<p>A youth member of my church has asked us for help filling out the FAFSA. He is one of 2 children, his older brother is currently at a community college getting his associates waiting to transfer to a university. Here is their situation. His mother has been paying taxes for a while now, and has a Tax ID. His father just started paying taxes and claimed him as a dependent. For the child claimed as a dependent, how does he go about filing the FAFSA like the parent info (SS#, financial) and does he put his mother on there if he is only claimed by his father? As for the older child, he is 20 and is working on his own, where he makes more than his mom and pays taxes. Can he file as an independent? If not, how would he go about filing the FAFSA? I did see that you are supposed to put 0's for the parents SS#, but I need to know I guess step for step how to fill it out. Both are incredibly bright kids and I really want to help them.</p>
<p>The younger son uses his mom’s info since he lives with her. If the dad is claiming him on taxes, maybe that means he pays support? if so, then that amount is included on FAFSA…not sure which line…I think that is non-taxable income.</p>
<p>The fact that his dad is claiming him on taxes is irrelevant. He lives with his mom, so that’s the info that is used. </p>
<p>If the other son lives on his own, then I think he is supposed to use the parent’s info who earns the most. He is not independent til he’s 24, married, has a dependent child that he supports > 50%, or a vet.</p>
<p>Are both of the children US Citizens/Permanent Residents or eligible non-citizens (even though their parents are undocumented)? If not, they will not be eligible for federal aid.</p>
<p>If they are not citizens/permanent residents, have they considered </p>
<p>CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS DEFERRED ACTION for CONSIDERATION of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals allows certain individuals, who meet specific guidelines, to request consideration of deferred action from USCIS. Individuals who receive deferred action will not be placed into removal proceedings or removed from the United States for a specified period of time unless terminated. If you receive deferred action, you may be eligible for employment authorization. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Humanitarian/Deferred%20Action%20for%20Childhood%20Arrivals/daca-consider.pdf[/url]”>http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Humanitarian/Deferred%20Action%20for%20Childhood%20Arrivals/daca-consider.pdf</a></p>
<p><a href=“https://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/20120803-dhs-outlines-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-process.shtm[/url]”>https://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/20120803-dhs-outlines-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-process.shtm</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/daca.pdf[/url]”>http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/daca.pdf</a></p>
<p>But back to the original question; if the 20 yeqr old is eligible to file the FAFSA, he must use the income and assets of the parent that provided him the most support when he last lived with them (most likely his mom). He must also add his income and assets on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>The youneger son will fill out the FAFSA using the income/assets of the custodial parent. If the parents are married and living together, he must include the information of both parents.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, assuming the kids have a status that allows them to receive aid… If the parents are married and living together, both kids use both parents’ income. Older kids puts his income in also. </p>
<p>If the parents are not living together or married:</p>
<ul>
<li>The younger one uses the income of the parent with whom he lived the most days last year on the FAFSA and puts any child support (and alimony) the other parent paid as untaxed income. It does not matter who has legal custody and it does not matter who provided more support IF they lived with one parent more than the other. </li>
</ul>
<p>[FinAid</a> | Answering Your Questions | Divorce and Financial Aid](<a href=“Your Guide for College Financial Aid - Finaid”>Divorce and Financial Aid - Finaid)</p>
<p>“The term “custodial parent” is not synonymous with custody. Usually the parent with whom the student lived the most during the past 12 months is sufficient, since there are an odd number of days in the year. However, in some cases a tie-breaker is needed, such as when the divorce was recent or when there are an even number of days in the year (e.g., a leap year). In such circumstances it is based on whichever parent provided more support. If that is not definitive, then the financial aid administrator at the college will make the decision, and this will usually be based on whichever parent has the greater income.”</p>
<ul>
<li>The older one is probably dependent and uses the income of the parent provided the most support the previous year and includes his own income. (See below for the few categories under which the older one would be deemed independent and not have to include parent info.)</li>
</ul>
<p>This is from here:
<a href=“Everything You Need to Know About FAFSA | Edvisors”>Everything You Need to Know About FAFSA | Edvisors;
<p>• If the student did not live with either parent in a divorced/separated situation, the parent is the one who contributed more financial assistance (51% or more of financial support) in the past 12 months
• If the student did not receive appreciably more support from one parent or another, the parent is the one who claims the student as a dependent on the IRS tax return </p>
<p>Here are the full directions. (Parent definition is on page 50) The booklet above may help clarify some points too.
<a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2012-13-completing-the-fafsa.pdf[/url]”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2012-13-completing-the-fafsa.pdf</a></p>
<p>These are the only circumstances under which the oldest would be considered independent: </p>
<p>You were born before January 1, 1989
• You are or will be enrolled in a masters or Doctoral degree program at the beginning of the school year
• You are married on the day you file your FAFSA
• You are a parent
• You have dependents other than your spouse who live with you and who receive more than half their support from you at the time you apply
• Both your parents are deceased (or were until age 18) a ward of dependent of the court
• You are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training
• You’re a Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
• You were a foster child after the age of 13
• You are an emancipated child as determined by a court judge
• You are homeless or at risk of homelessness as determined by the director of a HUD approved homeless shelter, transitional program, or high school liaison</p>