<p>In the past, we have supplied financial information to FAFSA. Given changed financial situations, my wife's ex will now be supplying FAFSA with his financials. He will be logging on to supply his info. Is there a way to prevent him from reviewing our financials that we provided in the past?</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>What???</p>
<p>Are you saying that the child is now living with the ex and he’s submitting FAFSA? </p>
<p>If so, then he won’t have ANY access to your info. He’ll create a new acct and put in his info.</p>
<p>He won’t be “loggin on” to an existing FAFSA…he’ll get himself a PIN and do his own FAFSA</p>
<p>He doesn’t have your PIN numbers right?</p>
<p>I’m not sure how this part would work…but the child may need to create a new PIN number for this new acct.</p>
<p>We retired and moved out of state. She does live with him
(when not at the dorm).</p>
<p>My wife had previously assumed the responsibility of supplying our financials last year.
Recently, he acquired the pin number from our/his daughter. But neither one knew the
answer to the security question. After several attempts, the pin was deactivated.
He was able to submit the app but it was unsigned. (Needless to say, we are not
on the best of terms with him. He didn’t bother to contact us re: the answer to the
security question.) Our daughter must now go through the process of reactivating
her pin. When she does, we will advise her to keep it to herself. From what you say,
he should use his pin #.</p>
<p>I am not even thrilled knowing that my child has access to my financials.
I agree that FAFSA should have access, but why must my child?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>I wonder if a whole new acct should be set up…no reactivation of the old PIN. Afterall, no one should have access to your financials in this situation.</p>
<p>That is a good idea. While he submitted the app several
days ago, it was not electronically signed. So I have to
think that the app is not official. I will be contacting
FAFSA on Tuesday re: a new account. I also want to talk to them
about keeping financials confidential.</p>
<p>Appreciate your ideas and any further thoughts you
may have. This has been extremely frustrating.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>
Their seems to be some confusion here. The parent does not set up any account for FAFSA. Parent gets a PIN to sign the Student’s FAFSA but the FAFSA is in the student’s name, not the parents. It is based on the students name and social security number. I don’t think a student can set up a “new account” as a FAFSA already exists with that name and SSN. Something to ask the FAFSA help line about.</p>
<p>Technically a parent cannot access FAFSA. The parent PIN does not give access. All a parent does is sign with their PIN to confirm the parent data. Access requires the student PIN.</p>
<p>While the child controls access to his/her account, the parent
by default also has access knowing the child’s name/ss# and even
the child’s pin (becaues of the parent-child relationship). This
enables the parent to supply financials as required by FAFSA.
(Alternatively, the child transcribes the financials into the account
given the parent’s input.) The parent then confirms this info with the
parent’s pin. After the info has been submitted and processed, it becomes
a permanent part of the child’s account. My problem is that the ex-spouse who
knows the child’s pin is now supplying his financials and will see my financials entered last year. I certainly don’t want to see his financials, and I don’t want him to see mine.
FAFSA should take measures to keep this info confidential knowing that the
child cannot keep his parents from accessing his account. As I mentioned earlier, I
am even wary of the child seeing my finances. There should be a way for a parent to submit his/her financial info to FAFSA such that only FAFSA and the submitting parent
are aware of it.</p>
<p>Oh, I completely understand your problem. I would not want exes to have access to our financial data either! I’m just not sure what the solution to it is. In my post I was just pointing out that the earlier response that your ex would set up a new account was completely off base.</p>
<p>Technically the student is not supposed to share their PIN. While practice, I am sure many parents do have their child’s PIN, I suspect the response you might get from FAFSA may be along the lines of “student should’t share his PIN”. </p>
<p>I would be really interested to hear if you find a solution. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input. I agree that the child should assert herself and not
share her pin. And, of course, as much as I love her, I would rather she not
see my finances also.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>“Recently, he acquired the pin number from our/his daughter.”</p>
<p>Did she give it to him, or did he take it? When obtaining a PIN, the form states that it is a federal offense to give your PIN to anyone else and I believe it is a $20,000 fine. I’ve forgotten the exact working, but it is similar to what I wrote.</p>
<p>Your D will have two FAFSA’s that can be viewed on fafsa.gov, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Your ex would be able to view the 2010-11 FAFSA is he has the student PIN. There is no way around that. Sorry.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be for your D to create a new PIN, and for her to NOT share it with your ex. She can log into the 2011-12 for your ex to provide info (requires her PIN), and she can sign it without sharing her PIN with your ex. That way, your ex isn’t going anywhere near the 2010-11 FAFSA.</p>
<p>I think you are correct. She must not share her pin. I will be contacting FAFSA on Tuesday re: this. I also am concern about a child being able to review a parent’s finances. I will ask FAFSA about that also. I do not expect a favorable answer from them. Thanks.</p>
<p>It is the STUDENT’S FAFSA. There is no way to keep the student from seeing the parent info short of not filing at all.</p>
<p>I don’t see a need for the student to be able to view my confidential information. I still think FASFA should allow the parent to enter his/her information confidentially available only to FASFA and the parent. FASFA can still make a determination and let the student know. The determination can include an explanation. If the parent’s financial situation was a key factor, then the student and parent can discuss whatever is appropriate.</p>
<p>FAFSA has nothing to do with that decision. It comes from the Dept of Education, and the regulations are dictated by Congress.</p>
<p>“If the parent’s financial situation was a key factor, then the student and parent can discuss whatever is appropriate.”</p>
<p>The parents’ financial situation IS the key factor, with the possible exception of a student who may have measurable assets. The other exception (and I’m not certain of this) may be the emancipated student.</p>
<p>I guess it won’t hurt to write my congressperson. He/She will then send me an all-purpose response with an autograph.</p>
<p>The parent’s financial situation is the factor. I provide FAFSA with that info. Why should my child be given my financial statement. My child isn’t providing financial assistance. FAFSA is. When I borrow money from a bank to pay her tuition, I don’t give her a copy of the loan app. The bank is supposed to keep that confidential. I like to be able to determine how much financial information I give my 18 year old.</p>
<p>How about a reality check? As a practical matter, I believe that in many cases parents just handle the whole FAFSA process–obtaining a PIN for the child, completing the information for both child and parent, etc., so that despite the fact that it is legally the child’s FAFSA, the child never sees the data (or cares to), and it all works out just fine for four years. And please don’t cite all the language about how this is against the rules, etc. It’s not like the FAFSA police are rapping on our doors. I’m just explaining why in many cases parents aren’t worrying about their kids seeing their financial info (which, I agree, is none of their business).</p>
<p>What’s is the downside when the ex or the kids know how much a parent makes, what assets he/she owns?</p>