<p>Your parents' number of family members in 2009-2010 (question 75):</p>
<p>If you are not sure who is considered a family member, select the Household Size button and answer the questions on the worksheet.
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How many people in your parents' household will be college students between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010 (question 76)?</p>
<p>Always count yourself as a college student. Do not include your parents. You may include others only if they will attend, at least half-time in 2009-2010, a program that leads to a college degree or certificate. </p>
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<p>okay , i have 2 sisters older than me, both over 18. they are both already in college, they pretty much are independent; my parents dont really support them cuz they work. so my question is are they counted as 2 for question #76? i know they're not counted in the household anymore...
can somebody confirm?</p>
<p>In order for your sisters to qualify as household members (Q75), your parents must plan on providing more than 50% of their support between July 09 and June 2010. They could qualify, even if working, if your parents are helping out with their college expenses, for example. So it's a support test, not a residency test.</p>
<p>Only household members that qualify as such in Q75 are considered in Q76. So if they're going to be in college next year, and they qualify for Q75, the also qualify for purposes of Q76.</p>
<p>If they would be considered dependents for FAFSA then you do include them as members of the household and you do include them as being in college. My son has lived on his own for years and was working full time. As he would be considered a dependent for FAFSA purposes he was included as a member of the household when my daughter started college, and when he returned to school he was included in the number in college on his and her FAFSAs (and mine this year). </p>
<p>From the 2008-2009 instructions (the 2009-2010 are not online yet)
Completing</a> the FAFSA 07-08/The Application Questions(55-83)</p>
<p>
[quote]
66. Number in parents' household. The number of family members reported determines the amount of an allowance that protects a portion of the reported income and this amount is subtracted from your family's income in the EFC calculation. This allowance provides for basic living expenses for the household size you indicate in this question.</p>
<p>The following persons are included in your parents' household size:</p>
<pre><code>* You (the student), even if you do not live with your parents
* Your parents (the ones whose information is reported on the FAFSA)
* Your parents' other children, if your parents will provide more than half of their support from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 or if the other children could answer "No" to every question in Questions 48-55
* Your parents' unborn child, if that child will be born before July 1, 2009 and your parents will provide more than half of the child's support through the end of the 2008-09 award year (June 30, 2009). (If there is a medical determination of a multiple birth, then all expected children can be included.)
* Other people (including your children and/or your unborn child due before July 1, 2009), if they live with and receive more than half of their support from your parents at the time of application and will continue to receive that support from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
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<p>This is from the 2008-2009 instructions so where it says 2008 - 2009 it would be 2009-2010.</p>
<p>And if they are considered members of the household (check the dependency questions) they would also be included in number in college (if they are in college at least half time).</p>
<p>Thanks.....so they are not, okay.</p>
<p>The instructions for answering the question are that included in the number in household are </p>
<p>
[quote]
Your parents other children, if your parents will provide more than half of their support from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 or if the other children could answer No to every question in Questions 48-60.
[/quote]
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<p>If they would be considered dependents if they were filing FAFSA themselves then they are members of the household. The parents do not have to be providing more than 50% of their support for them to be considered dependents for FAFSA. They just have to be able to answer no to all the dependency questions.</p>
<p>You need to check if they would be considered dependents if they were filing FAFSA for themselves. If they cannot answer yes to any of the dependency questions - questions 48-60 Born before Jan 1 1986;married;working on a masters/doctorate;On active duty in the US armed forces;a veteran of the US armed forces;have a child you support more than 50%;have a dependent you support more than 50% - then they would be considered dependents for FAFSA purposes so can be included in the number of household and as college students (if they are in college).</p>
<p>If they can answer yes to any of the dependency questions - for instance if one is married, or one was born before Jan 1st 1986, then they would be considered independent for FAFSA purposes so cannot be included in the number of household unless your parents provide more than 50% of their support.</p>
<p>From the way you worded your original question it sounds like they may be included in the number in household and in the number in college.
[quote]
they pretty much are independent; my parents dont really support them cuz they work. so my question is are they counted as 2 for question #76? i know they're not counted in the household anymore...
can somebody confirm?
[/quote]
"Pretty much independent" and them working does not make them independent for FAFSA.</p>
<p>It is extremely important that you answer this correctly. If they are considered members of the household by FAFSA standards, and are also considered college students by FAFSA standards, it can reduce your EFC considerably and possibly make you eligible for more aid.</p>