My daughter will be age 24 in 2018. I think/hope this means she can file the FAFSA as an independent student, instead of having to list her parents’ income. But when I attempted to use the FAFSA estimator to see what ballpark her aid package for 2018-2019 might be, I could not get the estimator to consider her as an independent student. The one factor I am not sure about is that she has not filed taxes independently recently, because of not making enough money.
Does anyone know how I can use the FAFSA estimator to show her as an independent student? We need to look ahead to make good choices right now.
If you are doing an estimator for fall 2017 aid, but you don’t start college until fall 2018, you can just move her birthday back one year for a “guesstimate.”
For fall 2017, you need to be born before January 1st, 1994
Thank you; that was exactly what I needed to get a rough estimate.
Keep in mind that your D turning 24 will only make her independent for federal aid only.
Policies can and may be different for state and institutional aid
For example; If you live in NYS, you are not fully independent for NYS aid (TAP/excelsior scholarship) until you are 35.
Many schools have policies in place when it comes to their own institutional aid that if you start as a dependent student, you finish as a dependent student even if you have life events that make you independent for federal aid.
Will your daughter be an undergrad or a grad student in 2018?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1989481-5-years-in-and-no-major-p1.html
This thread seems to explain it.
Has your daughter taken any federally funded student loans up to now?
In this linked thread, you say she is working part time…but above here…you say she isn’t working. Which is it?
The 2018-2019 fafsa will use 2016 income. Did she have any that year? Did she file taxes if she did?
Even IF she gets independent status…all that will net her is…any portion of the Pell Grant to which she is entitled…and any portion of the federally funded loans that she hasn’t used up (there is an aggregate limit for undergrads).
You mention that working part time and gong to college part time seems to work better for her. If that is the case…let her do this. Getting a college degree is a journey…not a race. Plus, your daughter has some additional challenges she is dealing with.
If she goes part time, she will only be entitled to part time federally funded aid.