So, I recently did my FAFSA and received an email stating I have an EFC of 0. Which I know is a lie. I have been bugging my parents constantly to file my FAFSA ASAP, so I can qualify for a state grant. However, my mother has been reluctant to do so because I’m applying to a lot of out-of-state schools and only two in-state private schools. What’s even more baffling about this situation is that she said I should fill the FAFSA out alone because I was “pressuring” her to do it too soon. Which is ridiculous. I’ve sent her countless emails, texts, and photos about the urgency of completely FAFSA early, but she wont budged. But that’s not the problem.
I have a half-brother on father’s side of the family (who’s a US citizen but lived abroad for most of his life with his biological mother). So, my dad has completed his FAFSA for his college education for the past three years and received an EFC of $0. Now, my mother makes over $100K (my dad makes roughly $30k) but she doesn’t want to put her information on the FAFSA because she doesn’t claim me as a dependent and my parents file separate tax returns. Plus, for some odd reason, my father said he doesn’t file his taxes as a married man, but as single and head of the household.
I tried so HARD to inform my parents about the consequences of their actions, especially for me. I’m fully aware that if I’m caught for FAFSA fraud I’m liable for a $20,000 fine and/or 5 years in prison. Plus, I’d have to pay back all the financial aid I received. I’m so SCARED because I plan on going to a small LAC, which will probably pull me for verification in the future. My parents don’t think this is an issue because my half-brother has had no issues but he goes to a very large state university.
I know this is illegal and unethical, but I don’t what to do. My parents keep telling me not to worry about it, but I keep getting anxiety about it. I know the cost of committing fraud are high and I don’t want to do this. What makes it even worse is that my dad submitted my FAFSA when completing his portion as if he were me, so now I am fully responsible for all of that information I want to fix this ASAP so I don’t get in trouble in the future when this stuff is “discovered”, which can ruin my entire future and destroy everything that I’ve worked so hard. What do I do?
If so…BOTH of their incomes must be put on the fafsa.
If not…who did you live woth most for the year prior to filing your FAFSA?
Your parents will need to provide tax transcripts for BOTH of them (if they are married). With a $0EFC, you most likely will be selected for verification.
And yes…it is considered fraud to willingly submit a FAFSA it’s incorrext info and get financial aid.
How did your parents sign using YOUR FSA ID? Did you give them the info??
When did your brother move to the US? Did he live with your dad before starting college? That would determine whether or not your dad would have been the FAFSA parent when your brother first applied to college.
Does he live with your dad now more than he does with his mother? In that case, it would be correct to use your dad as the parent for FAFSA.
Even if he lived with his dad for more than 50% of the previous year {which it doesn’t sound like he did), it wouldn’t have been right for him to have only used his dad…and not having included his stepmom’s income
Here is the rub. With a $0 EFC per FAFSA, this student would be eligible for,the full Pell Grant of $5900. If the school finds that this student got this awards because the info on the FAFSA was inaccurate…this student won’t be eligible for the award. Also, if the family contribution is higher, if money has already been disbursed, the student will be REQUIRED to repay money the were not entitled to receive. This includes any federally funded AND institutional aid.
So…even at a public university, this student could very well be paying back the amount of the Pell she receives.
If your parents won’t fill out the forms accurately, the only way to avoid committing fraud is to not apply for financial aid. That means all the private schools have to come off your list. Don’t submit any apps to colleges who received the fraudulent FAFSA and if you already applied to some, withdraw your app. You don’t have to tell them why, just say you want to withdraw it.
Will your parents pay anything for college? Without an accurate FAFSA you won’t be able to take the federal student loan. You’re in the same boat as kids whose parents refuse to file the FAFSA. What state are you in? Are your stats high enough for guaranteed merit anywhere? If your parents will pay something and you can get guaranteed merit you may be able to swing a less expensive residential college. If your parents won’t pay anything you may have to start at a community college and transfer. If there’s a 4-year school within commuting distance that may be a good option too.
My parents are under the assumption that the FAFSA is the only financial aid application they need to fill out. I told my dad about the CSS Profile and he isn’t taking it seriously. But, I know the CSS Profile will unravel all of this. Is there a way I can revise my FAFSA? I know there is a way to edit your FAFSA once it has been completed. I can’t withdraw my applications because my father submitted my FAFSA when I had him fill out the parent section. He pressed submit without my knowledge and I got an email saying I have an EFC OF $0.
@mommdc is correct. I mean contact the colleges and withdraw your app.
If your parents are legally married and your dad has been filing federal income taxes as a single person, they aren’t going to correct the FAFSA because then it won’t match their tax returns. @BelknapPoint understands the financial aid forms and taxes so he can clarify, but my understanding is that married people can’t file as single. They can file as head of household if they’re separated or providing more than half the support for a child but it doesn’t sound like your parents are separated, and If your dad earns $30k and your mom earns more than $100k I don’t see how he’s paying more than half of your living expenses. If your information is correct, I think financial aid fraud is the least of your family’s worries.
“Single” and “Head of Household” are two distinct tax filing statuses. One person cannot file as both Single and Head of Household, so it’s unclear to me what OP is trying to say.
@quasifake - If your parents are married, from your description of the ways that they have been filing their taxes it looks like they have been committing tax fraud. We may be misunderstanding what you have been trying to express, and/or it is possible that you have misunderstood how your parents have been handling their taxes.
Is that full tuition scholarship for any college? If no, is it honored at the schools you intend to apply at?
Do you need to file FAFSA to be awarded it? Many schools require a FAFSA for them to accept any outside aid
Is it need or merit based?
I wouldn’t worry about going to jail at this point for your Dad filing your FAFSA on your behalf, but you should contact the schools it was forwarded to, and simply explain that there was some confusion, he was trying to help you out, and you want to be sure that the application is filed with accurate information so the right aid may be granted.
You can explain to your Dad, and your Mom as well, what information they will need (including CSS, if applicable), and when they need it. Without a full and accurate application, the schools cannot make a fair aid determination, so they won’t give you anything.
Explain to your mom that the FA process is very different than it was back when she applied to schools, and be sure to thank both your parents for their patience as this process (for you) is new to all of you, and hopefully they will understand the fact that whatever was done for your half-brother may not apply to you since your situation is different.
I understand you have tried to explain this to your dad and that he isn’t taking it seriously. If you contact the schools you are interested in, and ask for their FA department to email you a checklist of the CSS profile stuff they need, he may be more willing to help you in response to something directly from a school.
If your family’s gross income is $130k, I don’t see how your EFC can be $0. For reference, our income is less than half of yours but our EFC is ~$4,000. I think you’re either misunderstanding something or your parents aren’t filing their paperwork the right way.
Does your dad file his taxes as single when he’s married? Married people can’t do that. Do college applications ask your parents’ marital status? If so, the app should match the taxes, so I don’t see how he could report single for one and married for the other. He may not be filing as single but as head of household, but the way I read the tax form directions he doesn’t seem to qualify for that either. If I were you, I’d go print out the FAFSA your parents filed and see exactly what was submitted.
Will your parents pay anything for your college? If you tell us your state and test scores/GPA maybe we can help you find some schools.
I want to fix this ASAP so I don’t get in trouble in the future when this stuff is “discovered”, which can ruin my entire future and destroy everything that I’ve worked so hard. What do I do?