<p>I just completed the FAFSA for my middle son. I put down 5 for the number of exemptions on the FAFSA form. Our 1040 form is complete and shows 4 exemptions. Will this be a problem? Oldest son is still living at home and we have and will provide over half his support. We did not claim him for 2010 because it was more to his advantage to claim himself due to a large deduction for tools bought for his job. Our tax preparer advised us to do it this way. So, again, will the difference in the number of exemptions between the 2 forms cause any type of problem with FAFSA?? Thank you.</p>
<p>If you are providing more than half of your older child’s support, I believe you can list him on the FAFSA as a member of your household. Your tax filing status and your status for FAFSA can be different.</p>
<p>Having this one additional household member will help, but only a very little. The big difference in dependents is when they are in college at the same time.</p>
<p>We did not claim him for 2010 because it was more to his advantage to claim himself due to a large deduction for tools bought for his job. Our tax preparer advised us to do it this way.</p>
<p>Does your son earn a decent income? If so, it would seem like it’s hard to indicate that you provide for more than half of his support.</p>
<p>maybe others can chime in…but is the “more than half” based on taxable income? or based on income?</p>
<p>mom2…some families choose to have their kid file and claim themselves as they do better with the college tax credits than if the parents do. A student can earn any amount and they can claim themselves.</p>
<p>Last year, we had a choice with our son…we provided more than half of his support and he was still a student AND he earned less than the threshold permitted. In the end, he claimed himself as it was more of an advantage for him to do so.</p>
<p>One thing the OP needs to consider…the FAFSA (I THINK) actually wants to know how many will be in your family for the UPCOMING year…that is what is important on the FAFSA form. So if the OPs son will not be a fully independent, I believe they cannot list him as a family member for the upcoming year.</p>
<p>Perhaps Kelsmom can clarify this.</p>
<p>Every school has a different policy regarding older students in the household. We have actually softened our policy a bit this year, given recent economic realities. We used to not allow older siblings in the household size, but we can allow them now if parents certify that they are providing at least half the support for the upcoming year. Again, every school has its own policies.</p>
<p>I am wondering if OP’s question is about the number of exemptions on the tax form, though. Strictly speaking, the answer to that question on the FAFSA should be the same as the number of exemptions on the tax form … so if you complete that incorrectly, you should update it. The number in household & the number of exemptions on the tax return do not have to match.</p>
<p>thumper…</p>
<p>I understand that. :)</p>
<p>I was asking about the claim that the parents are providing for more than half his support. It sounds like he’s fully employed, but had a good number of deductions because of some purchased tools.</p>
<p>And, along the lines of what Kelsmom wrote…it really doesn’t look like the parents will be providing for more than half of his support in 2011 since the pricey tools were bought in 2010. So, that would suggest that more of his income this year will go to his own support. </p>
<p>I’m still curious as to what it means to provide half of an older adult child’s support. If the adult child earned - say $20k in 2010 - wouldn’t that mean that the parents would have to provide $20k + 1 dollars?</p>
<p>Families will need to be honest. If the kid “could” get an apartment & live on his own … then mom & dad are NOT providing half his support. Many young people live with their families and save their money. Such a situation means that that young person IS capable of providing at least half his support … and the family should not be including him in the HH size.</p>