<p>Can I be eligible for both the simplified needs test or auto-zero EFC? Or is it an either or type of thing?</p>
<p>My mother makes less than $20K and we do file 1040A/1040EZ.</p>
<p>There would be no reason to qualify for simplified needs as well as auto 0 as the EFC would already be 0 with automatic 0. You can’t have an EFC of less that 0.</p>
<p>Simplified needs just ignores assets, but still takes into account other things such as student income, untaxed income etc. Automatic 0 EFC makes your EFC 0, so basically ignores everything other than parent AGI and the one other criteria such as filing a 1040a/ez.</p>