<p>I am confused as to the FAFSA question #44 "Money received or paid on students behalf"</p>
<p>The short story of my situation is that I am a widowed parent. We are applying for financial aid for my daughter to attend college. I am 100% medically disabled due to late stage Lyme disease (misdiagnosed for 20 years) and not yet receiving SS benefits. </p>
<p>I have no income other than food stamps because my state disability ran out. I am no ones dependent (Yet). My daughter has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (NVLD) and public school refused her appropriate services. She was bullied to the point of suicide and we were forced to go outside of the public school system and luckily found a wonderful private high school for students with learning disabilities that is located out of state. I was unable to pay the tuition, airline travel etc. so my parents (my child's grandparents) paid for it. They have no money left to help pay for her college. Both my children have been diagnosed with Lyme Disease in the last month and will require costly medical treatment. My daughter that is hoping to attend college has worked her tail off and has made huge strides and has a GPA of 3.9! </p>
<p>My questions are:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What am I legally obligated to report under this question? (i.e. high school tuition?, airfare?, health insurance?, food?, etc?)</p></li>
<li><p>Obviously I will tell the truth, but how will this affect the outcome of my FAFSA application?</p></li>
<li><p>Would it do any good to contact the financial aid office of the colleges she is interested in attending and send them a letter explaining all the sad details of our recent (ten years) financial hardships and her fathers death from cancer?</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any other agencies or scholarships that might be able to help us out? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thank you any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated,
Liz</p>
<ol>
<li><p>From studentaid.ed.gov: “Enter the amount of any cash support you received from a friend or relative (other than your parents, if you are a dependent student). Cash support includes payments made on your behalf. For instance, if your aunt pays your rent or utility bill that you would otherwise be obligated to pay yourself, you must report those payments here.”</p></li>
<li><p>I don’t know. I would think it would not affect the outcome of your FAFSA application because FAFSA doesn’t know the source of the money and therefore can’t expect it to continue. Then again, some FAFSA rules go against logic.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes. I don’t know of any agencies, but searching for scholarships on sites such as fastweb.com will turn up some, especially since your daughter has a high GPA. Also, talk with her high school’s college counselor. Plus, while you are contacting colleges she is interested in attending, ask them for sources. They may have their own scholarships and also might guide you toward agencies and such.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Technically, the amounts your parents paid for your daughter’s high school tuition, expenses, etc are considered “gifts” or “other money paid on your behalf.” However, I am guessing you might fall into the Automatic 0 EFC formula, which will ignore your daughter’s income. If your only income was food stamps, you will most likely have a 0 EFC regardless of the money your parents contributed for your daughter. </p>
<p>And you don’t have to report things like food. If your parents paid health insurance in your/your kids’ names, you would report that in the parent section (since parents would typically pay for their kids’ health care) for other money … as well as anything given to you IN YOUR NAME. Food does not count. For your daughter, you would only list the money they paid directly on her behalf (like the tuition). I am not so sure you need to report plane tickets - those are not cash gifts. The tuition is different, as it is being paid directly on her behalf. You can contact the school to find out what they expect you to report.</p>
<p>It sounds like your daughter is doing great. Congratulations on keeping it together in the face of such difficulties.</p>
<p>SS death benefits go to widows ONLY if there is a child under age 16 in the household. Once the child turns 16, benefits to the widow end. (And the child must live in the household. The OP couldn’t collect benefit for her older D since that daughter doesn’t live in the household, but at a boarding school.)</p>
<p>Otherwise, widows cannot collect SS benefits until they either turn 60 (50 if they’re 100% disabled). </p>
<p>I did get the widowers SS death benefits until my daughter turned 16… my other child is older. But, thank you for offering the information. You guys are great.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me how can I find out if I fall into the automatic 0 EFC Formula?</p>
<p>If your AGI is $23,000 or less and you meet one of the following condition you’ll qualify for the Auto 0 formula;</p>
<p>Anyone included in the parents’ household size (as defined on the FAFSA) received benefits during 2010 or 2011 from any of the designated means-tested Federal benefit programs: the SSI Program, the Food Stamp Program9, the Free and Reduced Price School Lunch Program, the TANF Program10, and WIC;
OR
The student’s parents:
• filed or were eligible to file a 2011 IRS Form 1040A or 1040EZ11,
• filed a 2011 IRS Form 1040 but were not required to do so12, or
• were not required to file any income tax return;
OR
the student’s parent is a dislocated worker</p>
<p>The AGI is on your tax return. If you did not have to file a return, then your AGI is obviously less than $23,000. Because you get food stamps, you qualify for the second part of the formula. So … if your AGI is <$23,000 you have a 0 EFC automatically.</p>