<p>I've searched for answers, but couldn't find any answers to my questions, so here goes.</p>
<p>I am going back to school in the spring semester. Long plan to finally get a degree in my field. I have a FAFSA PIN that is tied to my son's college. He is currently not attending, though he plans to resume in spring, but he is on some kind of probation for basically flaking off (long story).</p>
<p>1) How do I know his loans and my loans will be separate?</p>
<p>2) Will his current status affect my ability to get aid for myself?</p>
<p>I am also back in school and have 2 kids in school. Well one now, the other graduated. They have student loans and I have student loans. The loans are in the name of the student who takes them out. My son’s loans are in his name, my daughter’s are in hers, mine are in mine. Your aid and student loans will be in your own name and your sons will be in his own name. To get a Stafford loan it will have to be awarded to you by the school you attend and you will have to sign a MPN (master promissory note) and do entrance counseling. These will be in your name with your social security number. They will be quite separate from your son’s loans. </p>
<p>Your PIN is not associated with his college. It is used to sign the parent part of his FAFSA. My husband’s PIN was used on both my kid’s FAFSA and they were at separate schools. You are not responsible for any of your son’s federal student loans, they are completely his responsibility (unless you took PLUS loans in your own name of course). The PIN is just you verifying that the parent financial information on FAFSA is correct. </p>
<p>Your son’s current status will not affect your ability to get aid for yourself. Except that if he is in college you can list him on your FAFSA , which will reduce your EFC. (but you cannot be listed on his FAFSA as a member of household in college).</p>
Technical question: Does the OP need to get another FAFSA PIN for use as a student vs. the current one used as a parent? Or can the same PIN be used in different ways?</p>
<p>I don’t think a person can have 2 PINs going concurrently for the FAFSA system as they aer linked to your name, DOB, and SSN. If you change the PIN it just changes you PIN. It is still you and your name, DOB, SSN signing the documents. It is just an electronic signature.</p>
<p>When I filled out my FAFSA for the Spring semester 2011, I used the pin I got earlier this year when I filled out my son’s FAFSA. I used it for both…</p>
<p>Have you filed your own FAFSA, and did you put 2 for the number in college? If he’s returning in the spring, you might want to do that as it will reduce your EFC considerably. Though, at this point, that may or may not increase your own financial aid awards.</p>