<p>My mom, who is disabled and unemployed, is receiving Supplemental Security Income payments every month. When filling out last year's FAFSA, I reported the annual amount of SSI payments she received in 2009 in the "Other untaxed income not reported such as workers' compensation or disability" box. This year, however, the FAFSA says, "Do not include student aid, earned income credit, child tax credit, welfare payments, untaxed Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Workforce Investment Act educational benefits, on-base military housing or a military housing allowance, combat pay, benefits from flexible spending arrangements (e.g., cafeteria plans), foreign income exclusion or credit for federal tax on special fuels." </p>
<p>I'm not sure where to include my mom's SSI payments, if I'm supposed to include them at all. I'm just worried that my school will see that there's a discrepancy between my 2010-2011 FAFSA and 2011-2012 FAFSA if I don't report her SSI payments. I was trying to find if there's a separate question that asks for SSI payments, and it says it's question 74 on the FAFSA Summary, but I can't seem to access the question. :\ Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>Question 74 just asks if anyone in the household received SSI. It is one of the questions that helps determine if you are eligible for the simplified needs or automatic 0 EFCs (if income is below certain cut offs). it is just a question you check yes or no for (no $ amounts).</p>
<p>Untaxed SSI dollars received are not required to be reported on FAFSA. They should not have been reported last year either.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your reply, swimcatsmom! Argh, I should’ve been more careful last year and realized that untaxed SSI benefits don’t have to be included. What a bonehead move. I hope that it won’t seem suspicious if I put 0 this year. I can’t seem to find question 74 about SSI on the actual online form (but I can see it in the FAFSA summary). Maybe I should fill out a paper one and mail it, or wait till tomorrow to contact support?</p>
<p>ceciliac, that question pops up in the Parent finances section, after AGI and income earned from work is entered. You can’t see it until those fields are completed.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot, sk8rmom! I think I’ve figured it out now, based on what you said. The “In 2009 or 2010, did your mother receive benefits from any of the federal benefits programs listed below? Check all that apply or check None of the above.” question regarding SSI, TANF, and other benefits only shows up when I answer “What type of income tax return will your mother file for 2010?” The problem is that I had selected “Not going to file” for the “For 2010, has your mother completed her IRS income tax return or another tax return?” question because my mom has no taxable earnings due to her unemployment from disability and doesn’t need to file any tax forms, at least to my knowledge. So, it seems that I won’t be able to note on my FAFSA that my mom is receiving SSI because she isn’t going to file any taxes. </p>
<p>I looked back at my 2010-2011 FAFSA and saw that I didn’t note that she was getting SSI there because she didn’t file last year either, but I’d put the annual amount she was receiving from SSI in the wrong box (the “Other untaxed income not reported such as workers’ compensation or disability” box).</p>
<p>Since my mom is unemployed and the SSI amounts don’t have to be reported, pretty much everything is going to be 0 in the finance sections, but I want my school to know that she is receiving SSI because I guess it might look weird if I reported the SSI amount of the FAFSA last year (even though I wasn’t supposed to) but didn’t report it this year. I guess I’ll e-mail the financial aid office on Monday asking them what I should do.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about it…the FAFSA instructions are very clear and you made an error last year. I don’t think you even get to those questions, or they’re optional, if you qualify for the Automatic 0 EFC, right? Do you qualify for Auto 0?</p>
<p>The qualifiers for the auto 0 or simplified needs test are income and one of the other criteria - eligible to file a 1040a or ez or not required to file or qualify for means tested benefits or dislocated worker. If your Mom does not have the income to be required to file a return then she meets that qualifier so that is probably why it does not bother to ask the other questions (about SSI etc).</p>
<p>They form is asking you the questions you need to answer. You are trying to make it too complicated.</p>
<p>I am to intrude on this thread, but I couldn’t figure out how to make a new one. I live with my dad who draws SSI and he has never filed taxes. This January is the first time I fill out the fafsa, so what do I need to do when it comes to entering his income section? Please help, I am like extremely stressed and confused how to do this thing.</p>