Financial aid dillemma...any advice

<p>My mother has been claiming me on her taxes her entire life. However, she abandoned me when I was a child, and my grandparents always have taken care of me. She basically gets ALL my benefits while not paying **** for my living expenses at all. This year, I asked her if she would not claim me; she refused because she said it is too late...so we eventually argued and got into a big fight until I basically promised to make her life a living hell until she said she would not claim me next year.</p>

<p>Is it even possible to do this for financial aid? I am currently a high school senior. I can suck up my mother claiming me this year, but what if I wanted my grandparents to claim me next year under their taxes for financial aid purposes when it comes to my sophomore year and after in college? Or am I stuck with her until obtaining my Bachelors? Or should I fight to make her not claim me this year?</p>

<p>I don’t know the details of the rules, but wanted to respond this evening so you would hear from someone. You need to check with Kelsmom (perhaps by PM) and find out what is and is not required to be independent. I believe you might be able to qualify for that, meaning your Mom’s info would not be required.</p>

<p>Who claims you for tax purposes has nothing to do with independent/ dependent status for financial aid. See here: [Will</a> I need my parents’ information?](<a href=“http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1213/help/fftoc02k.htm]Will”>http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1213/help/fftoc02k.htm)</p>

<p>It doesn’t matter who claims you on their taxes when it comes to filing your financial aid applications. </p>

<p>You could ask the college to consider a dependency override…but you would have to PROVE that your mom has had no contact with you. That she has you on her taxes would make this a difficult thing to prove.</p>

<p>Perhaps Kelsmom will be able to tell you more about the dependency override possibility.</p>

<p>If your grandparents were your legal guardians (legally), you would be
Independent for financial aid purposes, but that does not appear to be the case.</p>

<p>Thumper is right.</p>

<p>It doesn’t matter that your mom claims you or not. That’s irrelevant for FA purposes.</p>

<p>You can’t use your grandparents’ info when applying for aid. You’ll have to use your mom’s info. </p>

<p>It may be best if before you turn 18 that your grandparents get legal guardianship for you.</p>

<p>Is your father in the picture at all? If you spend more time with him than with your mother, he is your parent for FAFSA purposes.</p>