<p>So basically i live with my mom and stepdad who make around 80k a year, would it be better for me to legally move in with my dad who is disabled on welfare? Im a junior if that helps</p>
<p>Technically, I guess, yes.</p>
<p>However, can your dad afford to support you? It doesn’t sound like he can support you. Or would your mom have to pay your dad child support? </p>
<p>What is your mom saying?</p>
<p>It’s not solely whom you live with that determines your EFC. Unless you mom and stepdad disappear, your changing your mailing address will change nothing.</p>
<p>If the situation were reversed: you live w/your mom and step dad who have little finances and your dad had $80K income, your EFC would still be the same.</p>
<p>This is not a valid strategy to “game” college Fin Aid</p>
<p>Ah… maybe someone else could correct, but I think it IS about which parent you live with for at least 1/2 of the year. However, if your mom pays some of your bills and you are living with your dad, that also has to be reported. </p>
<p>Also, if you apply to schools requiring the CSS Profile and Non-Custodial Profile, your mom & stepdad’s assets and income would be considered anyway.</p>
<p>Yes, under FAFSA the custodial parent’s income used is the one with whom the student lived the most. However, FAFSA schools generally do NOT offer very good financial aid. Those schools use the CSS Profile which, in many cases, looks at non-custodial income as well. <a href=“CSS Profile – CSS Profile | College Board”>CSS Profile – CSS Profile | College Board;
<p>T26E4 is flat-out wrong - for FAFSA, only the custodial parent’s income is considered. However, as noted by intparent and Erin’s Dad, for private schools that require the CSS Profile, most (but not all) will also require your non-custodial parent’s (and stepparent’s) financial info.</p>
<p>So, it depends on where you plan to apply. If it’s your local, FAFSA-only state university, moving in with your dad would probably make a big difference. If you’re looking at private liberal arts colleges, it probably wouldn’t help. </p>
<p>[Here[/url</a>] is the list of schools that require Profile. The list also indicates whether or not schools also require Profile’s non-custodial parent (NCP) form. (Be aware, though, that schools that don’t require the Profile NCP form may still have their own NCP form asking for similar info.)</p>
<p>If you have more questions, try CC’s [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/]Financial”>Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums]Financial</a> Aid forum](<a href=“https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet.srv]Here[/url”>https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet/PXRemotePartInstitutionServlet.srv).</p>
<p>The above posts might be technically correct.</p>
<p>But as T26E4 pointed out, trying to work the system (ie; cheat) is probably not a good idea.</p>
<p>The FAFSA rules are very straightforward: the parent with whom the student spends the most time is custodial. This can mean just a ONE DAY difference in the year. If time is split exactly evenly, then the parent who contributes the most money toward the student’s living costs (most often the parent whose household makes the most money) is custodial.</p>
<p>This has nothing whatsoever to do with legal custody, or dependency for tax purposes.</p>
<p>Freehorn - Go to the financial aid forum, and look up kelsmom. She is a financial aid officer. She can help you think through whether or not moving in with your dad is a workable option. Meanwhile, print out the FAFSA formula for 2013-2014 and have both sets of parents work through it. That way everyone will be able to get a better grasp on the financial implications of the choices you are facing: <a href=“http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091312EFCFormulaGuide1314.pdf[/url]”>http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091312EFCFormulaGuide1314.pdf</a></p>
<p>this does seem like a way to game the system. The dad is on welfare and unlikely going to be supporting this kid. the kid will likely still have all/most things paid for by his mom/stepdad. To then qualify for Pell because he’s just bunking at dad’s is really distasteful. and, frankly, since no one really checks where the kid is sleeping, the whole thing could be falsified. If the dad lives in the same area as this kid’s school, the whole thing can be a sham.</p>
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<p>If the OP’s parents are amenable to the OP living with dad, there’s no reason he can’t do that . . . and then claim dad as his custodial parent.</p>
<p>The FAFSA requirements are quite straightforward. If you don’t agree with them, take it up with your legislators.</p>
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<p>Again, not the OP’s problem.</p>
<p>To clarify, neither parents are paying any money. Its all either aid or loans</p>
<p>When I was talking about your mom and stepdad likely paying, I was talking about your food and expenses while staying with your dad for the next 12+ months while you’re still in high school - since he’s on welfare and can’t likely provide for you. </p>
<p>As for loans, you can only borrow 5500 for frosh year, so not much.</p>
