<p>is it easier to get cal grants if ure parents list you as independent, rather than dependent?</p>
<p>take me for example...</p>
<p>-i am currently a junior and have an older sibling in her second year of college. when i am a freshman in college, she is a senior in college, so attending at the same time.
-my family's income is around $105,000 a year, gross</p>
<p>with that, can anyone tell me if i can get a substantial amount of cal grant money, say around 8-10k, or more (can consist of multiple grants).</p>
<p>so can anyone tell me if my parents say that im independent rather than dependent, because if im independent my dad doesn't get some tax deductions so i need to know, its for this years taxes, since they are the ones that the FAFSA asks for if i apply next year.</p>
<p>Your family income is over Cal Grant limits, so you won't be eligible.</p>
<p>You don't get a choice of whether you're dependent or independent for financial aid purposes, the guidelines are specific (you're apparently dependent if you're a high school junior, and unmarried with no kids of your own).</p>
<p>As to whether Dad can claim you as a dependent on his taxes-- that's a different question than the dependent/independent status for FinAid purposes. And if your parent(s) provide more than half your support, they can geerally claim you as a dependent for tax purposes. But Dad should get tax advice from a tax professional.</p>
<p>The good news is that with two in college, the EFC will roughly get cut in half of what your sib's EFC was, so the total EFC for the family will likely remain about the same (unless you have substantial income or assets in your name).</p>
<p>yes -- a lower EFC means that your family is expected to pay less. For instance, someone with an EFC of $5,000 will be expected to contribute at least that to pay for college expenses. (schools that gap will cost more -- and most packages include loans and work-study, which is also money/work you are paying, just at a later time).</p>
<p>However -- that does not apply to you. The only way that your EFC will be lowered is if your parents have had a significant change in income and/or assets. You are a dependent according to FAFSA (the requirements to be independent are: over age 24, military service, married, have a child you suppport or an orphan).</p>
<p>so -- for your family, the EFC will remain approximately the same for the family. the EFC your sister has this year will be divided by the number of students in college (with some variation depending on assets and income in the students name).</p>
<p>Does that help? I know what you want to hear is that there is some magic way to get more money to go to college -- but everyone is looking for that!</p>
<p>quoted directly from the FAFSA website -- you must meet one of these requirements to be independent for financial aid purposes. </p>
<p>"For the 2007-2008 academic year, you're considered an independent student ONLY IF at least one of the following criteria applies to you:</p>
<p>You were born before January 1, 1984.</p>
<p>You will be enrolled in a master's or doctorate program (beyond a bachelor's degree) at the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year.</p>
<p>You're married as of the day you apply (or you're separated but not divorced). </p>
<p>You have children who receive more than half their support from you.</p>
<p>You have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half their support from you at the time you apply and through June 30, 2008. </p>
<p>Both your parents are deceased, or you are (or were until age 18) a ward or dependent of the court. </p>
<p>You're a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. (A "veteran" includes students who attended a U.S. service academy and who were released under a condition other than dishonorable. For more detail on who is considered a veteran, see the explanatory notes on the FAFSA.)
If none of these criteria applies to you, you're considered dependent."</p>
<p>as long as you meet one of these requirements -- you are independent and you will have a lower EFC.</p>