Fasfa Household question

[Danab19]

<p>Hello, I'm new here my name is Dana. Sorry If there are a thousand other posts like this but i'm a little worried. So I completed my first fasfa about a month ago and now have to complete a new one because I got accepted for summer instead of fall. So on my first fasfa for the housing size I put 3. Me, my mom, and my brother. My brother is 21, he is independent, he only eats food here thats it. Im confused as if to that means he counts, he only lives with us and when I was doing my second fasfa I noticed this. I'm scared Because I'm wondering what other mistakes I made on the fasfa, see now what do I do and how will this affect my school and my fasfa?</p>

<p>Im going to call the fed aid monday, but im just wondering if this is bad? Like since the fasfa was completed a month ago how is that going to look to the school abd how is it going to work out?
The house size should be two since im the only one dependent of my mom?
Also will the school receive this and will the fasfa process be done all over again? Im sorry im just confused and worried. Please and thank you.</p>

<p>Srry for the spelling errors my phone sucks. :(</p>

[4kidsdad]

<p>You only do one FAFSA for the year. 2013-2014 FAFSA is for is for enrollment periods 2013 Summer, 2013 Fall, and 2014 Spring 2014.</p>

<p>How you determine that your brother is independent?</p>

<p>

Your parents’ household size should include yourself, your parent(s), and the number of children (other than yourself) who will receive more than half of their support from your parents between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. Also include the number of people who are not your parents’ children but who live with your parents and receive more than half of their support from your parents, and will continue to receive more than half of their support from your parents between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014.

</p>

[njmissy13]

<p>Your brother would probably count. Does he pay rent to your mother (at least 1/3 of whatever it costs her, does he buy his own food (again at least 1/3 of her total food bill)? What about electricity, cable, etc. Or does he live in your mothers house and eat her food. I am thinking if your brother lives there he is getting more than 1/2 his support from your mother. We have 2 older sons living with us (22 and 27). Age doesn’t matter for for being independent - it’s the financial support. Paying for his own car, cell phone, insurance, etc. does not mean he is independent if he is living there rent/food free.</p>

[swimcatsmom]

<p>from <a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2013-14-completing-fafsa.pdf[/url]”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2013-14-completing-fafsa.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

72. Number in parents household.
    Enter the number of family members in your parents’ household.
    The following persons are included in your parents’ household size:
    You (the student), even if you do not live with your parents.
    Your parents(the ones whose information is reported on the FAFSA).
    Your parents ’other children, if your parents will provide more than half of
    their support from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014
    or if the other children could answer “No” to every question in Questions 45-57

</p>

<p>If your brother is under 24 and would be considered a dependent student for FAFSA (i.e. is not married, a veteran, etc), then he should be included as a member of your parent’s household.</p>

<p>

You only do one FAFSA for the year. 2013-2014 FAFSA is for is for enrollment periods 2013 Summer, 2013 Fall, and 2014 Spring 2014.

Most schools treat the summer as part of the preceding school year, so the 2012-2013 FAFSA would be required for the OP to be considered for aid for this summer at such a school. (some schools do treat summer as a “header”, i.e part of the following year. At those schools the 2013-14 FAFSA would be used. But, I’m guessing the OP’s school does require the 2012-13 FAFSA and has requested it).</p>

[thumper1]

<p>Missy…I’m not a tax expert…but I believe age DOES matter for dependency. After a certain age (not sure the age), parents can only declare students as tax dependents IF they are disabled…even IF they are providing more than 1/2 support.</p>

[swimcatsmom]

<p>Age does matter for taxes. But for FAFSA the rules are completely different tha for taxes. A child does not have to be claimed as a dependent for taxes to be a dependent for FAFSA. And, as the link in post #4 says, a parents’ child is considered a member of their household for FAFSA if they can answer no to all of questions 45-57 (the dependency questions).</p>

[thumper1]

<p>Since the brother is under 24, he meets the age requirement for FAFSA.</p>

<p>Agreed that what relates to taxes does not relate to financial aid. With regard to age for FAFSA:</p>

<p>Question 45: Were you born before Jan 1 , 1990. </p>

<p>Age does matter for FAFSA. If the student is older than 24, they would answer YES to that question.</p>

[swimcatsmom]

<p>Yes, age absolutely matters for FAFSA. One of the biggest shocks to financially independent students is discovering that they are dependent on FAFSA and must report their parents’ income if they are under 24.</p>