Financial Aid--Guardian, not Parent

Paying for College
1

<p>Could anyone offer advice re: applying for financial aid for a child (relative) who lives with you where you are the guardian, but not the parent? The child's bio mother is disabled and receives SS disability; father is unknown. I had heard that the child is considered a family unit of 1 and that the only income to be listed is the child's income from Soc Sec? Is that accurate? </p>

2

<p>If the child is in legal guardianship with someone other than her parents, she is considered independent for financial aid purposes for the FAFSA. There will be a question regarding this asking about being in guardianship. She will answer that she IS in legal guardianship (note…must be legal guardianship…not just residing with another family member, regardless of the reason). </p>

<p>She will then not be required to out any income/asset or other information about her parents on that form.</p>

<p>YMMV for Profile schools.</p>

<p>In any event, this must be a legal guardianship.</p>

3

<p>That is very helpful, thank you.</p>

4

<p>Don’t include any untaxed social security benefits the student receives on the fafsa:</p>

<p><a href=“https://fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1415/help/faadef21.htm”>https://fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1415/help/faadef21.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;