<p>The way I see it, your mom makes quite a bit of money but doesn't want to help you out with college so she's telling you to lie to get fin aid. Keep in mind that if you get caught you'll be the one to get in trouble, not your mom. Does she also claim you as a dependent for her taxes? If she doesn't want to help you out you'll just have to get loans. There are plenty of kids who wouldn't be able to go to college without financial aid. A lot of those kids can not even get private loans with their parents cosign because their parents don't make enough.</p>
<p>Careful here giving cavalier advice folks. I have posted this before, but I will post it again. If the parents have joint custody, meaning that the child splits their time between both parents' residences, and the parents have equal say in parenting decisions, then the parent that should be listed on the FAFSA is the parent that provides the majority of the childs support, regardless of their respective incomes. </p>
<p>Hoypothetically ,in this case, if the father is paying child support that provides for more than half of the child's expenses, then their incomes really don't matter.</p>
<p>In a perfect world, the mother making this much money should be providing more of the financial support. In an imperfect world, she may be spending money on other things rather than on direct expenses for the child.</p>
<p>Also, some states have laws that require both parents to provide for college edications based on their ability to do so, which is often proven in court, because if the parents could agree on anything, they wouldn't be divorced. </p>
<p>The folks that posted that none of this matters for PROFILE schools are correct.</p>
<p>Careful here giving cavalier advice folks. I have posted this before, but I will post it again. If the parents have joint custody, meaning that the child splits their time between both parents' residences, and the parents have equal say in parenting decisions, then the parent that should be listed on the FAFSA is the parent that provides the majority of the childs support, regardless of their respective incomes. </p>
<p>Hoypothetically ,in this case, if the father is paying child support that provides for more than half of the child's expenses, then their incomes really don't matter.</p>
<p>In a perfect world, the mother making this much money should be providing more of the financial support. In an imperfect world, she may be spending money on other things rather than on direct expenses for the child.</p>
<p>Also, some states have laws that require both parents to provide for college educations based on their ability to do so, which is often proven in court, because if the parents could agree on anything, they wouldn't be divorced. </p>
<p>The folks that posted that none of this matters for PROFILE schools are correct.</p>
<p>Sorry for the double post! How do I get rid of it?</p>
<p>Actually for FAFSA purposes the parent who is supposed to be reported is the one who the student lived with the most during the year. Only when the time is split evenly does the financial support question come into consideration.</p>
<p>FinAid</a> | Professional Judgment | Determination of Custodial Parent</p>
<p>You can't get rid of the double post unless a mod takes pity on you and removes it.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses. My mother wasn't serious and I convinced her that it would be wrong. I don't think she realized how wrong it would be. In response to one of the above posts, my parents do not own an SUV, we own a middle-class car. The reason why my mother was considering this was due to the fact that she had to pay my dad nearly $750,000 to buy him out of his share of the house, untop of filling for divorce. I hope everyone realizes that in the end my mother and I were not planning on doing this and I acknowledge how wrong it would be for us to do that. I am not the only child, and I attend an expensive school, so despite my mother's high income, we do not have that much spare change lying around. Also, if the form asked for both, then we would report it. If the mods could delete or lock this thread that would be great because it no longer has a purpose.</p>
<p>It does make a difference even for PROFILE schools. If the custodial parent makes little enough $$ for the student to qualify for Pell, or state money, or subsidized loans, the student will get those $$ even if he goes to a PROFILE school. THe school just won't kick in anymore if the financials of both parents exceed the cutoff for aid according to PRofile or its own method.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>$750,000 to buy him out of his share of the house>></p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>I hate to say it...but this house cost is MUCH MUCH more than the average house cost in the United States. That $750K was your dad's share of the house, implying that your mom had at least a partial share. If there is any home equity, and you are completing a Profile, this will also be taken into consideration.</p>
<p>Unless your dad has gone through the money by now, that will be reported as assets for him. That will blow any FAFSA EFC chances for a Pell and accompanying grants.</p>
<p>You may have covered this already, but have you asked both your parents if any money has been invested for your college education? If so, how much?</p>
<p>I suggest you apply to:
-Honors program at a Community College & at one or two of your State Univ.
-Also, look at private schools were you are in the top 25% of the application school to increase the potentional of receiving merit scholarship.
-Apply for local scholarships - lots of them.</p>
<p>deleted.......</p>
<p>
[quote]
I hope everyone realizes that in the end my mother and I were not planning on doing this and I acknowledge how wrong it would be for us to do that.
[/quote]
I reread your original post, and it wasn't at all clear to me until your quote above that you weren't serious. It sure sounded like you were in the first post...and I think you indeed were until you read the responses to your original post. Your mother works for a law firm (is she a lawyer?)?</p>
<p>We weren't. I was just curious. Like I said previously, most of my schools require both. Does it matter what my mom does?</p>