With the new rules for filing FAFSA, I am quite confused on what I should out as the number household members. and I know the obvious answer is “duh, however many people are currently in your household”. Well, in 2015 there was 3 of us. and this is what on mother’s taxes for 2015. Now there is 5 of us. So the question is - which number do colleges consider for financial aid - the 2017-2018 household size (that you put on your FAFSA) or the 2015 household size from your parent’s taxes?
and one more question - how do colleges verify the number of household members?.. Besides taxes, I can’t figure out what else they can go off of.
@kelsmom corrwct me if I’m wrong. But I believe the number in household question is about who is in the household for the academic year of the FAFSA being completed.
To the OP…new siblings? Or a marriage?
They use the number that you give them. What form are you asking about?
As kelsmom so aptly observed in a different thread, this is based on a social contract. They are relying on you to be honest. That’s not to say that there aren’t ways to check, if they wanted or needed to.
It’s a sibling and a dependent elderly (mom’s mother who now lives with us and whom my mom supports financially at 100% now)
A new baby sibling?
You might be asked for documentation about the grandmother and the support you are providing. Are you saying she gets no social security, or other financial assistance?
But you said last year there were 3 (when mom was separated), and now 5 with a new sibling, grandmother and the husband (no longer separated)?
That adds up to 6.
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It’s a sibling and a dependent elderly (mom’s mother who now lives with us and whom my mom supports financially at 100% now)
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How old is the sibling? Does the sibling work?
Does granny get any social security? Medicare?
I guess I should have explained better. Yes, grandma is 60 - she does not get social security yet. and yes - my mom and dad had a new baby after they reconciled… yeah, sorry, call my family simple 
Last year was 3, INCLUDING granma, now with new baby and dad there is 5 of us all together.
So…you have five in your household…so you put five.
When you did last year’s fafsa…I’m assuming you did NOT include the 2015 income of your dad who was your non-custodial parent…right? Well…now that they are reconciled, you will need to include his income from 2015 on the 2017-2018 fafsa.
Yes, you are correct, and that’s what we are doing. I guess again - my question is not looking for an obvious answer that FAFSA states, I am more trying to understand how colleges decide how to disburse fin. aid - basically, if I had 3 household members on my previous FAFSA and now one of a sudden there is 5 - does that mean they will hold my aid until getting verification from me, or is it not a red flag?..
Because my college disburses aid on a first-come first-served basis, so applications with no chnages, etc usually get processed right away
Just complete the fafsa and see. It has been available for submission since October…so it’s not like you are first in line anyway.
So…just get it submitted…and wait and see.
In and of itself, it’s not a red flag. Family situations change all the time – kids are born (twins? triplets?), marriages happen (new step-parent, possibly one or more new step-siblings), siblings switch custodial parents, etc. Just be honest in filling out the forms, and that way if there are any questions, you can provide a truthful explanation.
The first applications get processed right away, regardless of whether there are any changes or not. That’s what first-come, first-served means. If you have changes, you need to make sure that your application reflects that, just make sure that your application is submitted as soon as possible.
Thanks! That helps! I thought they wait until they have all documents to process your fafsa. Thanks again
What do you mean “all documents”? The FAFSA gets processed when the FAFSA is completed correctly and properly submitted. It’s only one document.
Filling out the FAFSA and now have couple more questions: 1. since parents were legally separated and filed taxes separately in 2015, what do I put as their tax filing status?.. Dad’s was single, mom’s was head of household - can I just choose one of them or does it matter which one to choose? and then - it asks “what is your parent’s adjusted gross income” - I am assuming I have to manually add theirs from both of their returns?..
Or am I supposed to put “don’t know” since I really don’t know how to correctly choose since they had different filing statuses
Your parents were separated in 2015 right?
On the 2016/17 FAFSA your mom would probably have indicated that she is married, but separated. She only reported her income.
Now on the 2017/18 FAFSA your parents are back together living in the same house.
If your parents weren’t divorced in 2015 they could not have filed as single or head of household I believe. They would have filed taxes as married filing separately.
On the new FAFSA you would probably put that they are married and then add both of their income from the separate tax returns together, I don’t think DRT can be used if filing separately.
Legally separated can file as single or as head of household, same as divorced. I did put on new FAFSA that they are married, but there is also a question how they file taxes in 2015 - one option for both parents. since their filing statuses are different, I don’t know what to put. and yes - unfortunately no DRT option, so have to figure it out myself.