<p>My Mom makes only 28k a year and my Dad 150-200k, but I don't live with my Dad and he spends no money on me.(Divorced) I am also put down as a dependant on my Mother's tax forms, would the government use only my mom's salary? If they did use my mother's salary how much financial aid would I receive if I attended a 35k a year college?</p>
<p>fin aid is more than just the sum of salaries, it includes your assets, your parent's assets, and other forms of income</p>
<p>FAFSa only uses th income of the parent with custody--your Mom's income and any child support she gets from your Dad. CSS/Profile and individual school forms may require info on your Dad's income, but government aid only follows the primary family. The correlation, though, is that if the primary parent remarries, that person's income does count.</p>
<p>I understand that your mother makes $28,000 per year, and the child support payments that she may be recieving are exempt from taxes. However the support payments will be counted for financial aid purposes.</p>
<p>Regardless of the fact that your father does not do anything for you , the colleges beleive that parents have a social and moral obligation to help provide for their child's college education. Just because you father is not willing, does not mean that his income is not going to be considered as to whether or not you are eligible for aid. With out his paper work or a financial waiver, you will not get aid because the school will still want to know the income of hte other parent</p>
<p>What your mother should do go back to family court (or supreme court if that is where she got her divorce) and ask for an upward modification in her child support. The courts will mandate thataccording to the federal guidelines your father must pay 17% of his income in child support (if you are an only child, 25% for 2 kids, 35% fro 3 or more children). In addition they will order that he is responsible for a portion of your college education as they will deem that you will still get child support until you finish undergrad or turn 23. They will take this money via income execution , or make him post a cash bond . If he has any type of license for the wotk he does (doctor, lawer, dentist, contractor etc, the courts will suspend his license if he does not pay)</p>
<p>That 28k was with alimony payment. I'm gonna first see what the FAFSA amounts to early this new year and then go from there. Thanks for all the info everyone.</p>
<p>Sybbie--my advice is FAFSA specific. It does not ask for her father's income, though CSS and school FA will/might.</p>
<p>hey Garland (girl you know I got nothing but love for ya), </p>
<p>I knew that your information was FAFSA specific but, just wanted to give them some additional information because student is going to have to deal with dad issue with the school financial aid office before any type of award is given (speaking from the experience of a long time single parent, financial aid paperwork was not complete with our either the father's financial information or a parental waiver for parents who are totally absent from their children's lives) so s/he need to be prepared and also know what the mom's options are so they can begin working on them now.</p>
<p>Very true, Sybbie--the bigger ramifications definitely are necessry to explore.</p>
<p>Sybbie, where can I find information about your post? Federal guidelines, 17%, etc? thanks</p>
<p>We live in New York and here are the guidelines for child support</p>
<p>Fom your post you live in Florida.</p>
<p>Hee is the florida, link your mom (who probably knows your dad's #s) could could plug them in to see how she stands</p>
<p>consider yourself lucky- you'll get financial aid! I'm in the opposite situation- I live with a rich parent who will give NOTHING.</p>
<p>The 05/06 requires a 2004 tax return? We won't have our tax return until after the deadline for my school, what do we do?</p>
<p>No matter what happens, your parents should file as early as possible as most schools will nto give you an award without verifying your information (a signed copy of your 2004 taxes withthe W-2 forms).</p>
<p>You file the FAFSA (actually you can do it today if you have your last pay stub and a copy of last year's taxes. You check the box, that you will file a 2004 tax return. Once you file your return, yu go back to the FAFSA and amend it using the information from your filed taxex.</p>
<p>I'm filling out the 05-06 FAFSA and I can't find a place to put alimony received. Where would the information be entered?</p>
<p>Is there a line for other wages? (describe)</p>
<p>Nah I didn't come across one, customer service told me to just put it under child support, I hope that doesn't mess anything up.</p>