<p>Okay, so my parents just got divorced, and it became final in December. My parents did own a small business together but now my dad owns it on his own, and my mom is currently unemployed and looking for a job. We have no idea what to do for FAFSA.
Right now her only income is coming from child support - is that all we should put on the FAFSA application? And since the divorce only became final last month, we have nothing showing that that is her only income. All of her previous taxes are from my parent's combined income, including the one they will be filing this year. </p>
<p>So can anyone tell me what we should be putting on FAFSA? Should we just be putting last year's income even though my mom will not be making anywhere near that anymore? Or should we just put what she will be getting from child support?</p>
<p>You have to answer the questions exactly as asked. Where it asks for your mom’s 2010 income you have to give the 2010 income. Your mom may qualify to answer “yes” for the dislocated worker question. If it’s not clear from reading the description, you may need to contact the FAFSA help line to ask about that.</p>
<p>You may try getting professional judgment directly from the school(s) because of your mom’s change of income for 2011. I have no idea how likely schools would be to adjust for that.</p>
<p>How did your family “pay” itself last year from the family business?</p>
<p>Was your mom considered an employee of the business? </p>
<p>Did your dad have to “buy your mom” out of the business and/or other assets?</p>
<p>If they both owned the business, I don’t know if she can claim that she didn’t have any income last year.</p>
<p>Also, if she sold her half of the business, I don’t know if she can be considered a “dislocated worker”…I think that is for those who find themselves unemployed by choice (not because they sold their half of the business).</p>