<p>I know this is a very touchy subject but here it goes.</p>
<p>I am in the process of submitting my CSS Profile to some colleges but there are some inconsistensies in my parents tax returns. I will report my father's tax returns because he is the only source of income in our family. However, my mother's issue with her tax return troubles me. My mother has not worked for over six years. She let her sister-in-law use her SS to work in the United States. She filed tax returns but our family never made use of this income; the earnings made were small, close to 14,ooo. Her sister-in-law no longer works, so the last tax returns that were filed were from last year, 2008. I am worried about including my mother's tax return on my Profile because her sister-in-law lived in another state and I am worried that colleges will think my mother lived in another state when I never mentioned any of this in my application. I know I should, but is there any way not to report it, after all, that money was never part of our household.</p>
<p>Please help me =[</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Even if this creates the impression that your mother worked out-of-state in 2008, what difference would that make? Why would a college expect you to tell them where your mother worked (or seemed to work) a year ago? I’m probably missing something, but I’m not sure I see what the problem is. I mean, if your mother filed taxes then I’d sure make certain to report that income, but the geography issue escapes me.</p>
<p>Geography issue aside, my family’s ONLY source of income is my dad’s. Reporting the tax return my mother filed for my her sister-in-law would make it seem that my family makes more than we actually do. My mother’s sister-in-law was working under my mother’s name, but she kept her own earnings. However, on paper, it seems as if my mother has an income.</p>
<p>But, when you file for aid, you’ll be using 2009 income. Your mom (and sister-in-law) shouldn’t have income for this last year, right?</p>
<p>If your aunt used your mom’s SSN for employment during 2009 than it will look like your mom made some money.</p>
<p>Yes, the tax return that was filed in April 2009 (for 2008 earnings) did show this extra money. But (and I don’t know), do you have to show that tax return? Or will you be showing the tax return that is due next April?</p>
<p>And, even if you have to show that tax return, won’t your current info (filed after Jan 1, 2010) just look like your mom hasn’t worked in a year?</p>
<p>Am I understanding this right?</p>
<p>On the Profile you also show income from the previous year, but I don’t think it’s going to make any difference in your overall financial aid picture. They are looking for big inconsistencies in income, such as a very high income one year, and then perhaps an intentional drop income to better situate a student for financial aid, or a clue that there may be significant assets somewhere (from that previously high income) that is not suggested by the new lower income. In other words they’re looking for consistency.</p>
<p>However, $14,000 is not going to create any problems for you. Good heavens, in this economy that looks like a very minor income adjustment compared to what many people are experiencing. I really don’t think this will be significant at all.</p>
<p>However, if you fail to report it that could be big trouble. CSS Profile will ask you to submit copies of all tax returns for the pertinant years. Were you thinking you could just not send in your mother’s return? Personally, I think you’d be courting disaster with that.</p>
<p>I am no expert, this is just my opinion. But I think you’d be in much better shape reporting it. Since your aid will be based on 2009 income anyway, what’s the harm?</p>
<p>Yeah, you understood correctly. I am only reporting the tax returns of my dad for 2008 since he has not yet filed for the 2009 tax return. On paper, yes, my mother (sister-in-law) has not worked for a year. So, If were to report that tax return I would report that of 2008 and it would show that my mother has not worked for a year. However, I am afraid that this extra money will be calculated into my family’s income when it was never a part of our income. For clarification, I am doing the QuestBridge match process and I do not want the colleges I am applying to to get the wrong impression of my family’s income. I just do not know whether to report this tax return. If I do not report it can colleges verify my mother’s tax returns regardless?</p>
<p>I don’t know… but I sure wouldn’t try it. Maybe others with more direct knowledge of this will weigh in.</p>
<p>The thing is I totally understand you did not actually have this income, but your mother and her sister-in-law were doing something illegal. If you were to get busted for misreporting your income for financial aid purposes, what position might that put your mother in?</p>
<p>I don’t know if the IRS is together enough to network FA aid applications and individual taxes. I think it’s always a mistake to take these risks - as well as to compound one bad choice with another… but that’s just me.</p>
<p>'rentof2- based on what you told me I believe it may be ok to report my mother’s “tax return.” She has not worked for a while, and even on paper she has not worked for a year, so hopefully that, with the fact she provided a low income, won’t be extremely significant. Thanks</p>