FAFSA/CSS MARITAL STATUS CONFUSION PLEASE HELP IMMEDIATELY!!!

-My parents are legally married by law but live separate lives in separate households for the past 8 years.

  • FAFSA told me to define them as separated.
    -On CSS I defined them as separated so that all my documents would be consistent and I must now do a NON CUSTODIAL PARENT profile for my father.
    -When he began to do CSS, they ask questions regarding his “current spouse” which is legally my mom, but they are technically separated by FAFSA and CSS standards and “current spouse” on CSS may vaguely refer solely to someone “he remarried.” (he is not remarried.) Does he fill these questions with my mothers information or leave it blank and assume its asking about a nonexistent remarried wife???

If your parents do not have a marital relationship, they are considered the equivalent of unmarried for FAFSA/Profile … so the “current spouse” would be “none.” If, however, they are only separated because they happen to live in different areas (say for the sake of a job or some family choice or responsibility), then they cannot consider themselves separated for FAFSA/Profile purposes.

I would think this needs to match their IRS profile. Does your dad file as single and mom as head of household? Do they file as married (joint vs separate)? FAFSA is intended to replicate their 1040, tax forms plus some additional details. That is also what it will be verified or audited against.

No it doesn’t have to match their tax filing status. Fafsa and taxes are two different things. But if verified it does make verification harder when fafsa marital and tax filing status don’t match.

OP, kelsmom is a finaid officer at a college. Take her post #1 and anything else she posts as gospel, even ahead of anything you were told when you called the fafsa number.

When people are separated they consider themselves not married. Your NCP does not have to provide current spouse info if he did not remarry.

A2. What is your current marital status? Separated
A3. If you are currently married, enter date of marriage (MMDDYYYY) Blank
A4. If remarried, enter your current spouse’s information below (a-n) Blank

@kelsmom‌ but when I did fafsa I clicked the explanation and it literally said to put “seperated” if they are legally married but chosen to live seperate lives, so i cant put unmarried

@kelsmom‌ and ive already submitted fafsa so i cant retract it on css

Isn’t “separated” the same as “divorced” for FAFSA purposes?

Look at the response Kelsmom wrote. Your dad has not remarried. The answers on the Profile would be answered as an unmarried, separated spouse.

Right - separated is the equivalent of unmarried in this case, so there is nothing to change. You don’t need to change anything on Profile. You do need to submit the NPC using your father (who in this case does not indicate that he is married at all, because he is saying he is technically not married due to the separation).

IRS calls it “considered unmarried”. Same as separated.