Usually parent debt is their own problem so IRS payments won’t be looked at. Consumer debt won’t be looked at. But medical expenses can be treated as a special circumstance. And your supporting yourself in combination with that. In danger of homelessness can be treated as a special circumstance. But it only helps if there are funds to be gotten.