<p>If Freehorn’s family feels this is an acceptable option, and they use this option, Freehorn will then correctly use Dad as the custodial parent - and Dad’s information will be the only information used for FAFSA purposes. Profile, as others point out, is a different story.</p>
<p>Freehorn, I do want to point out that while this may yield better aid for you, it is still quite difficult to afford college without parental assistance. Please realize that most times, a student’s financial aid package contains a “gap” - the amount of aid offered by the school is not enough to cover costs. Only a few selective colleges “meet need,” and most of these require the Profile. I don’t point this out to bum you out. I just want you to understand the reality you face if you won’t be getting any parental financial assistance. I would suggest applying to a school within commuting distance of Dad’s home (if you are going to move in with Dad). You may get enough aid to cover tuition, but often room & board is the issue.</p>
<p>Yeah money is the issue. Ill have around a 3.8 unweighted gpa and 2350 sat scores (hopefully) by senior year. And thanks for the replys!!</p>
<p>And kelsmom, when you say profile you mean the forms that show all three parents income?</p>
<p>One more thing, again clarifying, my parents libe around 15 minutes away from each other. I currently stay 4-5 days with my mom and 2-3 days with my dad per week. And although my dad is on welfare/disability, he lives with my grandmother and could probably afford my living costs.</p>
<p>Yes, the CSS profile for which most schools also require non-custodial parent financial information. If that SAT score comes true you should be targeting schools that offer large merit aid for stats. I’m always skeptical though when a student hopes for a score that high. Have you taken the SAT yet and what was the score? How about the PSAT or other standardized test?</p>
<p>As long as you spend the majority of nights every week at your dad’s house, he becomes the custodial parent for FAFSA purposes. It doesn’t have to be every night. So, 4 nights with dad and 3 nights with mom is fine . . . as long as that’s the way it is most of the year.</p>
<p>To be honest, as long as the number at the end of the year tip in favor of dad, that’s enough . . . so 185 nights at dad’s house and 180 nights at mom’s house would work, although I wouldn’t recommend cutting it quite that close! But that does mean you can switch around during vacations without it impacting the result . . . or keep things the way they are until the end of this school year, and then change.</p>
<p>Just keep track of the numbers . . . and if you’re expecting to do that well on the SAT, numbers shouldn’t be a problem for you! :)</p>
<p>By the way, if your stat’s end up being as good as you expect, then the colleges that offer [automatic/guaranteed</a> scholarships](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html]automatic/guaranteed”>Automatic Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums) are a good option for you. Even if all you get is free tuition, you should be able to cover the rest with work study, a good summer job, and a small loan . . . and if you end up qualifying for a Pell grant, it could end up being even more manageable!</p>
<p>The thing that the OP has to consider is that schools are not dumb. </p>
<p>Even if he files the FAFSA with the dad, he will still have to go through verification. Because the dad is on welfare/disability, it is going to trigger a low income verification form. </p>
<p>This means student/dad will need a budget letter from public assistance (which shows everyone in the household receiving services) and and award letter from Social Security. If student gets on dad’s household for PA, they now automatically require that the custodial parent file child support against the non-custodial so that the PA could be adjusted accordingly. The concept is that the taxpayers should not be taking care of the child when s/he has a working parent.</p>
<p>If OP is not on the budget or award letter, the school is going to want to know how is the child eating everyday. </p>
<p>As others have stated, while the FAFSA is only and index to determine eligibility for federal aid, it is often not enough to cover the cost at most schools. Schools that give institutional aid will ask for the CSS profile/Non-custodial profile or their own institutional forms for both the custodial/non-custodial parent (& spouse).</p>
<p>IF money is going to be an issue, make sure that you have a list of schools where you stand a good chance of getting merit aid. If you are a NMF make sure that your first choice is a school that covers tuition, room board perhaps books.</p>
<p>Contact M2CK, about Alabama, where you may be in a position to get a scholarship that covers most of your cost of attendance.</p>
<p>I will take the sats in march, i got a 2020 on the psats with literally no preparation. I didnt even know there was a formula sheet on the test, so i missed some math problems because of that :b also i think ive decided ill just stay t my dads more to be able to put him as the custodial parent on the fafsa. Thanks everyone again!</p>