<p>hello all. I am having some issues with my parents and the FAFSA (same old story) My parents own a business and have not filed legit taxes for the past 3 years that I know of. they also still owe 2006 taxes (received an extension i was told) obviously they cannot fill out the FAFSA, they won't even look at the form. I hand it to them and they throw it in the trash. I have read tons of information on these such problems and know that there is a list of requirements for independent status:</p>
<p>--is 24 years of age (born before January 1, 1981 for the 2004-05 school year or before January 1, 1982 for the 2005-06 school year);
--is a qualified veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces (honorably discharged with DD-214 separation papers by June 30, 2005 for the 2004-05 school year or June 30, 2006 for the 2005-06 school year);
--is or will be enrolled in a graduate or professional program;
--is married;
--both parents are deceased or is a ward of the court (or was before age 18);
--has legal dependent(s) who live with and are supported by the student; or
--has documented exceptional family circumstances (i.e., abuse, alcoholism, imprisonment etc.). This type of exception is called a dependency override and must be approved by a college financial aid administrator.</p>
<p>It does not however mention anything about LEGALLY disowning your parents. Yes i am talking about appearing in front of a judge and pleading a case that would state that i am no longer legally the child of _______ and ________.</p>
<p>I am 21y/o and cannot afford tuition at ANY school within commuting distance. I have been going to CC for the past 3 semesters and will have my A.S in may. I can't even imagine waiting 3 more YEARS to RESUME getting my bachelors....</p>
<p>Any tips from those who have experience in this "sticky" situation??</p>
<p>legally disowning your parent is not a recognized way to become independent for FAFSA (yes -- they do specifically state that on their website).</p>
<p>The system is set up to accomodate people who work within the system. Your parents can file FAFSA even if they owe back taxes or have an extension, but they have to have the numbers.</p>
<p>You are out of luck with regards to independent status unless you can talk to a FA person and get a determination -- and that usually won't happen in circumstances like yours. </p>
<p>You could join the military or get a ROTC scholarship. Look for schools that do not require the FAFSA for merit aid and have some type of merit aid you qualify for.</p>
<p>The only thing I can suggest about getting a dependency override is that you have to prove that you are really independent -- usually proof that you have supported yourself for the past two years. You can't live with your parents, all property (like a car) must be in your name, least/mortgage in your name and you parents can't claim you on taxes. You must have done these things for the past 2 years and be able to prove it -- and then you might have a chance at a dependency override.</p>
<p>Maybe they can just use the money they should have paid in taxes to send you to college. :)</p>
<p>Seriously-- you're in a bit of a bind. Given what they've done (apparently committed tax fraud), they can't really expect those who DO pay their income taxes to subsidize your education, ya know?</p>
<p>They've gotta state on FAFSA either that they HAVE filed, or that they WILL file. And then later correct their input and indicate that they HAVE filed. (Or that they're not required to file). So either they get it together and file back taxes, or forget about need-based aid.</p>
<p>What about if the child (in my case my little sister) her father was never around (who is knows if he’s even alive) and mom is no longer in the US. Mom lives in a different country… How would my sister go about filling out her FAFSA as an Idependent student?</p>
<p>She can’t…unless she is a ward of the state. She will need to put her mom’s income and assets on the FAFSA. If this money is earned in a different country, then it needs to be converted into U.S. dollars as of the date of filing. If the parents are not married, the father does not have to be listed on the FAFSA. If the mom is a U.S. citizen working abroad, she needs to file U.S. tax returns also, I believe. This doesn’t mean she will owe taxes, but she is required to file…I believe.</p>
<p>I can’t see how she would not be required to use the Mom’s info on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>Thumper, do you know how emancipated minors are dealt wrt to the FAFSA? A woman I met recently told me her daughter went to court and requested emancipation when she was 16. She was self-supporting at that point and did not live at home, and the judge actually granted it. From what I understand there were no abuse issues or anything like that, just an ugly divorce that alienated the child from both parents.</p>
