CSS Profile Concern

Paying for College
1

<p>I filled out my CSS Profile online yesturday and my mother put down, under untaxed social security, the widow benifits that she recieves. She is a waitress and a widow to me and my brother and cannot afford to pay for my college.. not any. Well, she is very concerned because her real income is only 18,000 for the year, but she put down the widow benifits she recieces under than "untaxed social security benifits" section, and that makes our income much higher, and she pays taxes on the social security she recieves (or atleast she says she thinks she does.) </p>

<p>Does anyone who knows for sure about these things mind helping me out? I need to know whether to contact CSS profile people and resubmit. Were the widow benifits supposed to go on the profle? Thanks!</p>

<p>(Sorry if it's hard to follow.. writing in a hurry because I'm at school.)</p>

2

<p>Vandy,
Any SS that your mother receives will have to be reported on the Profile, and FAFSA as well. The question is whether it should go under "untaxed" or "taxed" as the former will increase you EFC more. I am a widow and receive SS; although the checks come to me, the money is actually for the care of my children. This type of SS is not taxed. You need to ask your mom if this is the type of SS she is receiving, if so, she reported it correctly. If she's receiving some other kind of SS, she needs to find out for certain whether or not it is taxed so that she can report it correctly on the financial aid forms.</p>

3

<p>Look at your mother's tax reuturn, Line 20a; the difference between that and 20b is the "untaxed" amount. Unless she gets a whopping amount of SS, tens of thousands, don't worry about it.</p>