<p>I am hoping someone can help me with these last CSS questions.... My daughter is applying to several colleges that use the CSS. I am her mom and my daughter and I live with my boyfriend. The house is in his name and although I contribute, pay for groceries, etc. I don't pay rent, or any electric, cable bills etc. A question on the CSS reads: Enter the amount of cash your parents received and any money paid on their behalf (e.g., bills) in 2014. (Don't include child support or any other amounts reported elsewhere on this application.) Am I to say that my boyfriend pays for our living expenses? We both file single taxes and nothing we have is in joint accounts. Everything pertaining to the house is in boyfriend's name. Do I count all these expenses as "bills paid on our behalf"? I don't see anywhere on the CSS or FAFSA that requires that I state amount of rent paid. Would appreciate any help. I love this site and all the assistance you offer!! </p>
<p>Bills paid on your behalf are things in YOUR name that someone else pays. So…if your cell phone bill is in your students name, and boyfriend pays thst bill…that would be included. If all of the utilities are in his name, and so is the house, he isn’t paying on YOUR behalf. He is paying his own bills.</p>
<p>And your boy friend’s incime and assets are not put on the FAFSA or the Profile either…unless this is the kiddos bio dad.</p>
<p>It seems that both CSS and FAFSA should ask if there is a non-related person sharing the household and contributing towards the household expenses…otherwise there is a wrong assumption that the single parent is shouldering the entire household burden…which obviously she’s not. </p>
<p>Mom2…at this time, they FAFSA and Profile do not ask for information for unrelated folks in the household. </p>
<p>So…at this point, the boyfriend’s info is not included…unless money is used to pay bills in the student’s name.</p>
<p>^^
Oh, I know. But they should! The current situation provides an inaccurate picture of how much the mom can contribute from her income if the formula is assuming that she’s paying for all household expenses. That is a significant misrepresentation of the situation, which is why CSS and FASFA should ask.</p>
<p>If they want to know how much one pays for rent, they should ask and the OP’s answer would be $0. Do they ask how much one pays for rent or mortgage? I don’t think the schools want to get into judging if the family has made smart or dumb decisions for rent, mortgage, heating, cable. I think most just use a formula of what is normal for a person making $xxx to spend on living. It’s an average, and some families live way under that figure while others have spent that and much more. OP is going to be one whose expenses are way under average.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes. They do.</p>
<p>I think the more necessary expenses (morgage, rent, children education cost,… - these items are on the CSS profile) the parents have, the more FA award amount the student will receive.</p>
<p>As Thumper notes, it’s what someone pays for the parent and/or student that is in their names that is required to be reported. Like private school tuition when grandparents pay it. But not when Grandparents gift the parents the money directly. The way it works doesn’t necessarily make sense, but them’s the rules. </p>
<p>I agree that the more children a family has matters, but I don’t think schools care if a family has a (by choice) large mortgage. That is often a luxury purchase.</p>
<p>^ I think colleges have some allocated caps for necessary living costs.</p>
<p>Thanks for the information so far. For what it’s worth, I make about $30K. I work, homeschool my daughter, pay all my bills, all of my three children’s bills and plenty of expenses around the house. I have $30K + in student loans for myself which of course, I pay on monthly. I have zero for disposable income, or rather, I live paycheck to paycheck. So, if it were required that I provide a financial statement, one would plainly see that I have nothing. I pay all bills that are in my name. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn’t missing something as far as my boyfriend paying housing expenses. I know that I didn’t have to provide this information, but I don’t want people thinking that I am out to cheat the system. </p>
<p>@Turtlemom
Didn’t you already have to fill out CSS for your D’s ED application?</p>
<p>Is your D’s father alive? If so, did he have to fill out the NCP info?</p>
<p>Yes he is alive, and yes he has completed the NCP. I’m just looking back, making sure I did not misrepresent my financial situation.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Did you include the child support you receive for the 3 kids?</p>
<p>Mom2
I do not receive any child support and never did. Their father’s income is and always has been less than mine. He contributes very little.</p>
<p>Well, then it looks like you’ve covered all bases.</p>
<p>@mom2 - Thanks for conversing.</p>