<p>DS is in college. He is 22, lives in an apartment, works, supports himself. We did not claim him on our 2005 taxes.</p>
<p>He is filling out the FAFSA for 2006-2007, and there doesn't seem to be an option for him to claim himself as "single, self supporting." Instead, the FAFSA asks 7 questions. If the answer to all of these questions is "no," it then instructs the student to provide parental financial information. Again, there was no quesiton along the lines of "are you self supporting" or "did your parents clai you as a dependent in the previous tax year," etc. It almost sounds like that unless he is over age 23, or married, or is supporting a child, then he has to reveal parental finances. </p>
<p>I don't get this -- he's over 21 and self supporting -- why should he have to reveal parental financial info? </p>
<p>Are there steps he needs to take to legally "emancipate" -- ? If so, please let me know.</p>
<p>If he has a dependent- is married , an armed service veteran, was a ward of the state till 18, is geting a degree higher than BA, 24 years old before Jan 1 the year he is applying for aid- those are the criteria.
Other than that- students are not emancipated- some students who have been estranged from their parents, but not necessarily wards of state can appeal to be declared independent.
But other than that- too many parents apparently want to get out of sending their kid to college, so they have all these rules .</p>
<p>Times have changed. In my day, you could get married or show your own income, and magically, be an independent student for financial aid purposes. Because so many students were using this or that method to do that, the loopholes were closed. Now, as someone else said, it doesn't matter if you're self-supporting. The test questions for independent status are what they are to limit the number of students who can claim that status. Yes, it does suck, but unfortunately, that's what the Feds chose to do, to decrease the number of students who could claim full aid.</p>
<p>Yes that is true. Times have changed since we went to college. Unless you meet the criteria stated on that FAFSA, you cannot be considered independent for college purposes. That is simply the way it is.</p>
<p>You could also count parental status as a college student as "attending college" to lower EFC for dependent children and recieve social security payments to dependents who were continuing their education until 21 ? 22?</p>
<p>( Not to mention get into our states flagship U with a C average- and graduate with little debt if any- yes times have changed)</p>