Another financial aid question.....

<p>Hey guys I posted here a few days ago about filling out my FAFSA. I have a lot of questions lol sorry. I had assumed my EFC would be 0 because my mom makes $1,400 a month in child support, I qualify for the free lunches at school, etc. But when I filled it out I had to put in that my uncle left me $20,000 for my college education. When I submitted my FAFSA my expected EFC in an email was $9,040. Doesn't that number seem extremely high?? I don't qualify for grants anymore right?? I am freaking out right now. Do you think my colleges will look at my mom's financial state and give me a bigger financial aid package? Last Question: Obviously I'm going to use the trust money next year during college. When I file my FAFSA during sophomore year of college do I still file under my custodial parent? How do you file your FAFSA in college? (If I still file under my mom I would qualify for grants making my education affordable)
Sorry guys I know this is long thanks for your help.</p>

<p>If your mom (custodial parent) only has $16,8000 a year, your FAFSA should be automatic zero EFC. You should able to skip all the questions about assets and your (student) tax information.</p>

<p>You should still is a dependent student next year.</p>

<p>I thought it would be an automatic zero too. Nope we had to answer all of the questions. On the CSS I wrote in the special circumstances what my uncle wanted the money to be for. I have another question 4kidsdad… my mom has majority custody but what happens when I turn 18? Does she still have majority or is it 50 50 with my dad?</p>

<p>Strange. You should ask some experts to review your FAFSA.</p>

<p>See [Will</a> I need my parents’ information?](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/fftoc02k.htm]Will”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/fftoc02k.htm) for a list of questions that determine if you’re a dependent student or not on FAFSA.</p>

<p>

Nothing happen, except you can vote. If you mom is the custodial parent before you’re 18, she still is after you’re 18.</p>

<p>Does your child support end at 18? If so, then that may need to be addressed.</p>

<p>Maybe it was because we had to answer a few questions about non-custodial parent. Hmm I’ll tell my dad that’s not normal.
mom2collegekids- yes child support ends at 18 thats why I was wondering how that would work</p>

<p>FAFSA asks about non-custodial parent?? Are we talking about FAFSA or CSS Profile?</p>

<p>Omg I’m sorry I mixed up the 2 in my last post haha sorry for the confusion.</p>

<p>When I was filling out the CSS a screen popped up that said my fee to submit it was waved… I just don’t know why my EFC is so high everything I’ve read it should be 0</p>

<p>update: they made a mistake filling out the FAFSA my EFC is now 1500. Which is better but still I expected 0</p>

<p>Part of that might be the assets you have in the bank.</p>

<p>Yes but the assets should be ignored if this is an auto zero efc, and it sounds like it should be. </p>

<p>Does your mom have any other income?</p>

<p>

Who is the “they” in this statement? Do you have a step-parent?</p>

<p>According to the info you have posted, it should be an auto 0 EFC, and assets should be ignored. Child support is not part of AGI, so that doesn’t even figure into the income for auto 0 … in other words, if that is the only income, AGI for purposes of determining Auto 0 eligibility is 0. There is either some income contributing to the AGI (alimony? private disability? IRA distribution?) … or perhaps the box for free/reduced lunch (federal benefits) was not checked. Can you pull up your FAFSA & check?</p>

<p>Hey guys I figured out the problem! My mom told me the wrong tax form she filled, don’t know the specifics of it, but my EFC is now 0000.</p>

<p>That is terrific!</p>