<p>I wanted to know if I would get more money If I filed as a dependent than a independent? Im going to file my taxes this year so, lets say the total I made last year was $4700 and If I add 2 kids to my tax return then i'll have to file as a independent, would this be good as in how much money they're going to give me? Or Should I leave the kids off and use my mother info along with my tax return without the kids? And my mother's income is under $10,000 since she's in school for to be a nurse and can't really work.</p>
<p>You are either dependant or not dependant - it is not a choice I don't think. You have to answer a list of questions and that decided your status.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Because the EFC formula for a dependent student uses parental data, while the two formulas for independent students do not, the first step in calculating a student?s EFC is to determine his or her dependency status. For the 2007-2008 award year, a student is automatically determined to be an independent applicant for federal student aid if he or she meets one or more of the following criteria:
? Student was born before January 1, 1984.
? At the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year, the student will be enrolled in a master?s or doctoral degree program (such as MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.).
? Student is married as of the date of the application (answer ?Yes? if the student is separated but not divorced).
? Student has children who receive more than half of their support from him or her.
? Student has dependents (other than children or spouse) who live with the student and the dependent receives more than half of their support from the student, now and through June 30, 2008.
? Both of the student?s parents are deceased OR the student is (or was until the age of 18) a ward/dependent of the court.
? Student is currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, or is a National Guard or Reserves enlistee called into federal active duty for other than training purposes.
? Student is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces (see the definition in the box below).
A financial aid administrator can make a determination of independence with documentation of unusual circumstances, even if the student initially filed as a dependent student.
[/quote]
But with the incomes as low as you have stated it would probably not make that much difference.</p>
<p>yeah because the question that comes to my mind is what are they going to think if I supported 2 kids legally throughout the year on a $4700 income with no government assistance.</p>
<p>If you are legitimately a dependant of your Mom and she does have an income of below $20000 you are better off because (as long as she is eligible to file 1040ez or 1040a tax returns) you would probably qualify for a simplified needs test and an automatic zero EFC. Independant is not neccessarily better because i think I read somewhere that independant students do not qualify for automatic zero EFC.</p>
<p>Oh and you do not have to be claimed as a dependant on your moms tax return to be a dependant for FAFSA. For instance my son earns enough to have to do his own tax return and we cannot claim him as a dependant for taxes. But for FAFSA he is a dependant - not married, under 24 etc.</p>
<p>ok, thanks.</p>
<p>Sounds like the issue of dependency will hinge upon whether:</p>
<p>"Student has children who receive more than half of their support from him or her."</p>
<p>If you claim that that's true, then you're independent. If you say that's not true (and none of the other requirements are met), then you're a dependent.</p>
<p>Independent students can qualify for the simplified needs test, and if they have dependents, they can qualify for the Automatic Zero EFC as well.</p>
<p>So there are lots of considerations here. At first blush, I'd guess that with your Mom's income under 10K, that you'd likely end up with a zero EFC filing as a dependent; and that with your income and two kids, you'd also end up with zero EFC filing as independent.</p>
<p>Spend some time with both scenarios on the FinAid calculator and see whether either makes a difference in the EFC. Ordinarily, it's pretty cut and dried as to whether you're independent. But when the issue is whether your children receive more than half their support from you, you might be able to make an argument either way, depending on your situation.</p>