<p>So my parents have been separated for around 10 years now; I live with my mom in America, while my dad lives in another country and he has never been here. Although they're still legally married, they've been separated for a long time. I'm really confused on what to put as my parents' tax filing status for the css profile/fasfa. Do anyone know what I should put?? Single or married filing separately?</p>
<p>You need to ask your mom how she files her taxes…and that is what you will put.</p>
<p>Are your parents legally separated according to your state law under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance? If not, then your mother does not have the option of filing as single.</p>
<p>@thumper1 On my mom’s income tax return form, it indicates single as the filing status.</p>
<p>Um…your mom is not single. Did your parents get divorced? </p>
<p>Unless your mom really IS single, that is NOT a tax filing option for her, as MIddkidd said. Her tax filing status for 2014 needs to be accurate or it will really foul up your need based aid awarding and disbursement. </p>
<p>@MiddKid86 My parents are not legally separated, but my dad does not file taxes since he’s not a citizen/permanent resident of this country. And I don’t know how he can fill out the noncustodial parent form if he doesn’t live here. He also doesn’t speak English.</p>
<p>Your mother is married and not legally separated. Under those facts, there is no option for her to file her taxes as single. Living outside of the U.S. should not be an impediment to filling out a form - people do that all the time. Likewise, not speaking English should not be an impediment. These are not valid reasons that a school will accept for not completing a NCP. There may be other valid reasons, but I don’t think these reasons fit the bill.</p>
<p>@thumper1 My mom has not file her income tax return for 2014 yet, right now I’m filling in the css profile based on what she filed for 2013. </p>
<p>I inderstand you ar using the figures from 2013… But what YOU need to understand is that your mom’s tax filing status affects the amount she pays in taxes…which is a required field on the Profile. If she filed as single, her outcome would be different than married filing separately…which is what she would need to do. </p>
<p>So…what you are estimating on the Profile is NOT going to be at all accurate to what will need to be the case for 2014 in terms of your mom’s tax filing status.</p>
<p>Why are you completing the Profile NOW? It’s too late for ED deadlines and too early for RD.</p>
<p>Her mother may be able to file Head of Household, even if still legally married.</p>
<p>Yes, that is true too…if she satisfies the requirements…and spouse hasn’t lived there for a period of time. </p>
<p>But she cannot file SINGLE.</p>
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<p>OP’s mom likely qualifies to file as Head of Household, which would probably be better for her than MFS. See pages 22 and 23 of IRS pub. 17:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf”>http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf</a></p>
<p>If your Dad did not live in your household for the last 6 months of the year and your Mom provided over half the cost of the household and you are a qualifying child (live with her over half the year and under 19 or 19-23 and a full time student) she qualifies for Head of Household status. If she does not meet those qualifications she is supposed to file MFS or MFJ (in which case Dad is on return and must sign it).</p>
<p>MiddKidd…but if the mom filed single…wouldn’t even THAT have different tax implications than filing as head of household?</p>
<p>My point was that the 2013 figures the OP is using based on a filing as single are likely not reflective of what the real 2014 return will say if the mom files as head of household or MFS.</p>
<p>^^^
Yes, it would be different. OP’s mom needs to determine what her legal filing status options are and pick the one that works best for her situation. Based on what we have been told, filing as single is not a valid option.</p>
<p>There are several tax options that aren’t available to Married filing separately, so chose carefully. “married” with no income from the husband might be the best option to keep the AOTC or tuition deduction credit. Also, married people get a bigger asset protection than singles - a LOT bigger. It may work out better to file as married, especially as on taxes much of the foreign income may be exempt from US taxes.</p>