FAFSA help please!

My parents are divorced and I live with my mother. She didn’t file her taxes last year, but she did the year before. Am I eligible for financial aid? Do I have to go off of my father’s income instead?

The application needs both sources of income.

@auntbea isn’t it the parent you’ve lived with the most for the last 12 months?

Yes you are correct. Your mother is the custodial parent and it is her income and assets you should use for FAFSA reporting. You don’t report your father’s income on FAFSA. You may still be eligible.

What tax years are you talking about? Usually the 2014 taxes are filed early in 2015. The 2013 taxes are filed by April 2014. Did she file the 2013 or just 2012?

Can you tell us why she didn’t file taxes? Is it because her income is too low to require it? In that case, she can fill out a non filer form. Or did she just not do it? If the latter, she can still do it. You can file your taxes later. If you are due a refund you can still get it up to 3 years I think. If you owe you may have to pay a penalty.

She didn’t file in 2014 for 2013. Her income is below what is required by the IRS to file taxes so with it being optional I think i will be OK since she did not file last year

OK, then yes you are eligible. You still file the FAFSA, I think there is a box to check that she will not file taxes. She will still report any income she receives from work or child support and fill in the form accurately. Also since you are seeking aid it might just be easier to file a tax form anyway so you have records. Nothing hurts her to file now, and she will have the added advantage of getting any refund due.

If she doesn’t file, some schools may require that she fill out a non filers form. See
https://www.sccsc.edu/uploadedFiles/Pages/Costs_and_Financial_Aid/Financial_Aid_Information/Financial_Aid_PDFs/1314SNOrequest.pdf

I am filing my FAFSA tomorrow with my guidance counselor. Should I postpone that and have my mother file her taxes, then fill out my FAFSA? if so, does it take long? I have a financial aid deadline on February 1st

Aunt Bea…the parents are divorced. The student resides with their mom. The mom is the custodial parent and she is the one to be included on the FAFSA. The father, former spouse, is not included on the FAFSA. The mom would be required to list all child and spousal support on the FAFSA.

You can complete the FAFSA now using “will file” as your filing status. Use the best possible estimates for 2014 income and taxes paid. And any other field from the 2014 tax return. Then complete taxes asap after February 1, amend the fafsa. Change the filing status to “taxes completed” and resubmit.

To the OP, your mom will need to complete her 2014 tax return as soon as possible.

Check the requirements for your schools. Some schools will ask for the previous year tax return as well. Was your mom supposed to file in 2013…and didn’t? Or was she NOT required to file? If the school requires the 2013 return, you will need to contact them to ask what to do for a non-filer for that year.

@Noahhowins Does your mom have a job? Just concerned that if she works, even if she earns under the tax return filing requirement limit, that she is missing out on the Earned Income Tax Credit

@Madison85‌ yes. I talked to my college and career counselor and the financial aid officer at my local community college, thanks for all the help guys!