FAFSA Question!

Paying for College
1

<p>So I filed my fafsa a while back and didn't really know what I was doing. I found out that my pell grant would only be for $2,400 and Im thinking, "that's pretty low for me to be filing as an independent" so I asked my schools FinAid office what I did wrong. The reasons I thought I should file Independent were because:</p>

<ol>
<li>I live on my own</li>
<li>Im 22</li>
<li>My mother has been on disability my whole life</li>
<li>I claim her on my taxes as my dependent</li>
</ol>

<p>Now when I first filed, I didn't see the field were you could claim anyone other than a child, so I just filed out the form and sent it off.</p>

<p>Now that I've re-filed, I have to go through the verification process. I was wondering what this consists of for someone in my situation. I linked my 2011 tax form to my Fafsa when I sent it the first time? What other information will they need? How long does this process take? And if anyone has any other information on the subject please list that as well.</p>

<p>Thanks :)</p>

2

<p>Hmmm. I’m not sure you are an independent student and perhaps this is what the school is trying to understand. My guess is they will also want your mom’s income/asset information.</p>

<p>If you have refiled as a dependent student, they will also want to see your Mom’s income/asset proof which would include her tax returns and maybe bank statements. If your mom was not required to FILE taxes, she will need to complete a non-filer form. Contact the college about this. Of
Course if she was supposed to file…and didn’t that is a whole other issue.</p>

<p>I’m also wondering why you thought being an independent for aid purposes would be better.</p>

3

<p>You are not an independent student for financial aid purposes. You will have to correct the FAFSA to include the monies that your mothe receices from disability.</p>