Hi, I’m a senior and high school who will be an undergrad this upcoming Fall at a nearby community college.
Regarding my FAFSA, my EFC is $0 and my PELL Grant estimate is ~6K a year. Split up over the course of 2 semesters, I’ll be getting ~1.5K a disbursement due to the community college offering free tuition through a program.
My dad’s girlfrend of ~10+ years is the only one working and mentioned that she wants some of my refund. For insight, she is a Director of Nursing as an LVN and makes ~4K twice a month. We’re not really struggling to make ends meet, but maybe 3 times a year we’re unable to pay something like the AT&T or gas bill.
My question is: Should I comply and give her money? Should I refuse? I see it as it’s mine and this could be the only chance in my life where I’m receiving generally free money that I can use towards school supplies, future investments, and being able to enjoy some things that I won’t be able to for awhile.
Your dad’s girlfriend is the sole supporter of your family? No other contributors? Your dad doesn’t work, have any income? You live in her house? For nothing? Where is your mother in this picture?
If you don’t live care of her grace and favor, what is your option?
I think that you are going to need the money for college. Books can be very expensive. Laptops are pretty much defacto needed and some schools specifically say that laptops are required for all students (and you do need a case for the laptop and/or a backpack for books). There are going to be college related expenses that you haven’t anticipated.
The folks who give out Pell grants are not idiots – they know what it costs to go to school and don’t give out extra. I would not expect you to have much left over at all.
I am not sure whether you could get into legal trouble or have your Pell grant recinded if you mis-use the funds, but it is a possibility to consider, and could be catastrophic.
I would tell her you can’t do it. Tell your dad the same thing privately when she is not around.
The first place the money should go is to pay for your books and supplies. But if you are living with them you could offer to pay a small amount of rent each month. If you are not living with them, and they are not providing any support to you while you are in school, then I don’t think you owe her any money.
Many low income students have family members ask for part of their FA, and many students give the money because they feel the owe it to their families, but many do not.
As far as post #2, when I was in college I had a full scholarship that covered tuition, fees, and dorm room. I got a Pell Grant refund every semester. I used it to pay books, supplies, and food. But I also used it to pay sorority dues, clothes, and spring break. So no, if the OP gives some of the money to the girlfriend, she won’t lose the Pell grant, especially if she is living with them, because even CCs have an amount that is calculated for room & board, so it would be a justifiable expense.
The Pell grant is intended to help you attend college and pay for the things you need, including room and board. If you live at home, then using the money to pay rent isn’t unusual.
Come to an agreement on how much you’ll contribute in advance. Do not get into the situation where they expect you to pay $1000 every month for ‘something.’
First of all. Pell is an entitlement, so you receive it if you qualify.
It can be used for educational expenses like tuition and fees, books and living expenses.
Since part of your tuition is already covered at the community college, you receive a refund of the extra Pell that is leftover, after all of the costs the school bills for are covered.
So some of that refund can be used to help with housing and food if you live with your dad and girlfriend.
If your dad’s girlfriend pays for everything, did she pay bills that were in your dad’s name? That money might have to be reported on the FAFSA.
Since she is not married to your dad, her income isn’t reported, but she is supporting your dad and you.
Once you transfer from community college to a 4 yr university, the tuition expense will go up by a lot most likely, and you might have to get an apartment to live close by.
So try and save some of your extra Pell for later.
Why does your dad’s GF even know that you’re getting a refund. Don’t share that info with anyone…
That said, does your dad work and contribute to the household? If not, then likely the GF feels that with two adults living freely in her home, some of that money should go to her as room/board. However, first the money needs to go to books/supplies/transportation/necessities. If you do have a small bit leftover, then it is fair to give her something if she’s the one who’s feeding you and providing a roof over your head. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t “need” the money. She’s not your parent so you should be providing for some/all of your room/board if your dad isn’t doing so.
I just noticed that you’re a high school senior, so no money is coming yet.
Don’t spend too much time right now on this issue. Who knows what textbooks or course fees or supplies you’ll have to pay. There may not be anything leftover. How will you be getting to college? Will you need gas for your car, will you be paying car insurance? Will you be buying a bus pass??
