Divorced/Separated Parents

Paying for College
1

<p>Hi....I'm new to this board and new to FAFSA. So, forgive me if I get some terminology wrong.</p>

<p>My daughter has been on a year's leave of absence from college, due to family/financial circumstances. She is now filling out the FAFSA with the intention of re-entering school Fall 2011. Her father and I are currently separated with the intention of divorcing. Divorce papers have been filed, but are on hold because he recently was let go from his job. My daughter is going to list me as custodial parent. She is not sure what to put for income for each of us. I am a stay-at-home mom with no employment. Her father obviously has no income at the moment. When he does secure a new position, I will receive child support and spousal maintenance. So.....at this point, should my daughter list $0 income for each of us and amend the paperwork at a later date?</p>

2

<p>She will not report any information for her father as only your information is reported for FAFSA. Obviously you had some sort of income in 2010, which is the base year that FAFSA is asking about. Even if you didn’t have earned income, if you received child support during 2010 that is reported as untaxed income. Your assets will also be reported, if they’re over the protected amount for a single parent. If the separation is recent, you’ll have to separate out what’s yours from what’s his for her.</p>

3

<p>Are you and your soon-to-be ex living apart or together?</p>

<p>If you are still living together and still married, you will fill out the paperwork with whatever numbers are on your 2010 tax returns.</p>

<p>If you are living apart, you fill out the fafsa with your own information since your daughter lives with you. If the school requests information regarding her father, then you supply it.</p>

4

<p>*If you are still living together and still married, you will fill out the paperwork with whatever numbers are on your 2010 tax returns.</p>

<p>*</p>

<p>So, if they are living under the same roof, then the H’s income is still used? </p>

<p>but, if they’re not living under the same roof, and she didn’t work, would she use half of his income or only “spousal support”? </p>

<p>What if the separation happened in 2011?</p>

5

<p>

</p>

<p>If they are only informally (not legally) separated, then they must be living apart. If they are legally separated, that caveat doesn’t apply. The FAFSA instructions are very clear that only her income is reported (and her share of the uncontested assets) in that case:</p>

<p>

</p>