<p>When you turn 24, are you absolutely required to put yourself down as an independent student on the FAFSA?</p>
<p>When you are 24 you ARE independent as far as the FAFSA is concerned. Why would you consider yourself to be a dependent? </p>
<p>Well, I still live with my parents. And they help me pay some of my bills, food, etc.</p>
<p>You still file as independent. When you answer the question about your age, the FAFSA will ignore any parent info you provide. </p>
<p>When you complete the FAFSA, you need to report as untaxed or gift income any amounts your parents paid IN YOUR NAME in the past 12 months … again, only if the bill is in your name. For example, if you are on a family cell phone plan & they pay your share, you don’t report it. If you have a cell phone bill in your name and they pay it, though, you report it. If they pay for your car or insurance, you only report it if the car loan is in your name or if the insurance policy is in your name (not if you are on their policy). Same with credit cards. And if you live alone, you would report any rent they pay if the lease is in your name. If they pay any of your tuition, you report that.</p>
<p>Independent for FAFSA does not necessarily mean that you are not a dependent on your parents’ income tax return.</p>
<p>So, anything in my name I must report on the application, then?</p>
<p>You have to report anything in your name anyway, dependent or independent. If you have a job or savings, it gets reported under the ‘student’ section.</p>
<p>Are you asking in a round about way whether you need to provide your parents’ income/assets? You only report your income and assets.</p>
<p>Recalling previous threads, which there are many, I think the student wants the parents to take Plus loans.</p>
<p>2400, it helps if you provide context so not so much guessing what you are getting at.</p>
<p><a href=“Direct PLUS Loan - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums”>Direct PLUS Loan - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums;
<p>Here is more of the OP’s story. He turns 24 in 2015</p>
<p>To the OP…what exactly do you want to know?</p>
<p>@thumper1 </p>
<p>I am wondering if I would still be considered a dependent student on the FAFSA since my parents basically still cover my basic needs, even though I have a good job and pay for my community college tuition and other expenses. My parents are iffy about filling out their information on the FAFSA, but I recently had a talk with my father about PLUS loans and he said that he would be okay with doing that IF I paid him back in full when I graduate with my engineering degree from a four-year college/university. As an independent student on the FAFSA, I don’t even know if I would qualify for PLUS loans anymore. I’m just trying to figure out how to get the most financial aid I can, while trying to convince my folks about helping me with the 2015 FAFSA.</p>
<p>When you start doing the online fafsa it will ask if you were born before January 1, 1992. If you answer yes it will follow the independent logic and not ask for parental info. You won’t have a choice. </p>
<p>In 2010 kelsmom, a finaid officer, posted that undergrad independent students can’t get parent plus loans:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/885496-can-independent-students-take-out-the-plus-loan.html”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/885496-can-independent-students-take-out-the-plus-loan.html</a></p>
<p>It’s most likely this hasn’t changed.</p>
<p><<
am wondering if I would still be considered a dependent student on the FAFSA since my parents basically still cover my basic needs, e
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<p>NO</p>
<p>Darn. I was kind of hoping that the Parent PLUS loans would be available to me. I guess I’ll just have to fill out next year’s FAFSA and see where I stand. Thanks @annoyingdad.</p>
<p>Frankly, I would be very happy that Plus loans won’t be available to you since your plan is short-sighted. You don’t need to go to Berkeley or UIUC as an OOS student by using Plus Loans to fund the experience.</p>
<p>You live in NJ with Rutgers. You’ll get Pell, NJ state grant, and about $12k in loans for each year (2 years total).</p>
<p>Again, when you’re paying back the $25k in loans from Rutgers, you’ll be thanking your lucky stars that you’re not burdened with $80k-100k in loans.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids </p>
<p>True. Rutgers is obviously the best option from a financial standpoint. I just wanted to explore my options. If Illinois or Cal end up being too expensive for me to fund, then I will, of course, go with Rutgers. In fact, I believe that I can get a couple of merit scholarships from Rutgers, too, given my high GPA at my CC.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids If I go to Rutgers, I will only be paying for tuition and miscellaneous expenses. I live within less than an hour from the university and my parents have agreed to let me stay at home so I do not have to pay for room and board at the school. I believe that tuition is only about $14,000 per year for in-state.</p>
<p>Wow…if you can get a merit award from Rutgers, plus get Pell for being a low income independent, plus maybe get some state aid, this really is a noo-brainer!</p>
<p>Let your future life be your dream!</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids </p>
<p>Thanks so much for your help in this process! It really means a lot to have good, knowledgeable people out there willing to lend others a hand.</p>