FASFA Help Needed

Paying for College
1

<p>Hello All,</p>

<p>I'm trying to establish myself as an independent. However, according to FASFA, based on the several questions they ask on the form I do not qualify. I'm financially independent and I'm struggling to afford to stay in school. However, I've recently learned of this special circumstance on the form that may or may not help to establish independence. </p>

<p>I've read around on the web that it has to be some extreme circumstance, like abuse or abandonment, or something towards that nature. Are these the only circumstances....besides those of medical expensives?</p>

<p>Would coming from a single parent home count? (No contact with the other parent and no child support to boost!)</p>

<p>Final comment. I was reading this article: On Financial Aid for Single Parents-<a href="http://www.ecampustours.com/forparents/payingforcollege/financialaidforsingleparents.htm"&gt;http://www.ecampustours.com/forparents/payingforcollege/financialaidforsingleparents.htm&lt;/a>
but it lacks clarification on what I can do. For example, I've lived on my OWN for over 12 months now.</p>

<p>If anyone has any advice it'd be greatly appreciated!!!</p>

2

<p>You're a dependent. Your situation will not make you independent.</p>

3

<p>You cannot 'establish' yourself as an independent. The dependency questions you answer in FAFSA are what determines your dependency status. Dependency overrides are very hard to come by, and are only available in extreme circumstances. Being from a single parent home does not merit an override - you only show the financial information of the parent you lived with anyway. Being self supporting does not merit an override either (my son was out of school for 2 years, worked full time, rented a house with his girlfriend and had not lived at home for 3 years. At 22 he was still a dependent when he returned to school this fall).</p>

<p>Finaid has some information about what criteria may qualify
FinAid</a> | Professional Judgment | Dependency Overrides</p>

<p>It does not sound like you have any circumstances that would make you eligible.</p>

4

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<p>There are thousands and thousands of college students who come from single family households. This will not qualify you as independent. You will have to list that parent's income and assets on your FAFSA regardless of your level of independence.</p>

<p>There has been some new discretion given to financial aid folks at colleges in determining independent status...but single parent would likely not give you that determination.</p>

5

<p>FAFSA doesn't ask for non-custodial parental information anyway. So coming from a single parent household is irrelevant.</p>

6

<p>What you need to understand is that it might not matter one way or the other if you become independent. If your parent has a low income, you may actually be better off as a dependent student ... your income and assets are assessed at a higher percentage in the EFC formula if you are independent than they are if you are dependent. Have you put your info into a financial aid calculator? Try it both ways ... there is no need to fret about trying to get a dependency override if you are at least as well off in the end as a dependent.</p>

<p>There is only so much aid you will be eligible to receive. Sometimes students think they'll get more if they are independent ... but often, the aid is the same either way.</p>

7

<p>Thanks Everyone.</p>