<p>My boyfriend's daughter says she needs my financial info for her FAFSA application because the financial advisor told her that since her father & I have lived together for so long (12 yrs), they need my info. We aren't married, and her biological mother & stepfather are very much involved in her life. On my son's FAFSA, they didn't ask for my boyfriend's info..I'm just confused. I'll give my info, I'm just trying to understand...</p>
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Correct. The financial advisor may be misinformed.</p>
<p>Is there a common law provision in your state? Would you be viewed as married? </p>
<p>If not, then your info would not be required…in my opinion.</p>
<p>Does this daughter reside with you or her bio mom?</p>
<p>Which year FAFSA is she filing? The one for the fall 2015-16 School year is not out until Jan 1. Is this maybe PROFILE that is being filed? I ask because PROFILE asks a lot of extra question and if you are supporting her and her dad, that might have come up in that app. I have not looked at a PROFILE form in a while so I can’t really tell you. You might want to get the phone number of the financial advisor and get the full story from that person.</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t know if NJ is a common law state. She lived with us off & on for the past couple of years, but is now on her own. </p>
<p>I don’t really know…she says they need my tax info from 2013. I think I need to talk to the financial advisor. I’m just trying to understand how this all works. She didn’t put her mother on the app because her mom makes too much money & she would be denied aid. I’m just wondering how it seems that they can pick & choose which parents to put on the application. If my info will help her get the aid, (like I said, she is on her own living in another state now), I don’t want to NOT help her. And I think her mom is paying her other loan from last year…maybe that’s why she doesn’t need to be on the application? </p>
<p>But does that mean I will assume financial responsibility for a student loan?</p>
<p>A student needs to list the parent who they lived with most for the year prior on the FAFSA. If they lived with neither parent, the student must list the parent who supported them most financially in the last year. If this isn’t considered a common law marriage, I wouldn’t see a reason the daughter would need to list your information. </p>
<p>Also, you would not assume any financial responsibility for a student loan, as the loans offered by the federal government are Direct loans in the student’s name only. </p>
<p>I do not see how your financials will come in play. Do talk to the financial advisor. Your SO’s daughter is NOT allowed to pick the parent as her custodial parent. It’s the parent with whom she lived the most in the last year right before filing FAFSA. IF she lived with neither of you, it’s the parent who provided the most support. </p>
<p>Just to clarify…is this financial advisor someone who works at a school (as financial aid staff)? Or is this the family’s personal financial advisor? </p>
<p>How old is this student? </p>
<p>The rules are clear…the student MUST use the parent with whom they reside the most in the year prior to the FAFSA filing date. She can’t just pick you all because you earn less. She must have resided with you MORE the last time this was something that happened (if she has been living on her own for several years).</p>
<p>If she spent more nights sleeping at your house,moon are the custodial parent. If she spent more time at her mom’s, the mom is the custodial parent…period.</p>
<p>The FAFSA for NEXT school year is not available until January 1, 2015. When is this kiddo starting college?</p>
<p>NJ does not recognize common law marriage except back from 60 or so years ago. So, no, your finances do not come into play. However, if you have been giving her or her father money, that could come into the picture. But that would not require you to hand over your tax return. The recipients, your SO’s DD and SO, should report those amounts as unearned income. If your SO is the custodial parent (his DD spent more time with him/you during the last year, or got more support from your SO than her mother/step with equal time with either side), then his finances are needed for the financial aid application. </p>
<p>Do talk to the financial advisor.</p>
<p>Also, just so you know, when parents provide their financial information, it is just used to determine what aid the student is qualified for. It does not obligate anyone to pay for anything or take loans. The basic federal student loan is made to the student and doesn’t obligate the parent.</p>
<p>And also, you say this daughter wants to use your income because it is lower. Unless you are low enough income that you are Pell Grant eligible, and/or the colleges meet full need for all students, your lower income might not actually net this student any more aid.</p>
<p>You say she is living OOS. Is she applying to a public university in another state? If so, and you are her custodial parent, and she is under 24 years of age, it is very possible that she is NOT a resident of that state for tuition purposes.</p>
<p>Is she currently a college student? If so, how is college being paid this year?</p>
<p>Common law marriages are not automatic. You have to ‘hold yourself out’ as married, such as filing joint taxes, having a joint bank account from which someone would assume you are married (much harder to do now as it is common to have joint accounts and not be married), tell people you are married, meet the minimum years together, etc. If you don’t consider yourselves married, you aren’t. Don’t let this be an issue as it isn’t. If you think he is your boyfriend, that’s what he is.</p>
<p>Your BF’s D should NOT use your info. You are not related to her, no matter what some nutty person told her. You are not her step-mother.</p>
<p>There is no rule that says that couples who’ve lived together for more than 12 years are required to include both incomes on FAFSA.</p>
<p>Who is this financial person giving this advice? </p>
<p>What school is this? Do they have their own forms? If so, they may require that info for their own institutional aid. </p>
<p>But, not for FAFSA. </p>
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<p>absolutely not.</p>
<p>If your BF decides to take out a Plus loan for her (which is risky) only he would be responsible.</p>
<p>Regular student loans would be the daughter’s responsibility alone.</p>
<p>how old is she? she doesn’t get to pick and choose which parent’s info she uses. </p>
<p>The school’s</p>
<p>Thank you, she did live with us the majority of the year. She is starting school again soon</p>
<p>She was a student…not at the school she’s going to go to now…and her mother endedb up paying her tuition for the couple semesters she went</p>
<p>The school’s what?</p>
<p>If she lived with you most of the year, her dad is the custodial parent…but your information would not be required on the FAFSA or Profile. </p>
<p>Her dad would complete the FAFSA. Mom would not be on it…but if she is paying you all, any child support, your husband will need to include that.</p>
<p>If the profile is required, her dad would complete the profile, and her mom the non-custodial parent Profile.</p>
<p>If she is starting in January 2015, you would complete the 2014-2015 FAFSA, and yes…it would be based on 2013 tax return information.</p>
<p>If she is starting fall 2015, you would complete the 2015-2016 FAFSA which becomes available January 1, 2015.</p>