<p>How does child support factor into the FA situation? I read somewhere they consider 100% of child support available for next years cost. Is that just my portion of the child support or child support for both my sisters as well as mine? And how do I put that all on net price calculators? So far it seems liked that child support counts heavily against me-but im putting down child support for all 3 of us- not just myself. This changes the idea of what's affordable vs not for university. </p>
<p>Your parent must list child support he or she receives on the financial aid forms. I don’t think you get to divide by 3. You don’t get to do that for the rest of your income!</p>
<p>Child support is different. Each kid has their own set amount that they receive. It’s rediculous to think that money that is paid to my mom for my sisters expenses should count so heavily towards my college expenses. That money is for them to spend, not for my college tuiton. </p>
<p>I’m not sure you can parse your income that way…and the financial aid forms count child support as income.</p>
<p>ETA…your custodial parent receives child support based on the fact that she has three children to support. I don’t believe there is a specific amount allocated to each child.</p>
<p>Perhaps someone else can comment on this.</p>
<p>Your family is receiving child support. The reality is, the money can be spent any way your custodial parent chooses to spend it…just like any other income.</p>
<p>I’d be surprised if you are permitted to list only your share of the child support. Does it come in separate checks?</p>
<p>ETA…I don’t think child support is assessed at 100% for financial aid purposes. It is like other income…no income is assessed at 100% when need based aid is computed.</p>
<p>Child support is just part of the total custodial parent family household income and no, it’s not counted as 100% available for college. All must be reported and it’s counted just like any other income in the formulas, only a portion is considered available for college expenses.</p>
<p>Okay thanks. I read 100% somewhere, but I guess that’s not the case. Thanks!!!</p>
<p>@Psubabe6 </p>
<p>I think you are now MORE confused. @annoyingdad may have inadvertently confused you.</p>
<p>YES, all of the support is considered. It ALL has to get listed.</p>
<p>You are thinking that because 2/3 is for siblings that it doesn’t count. YES IT DOES. </p>
<p>Think of it this way…</p>
<p>If your mom earns $50k, obviously not all of it is for YOU, but all gets counted on FAFSA…same with Child Support. ALL WILL get counted.</p>
<p>now, not all of mom’s salary can go towards college costs, right? Not even most of it can go towards college costs, right? Most goes to support the family, right? YET, all is included in the formula.</p>
<p>Well, even tho all of CS will get included, no school is going to say, “Hmm, the mom gets $15k per year in child support, so we can grab ALL of that $15k and use it for tuition.” NO.</p>
<p>But if your mom earns $50k and she gets $15k in child support, then the combined $65k will be part of the calculation - because that’s the amount that household has coming in each year.</p>
<p>Okay thanks mom2collegekids that’s what I’m gathering. I understand it being used in income, I just read 100% somewhere(perhaps not a reliable source) and found it unfair. But If it’s calculated like the rest of income, okay!</p>