<p>I am twenty and I am still considered a dependent because im under 24 blah blah blah. My parents are divorced and my mom is remarried. My mom is not able to work and she is supported by her husband, and my father lives in France and he is not able to work because he is handicap.</p>
<p>Questions:</p>
<p>1) What do i do about my FAFSA. I live with my mom but do not take any money from her husband or my dad. Do i include my step-fathers income or what?</p>
<p>2) Same thing on my UC app?</p>
<p>I really need aid but this dependent thing till your 24 is kind of a thorn in the side.</p>
<p>Well, you live with your Mom-- so you're not factually independent. And as you point out, you're under 24, so you're not legally independent in the eyes of the financial aid system. So it may be a thorn in the side, but it kinda makes sense that you're considered dependent.</p>
<p>Now, in divorce situations, the FAFSA only considers the resources of the Custodial Parent (and step parent, if any). That means the person the student lived with during most of the 12 months prior to completing the aid FAFSA. In your case, it's your Mom. It doesn't necessarily need to be the parent who is awarded custody by a court.</p>
<p>So FAFSA will look at your Mom's income and assets, and your step-dad's income and assets. It won't ask about your Dad, but if your Mom obtained any income from your Dad, she'd have to report that (you said she didn't).</p>
<p>For financial aid purposes, there's no difference between being divorced, legally separated, or just separated.</p>
<p>Profile schools may also have you fill out a Non-custodial Parent's Statement.</p>
<p>Use the financial aid calculator, including the income and assets of your Mom and step-dad, and see what your family Expected Family Contribution is.</p>
<p>This is an aside of sorts, but do you know why kids are not considered financially independent until 24 for FAFSA when social security benefits for children stop at age 18(unless they are still in high school)? I'm on social security and my benefits will be reduced by almost one third the month before my son turns 18 but FAFSA will still consider my son to be financially dependent on me until he's 24?? It seems really crazy.</p>
<p>Yeah, that is strange. I have also been looking for scholarships but all the sites that I go to give me results that dont really pertain to me. I have tried to adjust my information so it would narrow it down but its not really effective. Oh well, at least there is a Financial Aid program.</p>