<p>my mom lost her job a little over a year ago. we were evicted from our apartment so we had to move in with her boyfriend who supported us until she found a new job which was just this past September. So technically she made next to nothing. Even before she lost her job, she never made enough to quite make ends meet. She was over $20,000.00 in debt when we moved in with her boyfriend. Anyway, the man who filed our taxes said that she didn't have to claim what her boyfriend gave her to help pay our bills since that was not technically income, however now the school is questioning my fafsa and her income and I can only assume it was because of the dramatic decrease or lack of income. When I filled out my fafsa I didn't even see a place to report money given to my parent for help paying bills...is anyone familiar with what the correct procedure is? Because of the discrepancy we are having to file a "Verification" form which does ask to report money recieved to "pay bills". Any idea how this will affect my Finaid? Any help or advice or info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>About a third of all FAFSAs are asked for verifications. It doesn't mean that they are suspicious of anything. You have nothing to hide anyway. Facts are facts. Anyone is allowed to give someone up to $11k as a gift and the receiver isn't taxed on that. The request for a verification is just routine and isn't really questioning your truthfulness or anything like that. As an aside, I know what you mean about long term unemployment, huge debts on the order of $50k to $100k and impending bankruptcy. Our wage income last year was a pathetic $2k and all the rest came from selling all possible property and withdrawing everything (with 10% penalty) from retirement accounts. Our life savings are gone, we own nothing, and can't even pay the past year's taxes. People like us are who financial aid was meant for.</p>
<p>If it was more than 11K she would have to pay taxes on it? even though taxes were already taken out from his employer? When we figured it up, between paying her debt consolidation payment, car payment, car insurance, health insurance and essentials like food and gas it was about 15k. She never made enough from her job to pay all the bills, but too much to get welfare or govmnt aid so she always had to buy food and clothes and stuff on credit cards so she is in a lot of debt.</p>
<p>HE would pay taxes, not her!</p>
<p>I THINK on FAFSA the parent does not have to answer the question about monies given for bills- if HE had paid your school tuition, YOU would ahve to answer that, but I don't think she has to do so on the FAFSA</p>
<p>He doesn't and won't pay my tuition, he says that's my dad's responsibility but my dad doesn't even live in the U.S. My mom has been freaking out, which is freaking me out because she thinks that I will lose my financial aid because of her boyfriends income, but we are only here because we don't have anywhere else to go and the only job she has been able to find is part-time in retail which she only makes $100-$200 a week depending on how many hours they give her. I worked there during Christmas but they laid me off after the holidays and I haven't been able to even find a job at the video store. I wish we still lived in our old apartment. They don't even get along that well and this is just making things worse.</p>
<p>Boyfriends income isn't considered on FAFSA (if Mom marries him, it would be different).</p>
<p>Boyfriend's living assistance to you and your Mom isn't considered on FAFSA. Just Mom's income and assets, and your income and assets. The money that boyfriend spends on you two to help isn't income.</p>
<p>The verification is routine-- maybe triggered because they see that your family income is very low, and wonder how you manage to live on so little income. So you tell them-- no big deal.</p>
<p>As somemom said-- if boyfriend is going to pay for part of your college, that would be indicated on FAFSA-- but that's not the case here.</p>
<p>You're fine-- fafsa-wise. :) You'll likely get some very good aid offers. Go get your education.</p>