<p>Hello,
I was wondering about how I would report my parents income when applying for FAFSA and the CSS profile . My parents aren't married and only my mother pays taxes. I live with both of my parents but I don't know how I would report my father's income if I have to, because he doesn't pay taxes. </p>
<p>The person that helps with financial aid at our school said:
"You do not use your father's information at this time, according to the FEDERAL AID OFFICE.". This answer was for the FAFSA. For CSS profile she said:
"For the CSS profile form yes you will show both parents although they may not be married. Because of the wording of question( 11)."
I am worried about this discrepancy.
Any idea of what I should do, or who I should contact.
Thank you</p>
<p>See [Education</a> Department Announces Changes to FAFSA Form to More Accurately and Fairly Assess Students’ Need for Aid | U.S. Department of Education](<a href=“U.S. Department of Education”>U.S. Department of Education)
<p>He does have an income. I honestly don’t know why he doesn’t pay taxes, but it may be because he isn’t a legal resident here and thinks he can’t pay. Although my mother isn’t legal either, but she does pay taxes.
If my father does try to start filing for taxes, would the paperwork be done on time?</p>
<p>I think the FAFSA rules have changed. If both parents are living in the same home, then both parents info goes on FAFSA…even if they aren’t married.</p>
<p>So, are you a citizen? </p>
<p>Hopefully Kelsmom will chime in here about this situation.</p>
<p>I believe mom2 is correct. For the upcoming new FAFSA, if the parents are living together, the info from both is listed. The father’s income would have to be listed regardless of his tax filing…or not. However, beware,that of he is required to file, NO federally funded aid will be disbursed until this is reconciled. He needs to see about filing for 2013, which is what will go on the 2014-2015 FAFSA…and Profile.</p>
<p>Whether or not your father owes taxes has to do with his visa status. Some foreign employees of certain foreign government organizations do not pay taxes. If your dad is working for his home-country embassy, or for the World Bank, or the like, chances are that he doesn’t pay taxes. In which case he would need to file a non-taxpayer statement, and would have to provide a record of his income on the FAFSA. </p>
<p>If your father is undocumented, he can request an ITIN (tax ID) from the IRS, and use that to file his taxes. </p>
<p>If your parents do not have social security numbers, filing the FAFSA is a bit tricky as there are other steps that you need to take. But you can call the help number, and they will tell you what to do.</p>
<p>happymomof1,
He doesn’t work for his home-country embassy nor the world bank, i think he should be paying taxes but hasn’t done it because he just works as a landscaper.
What do you mean by the help number? The number for the FAFSA?</p>
<p>With the new FAFSA, that is avaliable Jan 1 2014 for the Fall 2014-Spring 2015 school year, if parents are not married but living together, both incomes have to be reported. The income used on that form will be for the calender year 2013, so if you want financial aid, and you are going to do this properly, the income on the FAFSA has to match both parents tax forms. If he does not make enough income to owe taxes, then he will need a non tax payer statement stating that. it is possible that he does not make enough money to have to pay taxes.</p>
<p>No! It’s if he doesn’t make enough income to FILE taxes. He may not OWE anything, but if his income is above a certain amount he is required to file.</p>
<p>Here are the facts based on the OPs statements:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>He is a US citizen and eligible for Federal Financial Aid if income eligible</p></li>
<li><p>His mother is an illegal alien who is working illegally in the US</p></li>
<li><p>His father is an illegal alien who is self-employed and working for cash as a landscaper illegally in the US</p></li>
<li><p>One or BOTH parents could be deported at any time due to being illegal aliens in the US</p></li>
<li><p>OPs mother is paying taxes, but not sure how, as she cannot obtain a SSN or TIN due to her illegal status in the US</p></li>
<li><p>OP’s father is NOT paying taxes as he fears deportation (speculation on my part & not fact)</p></li>
<li><p>As of Fall 2014, OP may not be able to attend college as his father cannot file taxes</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The OP needs to contact an agency that deals with such issues in his community, and depending on which state OP lives in, he may still qualify for state grants and loans. I think he can in Texas and MN. He may also want to contact the financial aid office of universities and or colleges that accept a large percentage of students from his ethnic background to determine the steps his family needs to take so the OP receives financial aid, since he IS a US Citizen.</p>
<p>Unless any of the parents on this thread are immigration lawyers, I think we should not extend advise, as OP’s situation deals with legal issues.</p>
<p>Bunheadmom,
Most of that is true, except.
3. He’s been working for someone else for 20+ years.
5. She does have a TIN number. According to her, anyone that’s undocumented can get a TIN number.
6. According to my mother he just doesn’t want to pay, but can. So if I need him to file for taxes, then he has no other choice.
7. I never considered this possible outcome.</p>
<p>I live in CT.</p>
<p>Brownparent,
I guess you could say that. He works for someone else as a landscaper.</p>
<p>Not that this really matters, but I am a she.</p>
<p>From the limited info here, it seems that the OP’s father will need to file taxes for the 2013 calendar year. I won’t comment on previous years as I am not an expert on that. But likely the best way would be for these parents to file a joint tax return. </p>
<p>OP, I’m guessing your dad receives cash payments from his employer.</p>
<p>Ok so your dad doesn’t file taxes because he doesn’t want to pay taxes. </p>
<p>This will be a problem when you file FAFSA. </p>
<p>If you have high enough stats, you may want to include some schools that will give you HUGE merit for your stats so that your remaining costs will be very low. </p>
<p>I can’t give advice on the tax issue. It’s possible the father did not make enough money to owe federal taxes. My kids did not file taxes as they made under that threshhold each summer. That there are additional IRS rules and SS situation may well be the case, but not knowing the situation, giving any advice is dicey about that. </p>
<p>But we know that the rules with FAFSA now state parents living together, married or not, have to file, and how the FAFSA form handles that other parent’s income won’t be known until we can see the form on 1/1. If he is going to be on the FAFSA, he needs to apply for a number if does not have a SSN, and he needs to file a non filers form if he does not file taxes for this year. Or he needs to file this year. Or he needs to move out and find another primary residence. Otherwise the processing of the FAFSA will have glitches, and it could compromise the studentt’s getting federal aid.</p>
<p>For filing the FAFSA, if the parent(s) are not citizens or permanent residents, they fill out the FAFSA using all )'s (000000000)as a social security number. It does not matter whether or not they file taxes.</p>
<p>They should not be using their TIN as a social security number on the FAFSA because it will bounce back.</p>
<p>IF your dad is working, she should be either filing taxes (the IRS can help him with getting a taxpayer ID number). Even if he does not make enough money where he owes taxes, he will use that taxpayer ID number to get a non-filers statement.</p>