CSS Profile and FASFA

<p>Hello, I was just wondering how the CSS and FASFA corresponded with one another. My number one school confirmed that the CSS profile and my FASFA must match, but my parents file their taxes as single and separately and have been doing so for the past couple of years. My parents are separated, (always on and off), and I only receive money from my dad. I don't know how to fill out my FASFA and CSS Profile! Someone Help!</p>

<p>~Thanks
:)</p>

<p>Both forms really take you through step by step. Has your father filed his 2011 taxes yet? That is the first necessary step. Go to those forms and just start answering the questions you know (have the hard, factual data for) and ask questions for the answers you don’t know (how much owe on home, etc).</p>

<p>If your parents are married, in other words, separated but not divorced, I do NOT believe they can file their taxes as SINGLE, someone else will need to verify this. I could be wrong.</p>

<p>For the FAFSA you have to find out if your parents are separated NOW. If they are, then you only use the information from your custodial parent who is the one you lived with the most. Any spousal or child support would need to be listed as well. If they are married, you would use the info from both parents.</p>

<p>For the profile, the custodial parent completes the Profile and then the non custodial parent completes the noncustodial parent Profile if your school requires it. Again if they are married, you list them both.</p>

<p>Their tax filing status in NO WAY relates to how these forms are required to be completed.</p>

<p>they were never married. thank you.</p>

<p>If they were never married, you would use your custodial parent on the FAFSA…and you would have your custodial parent complete the CSS Profile. The custodial parent is the one with whom you reside most during the year. If equal…then it is the one who provides you most support.</p>

<p>For the FAFSA, you ONLY list that custodial parent.</p>

<p>For the Profile, you would use the SAME custodial parent as on the FAFSA…and the non-custodial parent would complete the non-custodial parent profile if required by the school.</p>

<p>Yes…the custodial parent on the FAFSA should MATCH the one on the Profile. Your parents’ tax filing status doesn’t matter.</p>