Right now is way too soon to know exactly what dollars you’ll have leftover. If she brings it up, remind her that there will be textbooks to pay for and course fees and other supplies.
Do you work? This summer you should work as. Much as you can to have funds for various things…
You need to tread lightly otherwise the GF may demand that you move out…and then where would you go? And again, in the future, do not share such info with anyone. It’s not uncommon for family members to demand money when they hear that a student will be getting a refund from financial aid. Judge Judy has seen a few of these cases on her show. One stepdad demanded the money to buy fancy rims for his car with the “promise” that he’d pay the student back, which he didn’t.
Pell Grants are intended to pay for school related expenses such as books, housing, food, and transportation and $1500/semester doesn’t go far. If you had an apartment, you wouldn’t have leftover money for investing or for doing whatever fun things you have lined up. But living at home isn’t free. It costs money, and it’s money your dad’s girlfriend is paying.
I can see why she might be concerned. You’re asking her to continue to pay for everything plus additional college related costs so you can go have fun, but she’s already having trouble meeting the current expenses. Why do you think it’s unreasonable for her to ask you to cover some of them? Learning that bills have to come first is a valuable lesson.
I think you need to sit down with your dad and his girlfriend to create a budget for next year. What does the college estimate that you’ll need for books? Will you need a laptop? You should estimate how much that will cost. How are you getting to school? Auto insurance and gas cost money. If you’re sharing a car or being dropped off, you’ll have to arrange your schedule around that. If you have several classes in one day, will you be packing a lunch? Are there activity fees for any clubs you may want to join? Do you have a cell phone? Who’s paying for that? You may find that after adding all of those up that the grant isn’t enough to cover them.
If money is tight you should work during the summer. You can probably earn ~$3k. I’d start looking for a job now if you don’t already have one. Were you awarded Work Study? If you work 5-10 hours/week during the school year you can earn your own spending money. You need to talk to them and come to some sort of understanding about how much your expenses will be and how much they expect you to cover.
That money (if there is any) does not have to be reported on FAFSA. Unlike with the student, there is no FAFSA requirement that a parent report money received, or paid on their behalf (e.g., bills), that was not reported elsewhere on the form.
No. It’s money paid on the STUDENT behalf that would need to be reported on the FAFSA. So…it would be bills IN the student name…not in the parent name.
I think the GF should write to Prudie and work out why she is supporting two unrelated to her, adults who don’t contribute to the running of household LOL.
My dad used to work, which is why I had to put that he made a little bit of money on my FAFSA. But, he quit after his girlfriend told him he could. This was maybe a couple years ago? She frequently has been getting new jobs that pay her more and more. Eventually it got to the point where she told him he could quit if he didn’t like his job (he was working at Home Depot at the time). My mother doesn’t financially support me, as she doesn’t work and her boyfriend’s income goes towards their bills and his children.
But thank you for the insight. I understand the concept of paying a form of “rent,” but should I?
One part that I was wondering is if I do give her money, how much should that be?
How much is too much?
All of my tuition would be covered, and I would receive nearly all of the refund (besides payments for health fees and possibly book store credit that needs to be paid off).
My dad doesn’t have any of our bills in his name, and after last checking there’s nowhere to report any sort of her income on the FAFSA; that and the college and career adviser explicitly told me that I don’t have to report anything about her since she’s just his girlfriend.
And I understand that I will need much more money in the future, as my CC has advised me to set up a way with the financial aid office on campus to limit how much of my PELL grant I am able to receive before transferring.
She doesn’t 100% “know” that I’m getting a refund, but I believe her daughter received one, and she also expected some of hers. Should I ask her daughter how much her mom would take?
He doesn’t work nor contribute, but we have 5 people in the apartment:
My dad and his girlfriend
Her two daughters (Ages 24 and 12)
Myself
Also, to maybe give more information, the 24 year old daughter doesn’t work or attend school. She used to attend the CC I’ll be going to, but she was placed on permanent probation due to low grades and repetitive dropping of classes.
I wouldn’t be expecting her to pay for college-related fees whatsoever. That’s why I’m receiving the refunds so that I am able to pay for things like books, minor fees (health services), transportation, etc.