So I lived with my mother since day 1, this past June I moved in with my dad. My high school knows about it, I’ve switched over all my legal documents( mailing address, drivers license ect.). but because I’m almost 18 my parents never switched the custody over. At this time my mother still has custody but I like with my dad. So who’s income do I take, my mothers or fathers?
On the day you fill out the FAFSA, you use which ever parent you lived with for more days in the previous 12 months.
So if you fill out FAFSA on January 1, 2016 and you lived with your dad the previous 7 months and your mom 5 of the previous 12 months, then you put down your dad.
If your mom makes less money than your dad, you could plan to live with your mom for some of December and all of January, then wait until February to fill out FAFSA so that you lived with your mom for more than half the previous 365 days from the date you fill out the FAFSA in February.
Are either of the parents remarried?
If you wouldn’t qualify for any need based aid/subsidized loans regardless of the parent you lived with most, then shifting who you live with may not matter.
Both are remarried but my moms side makes more so it good I live with my dad now, but me and my mom were talking and she wasn’t sure what to do since she still has legal custody, who I would take as the income
Madison85 answered your question. It all boils down to who you lived with more during the 365 days prior to filing the FAFSA. Legal custody has nothing to do with it.
Have you asked both parents how much they will pay each year for 4 years for college?
What are your stats (GPA/SAT/ACT)?
Where are you applying?
How much do your dad + his new wife earn?
I’m completely on my own , but my dad makes like 40,000 and his wife dosent work so yeah
So you are completely on your own when it comes to paying for college? No parent will pay anything? There was nothing in their divorce agreement about future college expenses?
What are you GPA/ACT/SAT scores?
Are you graduating from high school in May/June 2016?
How much do you have saved from your summer job?
They were never married. No I pay everything , act score was 22 but I’m taking it again, yes June 2016
It doesn’t matter if they WONT pay, their incomes still count on the FAFSA unless you are 24 or declared emancipated (and that won’t happen if you’re living with them)
I understand that, I was just asking about custody and I got my answer
I asked about ACT and GPA and your summer job savings (zero?) so that perhaps other CC regulars could give you some college suggestions.
Is there a community college you can start at and commute from home?
What do you want to study?
Have you tried a FAFSA EFC calculator (on College Board’s Big Future website) to get an idea how much in Pell grant you might receive?