<p>So I'm 22 and I plan on going to college next fall and I'm depending on financial aid. I searched this topic extensively but I still can't find any information. I don't think my mom files her taxes. She's self employed and I'm sure it's annoying but that doesn't justify it. </p>
<p>So, to qualify for financial aid, do you have to file your taxes or do you actually have to pay them? She makes too much to qualify for non filing but she's still in the lower bracket.</p>
<p>I'm still considered a "dependent" and it doesnt make sense to me. Why should I suffer for my parents faults? Why does making immature decisions(having a kid or getting married so young) make one eligible to be independent?</p>
<p>Is this a real question? Do you actually have to pay your taxes? Ben Franklin said there are two sure things in life: Death and Taxes. If your mother doesn’t want to pay taxes then her income will be garnished when she is found out. Of course you don’t actually know she doesn’t pay taxes.</p>
<p>As far as the dependent issue, the REAL question is why should colleges and tax payers (who fund financial aid) have to pay for your family’s faults? If it were easy to be declared independent then no parent would ever pay for college - it would all be on college and taxpayer’s shoulders. Independence for making immature decisions… I’m going to cut you a break there and not roast you. I married my wife when I was 21 and she was 19. We paid for her college education and have been happily married for 30+ years now. The fact remains if you are married or have a child, AND SUPPORT THEM >50%, then you are independent. Being able to support someone at that age does show both emotional and financial independence.</p>
<p>Garnishment probably isn’t an option if OP’s mom is self-employed. But, there’s still a big problem here if mom makes enough money to pay taxes and hasn’t been filing.</p>
<p>I think the OP is asking if the tax bill has to be PAID to receive financial aid. It’s possible to file your taxes in January (or February, or March etc.) but not pay the taxes due when you file.</p>
<p>The challenge is that you will not be able to use the IRS data retrieval tool or obtain an IRS transcript, (which are necessary in order for you to receive any actual financial aid monies) if you owe taxes or back taxes. If you need financial aid, you/your mom will need to straighten out your tax situation.</p>
<p>If you have high academic credentials, you may get large merit scholarships, like those listed in the sticky threads at the top of this forum.</p>
<p>When you turn 24, you will no longer need your parents’ information for financial aid purposes. The same applies if you are married or a military veteran.</p>
<p>So one possibility if you cannot get big merit scholarships and your mother’s tax problems prevent you from getting financial aid now is to attend a low cost community college for two years, then transfer to a four year school. By the time you transfer, you will be 24 and can get financial aid without being considered dependent on your mother.</p>
<p>Some people who file tax forms do not actually owe any taxes due to low income.</p>
<p>Not true. Anyone can use the retrieval tool or get a transcript, whether or not taxes are owed. </p>
<p>The only issue is WHEN you can get that transcript:</p>
<p>(1) If a return is filed in January with all taxes paid, the retrieval tool and/or transcript should be available pretty quickly.</p>
<p>(2) If a return is filed in January with current taxes still owing, the return gets pushed to the back of the line for processing which, in turn, delays the availability of the retrieval tool. In past years, this has delayed availability of the retrieval tool until mid-May.</p>
<p>Owing taxes for prior years does not impact the processing of the current year’s tax return, and so shouldn’t make any difference at all.</p>
<p>So even if the OP’s mom has never filed before, she should file as early as possible in January for 2013 and include full payment with her return. Yes, it may hit the fan with the IRS (with regard to the prior years when she didn’t file), but the OP will have access to the 2013 transcript he needs in order to be eligible for financial aid.</p>
<p>I wasn’t asking in general if everyone has to pay taxes. And you can’t blame my entire family because of my mothers negligence. Me and my brothers and sister all pay our taxes. I don’t want my parents to pay for it. I want to pay for it with help from the government, isn’t that what financial aid is for? Just so you know 50% of marriages end in divorce. And I totally agree with you, being able to support a kid at that age does show independence.</p>
<p>It’s not like I condone tax evasion. There’s really not much I can do about it except suffer the consequences.</p>
<p>I guess I’m just gonna have to wait two more years. The only thing with going to community colleges is that I’m going to be majoring in Fine Art(which the school I’m going to is known for). I don’t wanna get skimped on the foundational courses or any of the art courses for that matter. Maybe I can get just my Gen Ed out the way. I don’t know. This is super frustrating though.</p>
<p>I think the OP is asking if the tax bill has to be PAID to receive financial aid. It’s possible to file your taxes in January (or February, or March etc.) but not pay the taxes due when you file. </p>
<p>However you will need to come up with another way of paying for your education, either by using your own earnings, or by landing some kind of scholarship.</p>
<p>If you can pay full price or get enough merit scholarships (see the sticky threads at the top of this forum), you may not need any need-based financial aid.</p>
<p>Okay. Does anyone know what kind of federal aid one could get as a dependent without parental information? </p>
<p>I read somewhere that if ones parents apply for the PLUS loan and get rejected due to inadequate credit that they automatically qualify for the independent unsubsidized loan.</p>
<p>You can certainly pull a transcript without paying in full and it is not delayed. Now it may be delayed with the FAFSA retrieval tool but I would hope there are optional ways to provide FAFSA with a transcript.</p>
<p>So you are 22 and just now going to school and still a dependent. Are you sure you are still a dependent? Is it possible to be considered independent even if you are not married/military/grad school for fin aid pruposes?</p>