This question asks for the total financial support from others that the student has received. We are loaning our daughter funds (in lieu of conventional student loans), using the lowest interest rate the IRS allows without calling the loans a gift or income. (She is using direct subsidized loans, because they are interest free. But we will loan her the funds to pay those off when they start to accrue interest, since we are charging less interest.)
Since our daughter will ultimately be required to repay these loans under the promissory note that she signed, is it safe to assume that the funds we advance to her as loans do not have to be reported here?
"Enter the total amount of cash support you received in 2017 from a friend or relative (other than your parents, if you are a dependent student). Report the amount if it is not reported elsewhere on this application.
If someone is paying rent, utility bills, etc., for you while you attend school, include the amount of that person’s contributions, unless the person is your parent whose information is reported on this application.
Include money that you received from a parent or other person whose financial information is not reported on this form and that is not part of a legal child support agreement.
Note: This includes distributions to you (the student beneficiary) from a 529 plan that is owned by someone other than you or your parents (such as your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and non-custodial parents).
Round to the nearest dollar and do not include commas or decimal points."
What year in college is your daughter? Is she a dependent student for FAFSA?
If “we” are parents who are required to report financial information on the student’s FAFSA, any assistance provided by the parents would not be reported in question 45.j.