<p>Before I start with some questions, I would like to give background info. I'm not very knowledgable in this area, so there may be many errors in what I am about to explain as well as the technical jargon. I tried my best to research everything but some things I just cannot comprehend without some sort of clarification. I am helping out my best friend who is almost family and is the same age as me (senior in HS) who is an is a US citizen while his parents aren't completely legal. I use those choice of words because his parents entered the US legally - they were given social security numbers and were allowed to work for a set number of years. They just overstayed their welcome in the US. My friend was born in the US while his parents visa(?) were still valid. Both his parents at have some sort of social security card with the words "NOT VALID FOR WORK" or something to that degree. </p>
<p>His father also has a US driver license, owns a car, and also managed to obtain a New York state sales license. His phone bill is not under his own SSN, but of a family friend. His dad also submits yearly taxes in the form of sales tax, I'm not sure if it encompasses a W2 form or not. I've been trawling through many threads on this website, and many of the posters have been extremely helpful but I have yet to see a case like this. </p>
<p>I've read some posts stating that the parents could just enter the correct amount of "0"s for their SSN, and while I hope it is true, i can't help but feel that it is overly simplistic. I would appreciate it if the other members of this forum can give their insight and knowledge to fill the gaps so my friend and I can go to college together. He is not as privledged as me to have two parents who are citizens, but he works just as hard. His parents also works just has hard - pay their taxes, etc. I would really like to help him out.</p>
<p>* His parents also works just has hard - pay their taxes, etc*</p>
<p>Paying the sales tax collected for their business is not the same as “paying their taxes.”</p>
<p>Anyway, your friend can submit FAFSA and put O’s in for his parents’ SSN. </p>
<p>This kind of thing could get weird because his parents are making money and it doesn’t sound like they’re paying income taxes. So, what will get declared as their “income” on FAFSA?</p>
<p>His father makes his living through selling goods at flea markets, which as far as I know are unregulated through taxes. </p>
<p>Aside from that, I remember his father saying he has gotten tax returns because of his one son. I’m not too sure but doesn’t he have to submit and pay taxes in order to be eligible for those returns?</p>
<p>(I’m using the word return randomly, it sounds right. There might be another word for it.)</p>
<p>EDIT: His father has no official documents recording his income. He buys his goods from a wholesale supplier and sells it back in a flea market.</p>
<p>Stuent would fill out the FAFSA using all 0"s in the place of his parent’s SSN. However, this does not negate the parent from having to fikle taxes (which they will have to do in order for their child to get aid). </p>
<p>Parent’s will have to declare the income, file taxes and pay taxes if required</p>
<p>Cross – all income is supposed to be reported on tax returns. He is cheating. This makes me sick, how people abuse the situation. Just becuase he doesnt get a W-2 doesnt mean he shouldnt pay taxes. Its simple. He takes the amount he took in at flea market, subtracts what he paid for it from wholesaler and any other expenses. It goes on a Schedule C.</p>
<p>The parents may have Federal Tax ID numbers which are used to file taxes for businesses, estates, and when a person doesn’t have an SSN. Lots of semi- and un-documented people resident in the US are fully up-to-date with their taxes because they file them with the Tax ID number.</p>
<p>crossmeout -</p>
<p>Some of the information that you are looking for may be at [Welcome</a> to the DREAM Act Portal | DREAM Act Portal](<a href=“http://dreamact.info/]Welcome”>http://dreamact.info/) There also are a number of threads on this topic in the Financial Aid Forum, and in the Parents Forum. It will take a bit of patience to scroll down through those two forums and look for them, but most of your questions will be answered.</p>
<p>One question that has remained unanswered for the most part is if my friend will be able to obtain financial aid from the FAFSA and TAP. I asked went over to my friend’s house today and found out the parents do have some sort of tax return form, one of them under the name of W2. I suppose that can be used for the income sections.</p>
<p>I read through the dream act website, but it is primarily targeted to students who are illegal immigrants. My friend is a citizen of the US.</p>
<p>Are there any other sections of the FAFSA that may become troublesome to him?</p>
<p>FAFSA is only an application for federal aid…it is the EFC that is produced which will determine his eligibility for federal Pell grants. SEOG, federal work study, and Perkins loans are also federal aid but are campus based so his ability to get those are determined both by EFC and the policies of the school he enrolls at. TAP is available to all NYS residents with NY taxable income under $80K who are attending college in NY, so there shouldn’t be an issue there if he meets those criteria.</p>
<p>FAFSA really shouldn’t be a problem for him since he is a US citizen - he will just have to enter the data that is required and use 0’s if the parents don’t have SSNs.</p>