<p>At the time I met this woman, the daughter was 17 and moving to Colorado to go to college. Her mother said she, herself, had no involvement at all in the application process, financial aid, or was even told by the daughter she was moving until two days before she left. The mother said the girl worked out her own financial aid and I was just left wondering how that happened, but did not know the woman well enough to ask much about it, nor do I think the mother would have even known enough to answer.</p>
<p>US citizens, and US legal permanent residents are obliged to file US Federal income tax returns no matter where in the world they are living. In many cases, they will not owe any income because most of it will be excluded due to their living (and presumably working) abroad.</p>
<p>This is a whole long messy issue in and of itself that merits some research at [Internal</a> Revenue Service](<a href=“http://www.irs.gov%5DInternal”>http://www.irs.gov)</p>
<p>If the mother is not a US citizen or US legal permanent resident, her foreign financial information can be converted into US dollars at the exchange rate of the day you file the FAFSA, and those dollar amounts should be reported on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>Rent…I believe if the daughter is REALLY an emancipated minor, she does not have to include her parents on the FAFSA but I’m not sure how exactly this would work. Becoming emancipated is a complex process usually. Typically it’s not just a “messy divorce” that would be basis for this. Perhaps there is more to the story than this woman wanted to share (and who would blame her?). </p>
<p>Perhaps Kelsmom can comment on this. Being “emanicipated” is not on the list of items for determining independent status on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>Yeah, I also can’t believe that I was getting the whole story. I asked the mom, “Isn’t it really difficult to get declared an emancipated minor?” The mom kind of shrugged and said, “I thought so, but this judge just reviewed her application and listened to her arguments and said, ‘You’ve made a good case.’ And that was all there was to it.”</p>
<p>It was odd, but also very sad. The mom still had a young teenager at home, but seemed resigned to having essentially lost her oldest daughter completely.</p>
<p>The only thing I can suggest about getting a dependency override is that you have to prove that you are really independent – usually proof that you have supported yourself for the past two years. You can’t live with your parents, all property (like a car) must be in your name, least/mortgage in your name and you parents can’t claim you on taxes. You must have done these things for the past 2 years and be able to prove it – and then you might have a chance at a dependency override. </p>
<hr>
<p>The above will not result in a dependency override. There is nothing in this situation that is consistent with the conditions for a d/o.</p>
<p>Yes, a legally emancipated minor is independent for federal financial aid purposes: “Are you, or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence at the time you received the determination (question 54)?” This was added a couple years ago when the dependency questions were updated. I have yet to run across a file with a legally emancipated minor. I did meet a young man when I subbed at the high school level who became legally emancipated. It was not easy for him to become emancipated.</p>
<p>tke512, unfortunately, your parents’ choice to ignore U.S. tax laws is a big problem for you. The fact is, they are hurting your chances for federal aid. Please try to get them to file for 2010, which is the only year that matters for FAFSA for 2011-12. Aid officers absolutely cannot award you aid if they know that your parents were required to file taxes & did not do so.</p>
<p>Deego23, your sister would use her mom’s info. She would report whatever income your mom earns in the foreign country, converted to U.S. dollars. If she is not earning money in that country, and if your sister is selected for verification, Mom would need to provide a statement explaining how she lives on no money.</p>
<p>With whom does your sister live? Is she a minor? If so, is she in legal guardianship? If so, she is automatically independent. If she is a minor & not in legal guardianship, it would be wise to get the guardianship approved by a court of law - that way, she will be independent.</p>
<p>Thanks Kelsmom…for letting us all know that there IS a question for dependency purposes that addresses emancipated minors. Since I haven’t completed a FAFSA since the end of my last kid’s junior year (she graduated in June)…I had no idea that question was there. </p>
<p>Still…I agree…there are very few emanicipated minors, and the process to become one is, from my understanding, very complicated…and not easy.</p>
<p>The way the FAFSA is set up now, with skip logic, few people see all of the dependency questions. The emancipated minor loophole is really helpful for those students whose family lives are a mess. The young man I know who was emancipated had an abusive situation due to the fact that he is gay. He did have to show how he would live/support himself, and he had non-family adults at the court hearing with him. I don’t know all the details, but I do remember that it was not an easy process.</p>