<p>You cannot finish the 2014-2015 FAFSA ASAP…it is NOT available for completion or filing until January 1, 2014.</p>
<p>Yes i know but i want to know what to do when it becomes available</p>
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<p>I feel sorry for the two people whose income tax records are now permanently screwed up because your parents have been using their social security numbers.</p>
<p>Yea me too</p>
<p>
If they could, they should try to get ITIN and use it to file their tax returns.</p>
<p>Davidc66 -</p>
<p>Both your mom and your step-dad should get ITINs and use those numbers to file their taxes. Here is the link to information at the IRS website: [General</a> ITIN Information](<a href=“http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/General-ITIN-Information]General”>Individual Taxpayer Identification Number | Internal Revenue Service)</p>
<p>They will need to use 000-00-0000 as the SSN when filing the FAFSA. This will make it easier for everyone.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Hello guys,
I have to finish my CSS profile for Northeastern University very soon, hopefully today. As you know from the title of this thread my mom pays taxes and my father doesn’t so filling out the CSS is getting confusing. I was wondering if you guys think I should talk about this in the Explanations and Extra Circumstances section of the CSS profile.</p>
<p>Remember that the CSS is a private application, run by CollegeBd (you know that I think, but others are reading this also) so there is not the “risk” as it were, that perhaps your family could feel about the FAFSA. FAFSA is of course US govt.</p>
<p>I always believe that section of the CSS benefits from “short sweet & to the point” explanations of your circumstances that will not be clear from the rest of the form. I do this often up the coast from you, and you should be able to put in financial figures that are close to real without problems. It will also ask about what tax forms are filed but you can say, on the CSS, that the person does not file. On the FAFSA, the form will spit back to you something like “it looks like you make enough money that you should be filing taxes”–not precisely those words but that is the idea. The C S S will not spit anything back, it just needs some sort of answer to required questions, and then you can explain why he does not file in the Explanations section.</p>
<p>Put in figures that are the best estimates you can do. Schools that want to work with you WILL help, but may require further paperwork (like IDOC) in February (you’ll see) so figures you enter will need to match paperwork in the future, if they ask.</p>
<p>Good luck. Your situation is very familiar to me, and I know there are places out there for you. PM me if you want more info. I do hope you applied to Providence as I and another suggested.</p>
<p>Like I say also to students (who complain about tedious financial aid forms) if you want their money you have to play by their rules. Not quite that but trying to preserve my anonymity. You are not responsible for coping strategies your parents have, but you and your parents want a bright future for you. It sounds like they are considerate and understanding of that.</p>
<p>For FAFSA this year isn’t it stated that we only have to report both parents incomes if they live together?</p>
<p>The change for 2014-15 is that for two unmarried parents living together, both incomes have to be reported. If they don’t live together it’s the same as in the past.</p>
<p>annieaea
I was told by FAFSA to just report my mother’s taxes.
I am just reporting what the people from FAFSA replied to me:</p>
<p>"If the parents’ current marital status is single, divorced/separated, or widowed at the time you submit the application, provide only one parents income and tax information. All income and tax figures should reflect that single income, even if a joint tax return was filed for the tax year.</p>
<p>If the parents’ current marital status is married or remarried at the time you submit the application, provide both parents’ income and tax information. All income and tax figures should reflect both incomes, even if separate tax returns were filed for the tax year."</p>
<p>To clarify whether this applies for the upcoming year, they confirmed that yes it does:
“If your parents marital status is separated/divorced this would also apply for the 2014-2015 FAFSA so you will report just one parent on the application.”</p>
<p>You should email them again to double check, if you would like.</p>
<p>This new FAFSA rule will just convince many (most?) non-married, non-tax paying illegals to hide the fact that they live with the other parent. They’re already living off the grid and defrauding the government, so what’s another lie that can’t ever be found out? Dumb system…</p>
<p>Lore, when you fill out the FAFSA which will come out on January 1, 2014, which is less than two weeks, there will be a category that states “unmarried and both parents living together” which is NOT on the current FAFSA My guess is that whoever you talked to is looking at the rules and form for 2013. Do take a look at this : FAFSA changes recognized many kinds of parents</p>
<p>The Dept of Education has announced that this is a change from that will start in 2014. How you decide to fill out the form will be entirely up to you, I just want to apprise you of this development. </p>
<p>If, when you check that box, which does represent your situation, you will be required ot complete the info for your father as well as your mother. Again, how you procede with this is your own business, but again, that is how things are going to be on the form.</p>
<p>This new FAFSA rule will just convince many (most?) non-married, non-tax paying illegals to hide the fact that they live with the other parent. They’re already living off the grid and defrauding the government, so what’s another lie that can’t ever be found out? Dumb system…</p>
<p>The whole thing is flawed. Both parents’ should have to be included regardless of where they live. That “where they live” issue is just begging for fraud.</p>
<p>The new rule is in response to the ruling that the marriages of same sex couples who are married in a state allowing same sex marriage must be recognized in states that do not allow same sex marriage. This resulted in an interpretation that requires all couples who live together - gay, straight, married, unmarried - to provide both incomes for FAFSA. It is a big departure from the past.</p>
<p>If parents are separated, only the income of the parent with whom the student lives most is required. If the parents are “separated” but live together, they are not really separated …</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>The point is, though, that if you’re not married it’s too easy to claim that you’re not living together…and then exclude the higher income parent. </p>
<p>It’s just too easy to scam FAFSA. That’s why both parents’ incomes should be used no matter where the heck they live.</p>
<p>Mom2, I think the determination has been made that in order to help as many of the families as possible for whom federal aid is intended, FAFSA has to be kept as simple as possible. </p>
<p>We see posts here even now how people don’t understand FAFSA, are afraid of it etc. In our community workshops are held to help people fill it out because many don’t understand it without help. Add in a need to file and make determinations on NCP waivers like we see here with profile and it becomes more cumbersome and more of a barrier to the low income, perhaps single parent, perhaps less educated families federal help is intended for. </p>
<p>Additional administration staff and/or school finaid employees would have to be added to deal with waivers. It’s easy to scam FAFSA and profile schools with assets now if people are willing to commit fraud. Schools don’t check bank/investment accounts or values of properties. </p>
<p>Each increase in complexity adds more costs and puts up more of a barrier and the question is, is it worth it for the small amount of federal aid that students can get. I know in the aggregate it’s a large sum but there are trade-offs.</p>
<p>The system is confusing. I’m just trying to apply for financial aid, and go to college, I have no intentions of defrauding the system. I just want to figure out how I can do this whole process with my situation at hand.</p>
<p>*It’s easy to scam FAFSA and profile schools with assets now if people are willing to commit fraud. Schools don’t check bank/investment accounts or values of properties. *</p>
<p>I care less about fraud to privates and their funds. That’s their money and if they want to be loosey goosey, then fine. However, aid from filling out FAFSA is OUR MONEY. It’s money from tax-payers. It’s money from people who have LESS than those who are being fraudulent! Now that’s a kick in the tush. </p>
<p>Imagine the family that is declaring both incomes, and their incomes are modest but below Pell qualifications or state aid. They aren’t getting free money. How obnoxious it is for their tax dollars to be going for those who are only declaring one parent’s income because the other parent is working under the table, or isn’t filing taxes, and so forth. The family that isn’t getting any free aid is not only having to pay for their child, they’re paying for someone else’s child who may have access to more money than the paying family. That’s just gross.</p>
<p>Hopefully, at some point, there can be a more electronic way to determine whether both parents have been involved in the child’s life. If not, then a waiver granted. If so, then both are on the hook no matter where they live or marital status.</p>