I’m a single divorced mom living alone and entered all my data with my student’s data on FAFSA online. She lives with me exclusively. When I verify my info, it lists me as mother, but also as parent number 2. There is no parent number 1 listed.
I tried to start over and establish myself as parent number 1, but it’s still listing my info as parent number 2.
Is this normal or will it mess up my daughter’s chances for financial aid?
Please help!
As long as you indicated everything correctly, you are fine. I am assuming you indicated that you are single, and I am assuming that no information was requested for any parent but you as you worked through the application.
Just a guess, but I am guessing the guys who developed the FAFSA decided to assign the parent 1 designation to the male parent & the parent 2 designation to the female parent. I will withhold my comments on this, of course.
Are there always parent 1 and 2 on the FAFSA?
Did you link your 2017 tax return to the FAFSA, and did you file as single or head of household in that year?
I have always been ‘parent’ or ‘parent 1’. I am single and a woman, and there is no parent 2.
Yes - I filed 2017 tax return as single. I did “chat” with FAFSA rep this am and she advised I needed to manually enter. I tried and this doesn’t work. She advised trying a different browser. So – just tried Internet Explorer and there’s still no way for me to change my info to parent 1. Very frustrating! Am I classified as number 2 as mother, even though there’s no number 2? Just doesn’t seem right…
If the form will work with you as Parent 2, just send it through. It shouldn’t matter if all the numbers (income, assets) are correct and if your SSN matches.
It definitely won’t screw up your child’s financial aid. If it processes, it processes with the numbers you put in or transferred with the DRT.
Just chatted with another FASFA employee Saturday a.m. and he clarified that dad and stepdad are always listed as Number 1 and mom and stepmom are always #2. I advised that I know he doesn’t make the rules, but that’s the demeaning to women, especially since i’ve been paying all the bills! And women actually give birth to the children. Oh Well, at least he knew the answer, unlike the FAFSA employee yesterday who said try another browser! Thanks for all the feedback on the forum question. : )))