Hey guys,
I’m hoping someone can offer me some guidance. I’m a first generation college student and am entirely self-supportive. My mother’ is my sole parent and does not have an income. I am currently 23 and am turning 24 this year, so I am filing as an independent for the first time. My 2015 income reported in my taxes and FAFSA was $24,900. Upon finishing my FAFSA I didn’t qualify for any pell grants, only direct loans. In previous years I always qualified for the full amount of almost $6,000 allotted annually so I was surprised to go from the full amount to nothing. To me, $24,900 seems low enough to still qualify for financial aid if my estimated family contribution is 0. Does anyone have any suggestions for possibly appealing this decision? Did I possibly make a mistake while filing? Possibly in claiming my family size (I have no dependents, only myself). Or do I simply not qualify?
What was your FAFSA EFC this year…with the $24,000 income?
They estimated my EFC as $4,000 based on what I would be able to contribute to my own education.
This is also where I’m partially confused. I spoke to multiple counselors that seem to have fluctuating ideas of EFC. One told me that EFC is not my own contribution but my parents. While another told me that it is what my parents would be able to contribute as well as myself.
Who “they” estimated? When you completed your FAFSA, you should have received a SAR. Your FAFSA EFC should have been clearly stated on that SAR…not an estimate…the real thing. What was it??
If your EFC was $4000, then you should have received a $1900 or so Pell grant for the year. Did you?
Last year…as a dependent…you mom sounds like she had an auto $0 EFC. That being the case, your income would not have counted…at all. That is not the case this year.
An EFC of 4000 would still get a small Pell Grant.
the issue is this…when you were dependent, your income didn’t count because your mom’s income was too low…so your income was ignored.
Now, that you’re independent, you don’t get that exclusion. You were quite lucky those years IF you were earning say $15k-25k and having it ignored.
Last year, when you filed FAFSA, your $25k income was totally ignored. that was a nice benefit because really, the expectation should have been that you could pay for some things.
The way things look now is that you have an income of $25k that is just for you. So, the thinking is that you should be able to put a decent portion towards your college costs.
Certainly, an expectation of $4k isn’t that much. That means $21k is for your living expenses, and taxes. Doesn’t that seem fair?
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To me, $24,900 seems low enough to still qualify for financial aid if my estimated family contribution is 0
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your expected family contribution is NOT 0…it is 4000.
What does your mom live on? Does she receive public assistance? Disability? A pension?
In past years, when you indicated that she had no income, weren’t you asked how your household was supported?
EFC = Expected Family Contribution
In this context, the “family” is based on whatever information is provided on the FAFSA.
For the 2016-2017 school year, your family included your mother…who had an auto $0 EFC…so your income didn’t count…at all.
For 2017-2018, you are independent…so your “family” is YOU only. And you don’t have that auto $0 EFC.
BUT if the EFC on your FAFSA SAR was $4000, you should,have received a $1900 or so Pell Grant. Also, as an independent student, you get an additional $4000 in Direct Loans.
It doesn’t matter what they’re telling you.
You’re now independent, so YOU alone are your “family”.
EFC would not include parents once you’re independent.
Does your mom live with you? Who pays the rent? Food? Utilities? Etc?
Something isn’t right.
With a $4k EFC there should be a small Pell Grant…UNLESS you’ve been going to college for SO LONG that you’ve used up all of your Pell Grants.
How many semesters have you been in college??
What state do you live in? Are you attending a state Univ?
Would the OP be independent? He’s not yet 24.
The OP clearly stated he will be 24 this year…so YES, he will be independent for FAFSA purposes…if this is the case.
If your mom has no income at all, is she living with you, and are you supporting her? Are you paying the rent, food, etc and paying more than 50% of your mom’s support? Did you support her in 2015?
If you did support your mom on your income, then maybe you could claim her as a dependent on your taxes, and as a household member who is dependent on you, for FAFSA?
As an independent student for FAFSA, you get about a $10,000 income protection amount. And a deduction for federal, state and soc sec taxes paid. The rest of your income counts towards EFC.
The OP needs to look at ANY other subsidies the mom might be getting. You can have a $0 EFC and a family income of below $29,000 (for that dependent status he had last year). If his mom gets untaxed disability, or any income that is close to his, he would have a hard time saying he was providing support.
He can’t include HIS portion of the support in what he is paying for his mom.
@BelknapPoint I believe I’m correct.
It’s very hard for students to declare parents as dependents for tax and financial aid purposes.
@thumper1 is right.
the mom may not have a job, but she may be getting disability, pension, spousal support, or some welfare of some kind. If she’s getting any of those things, and possibly food stamps, section 8 housing, Medicaid, then he’d had a hard time showing that he’s providing more than 50% of her support.
My mom does not live with me. She lives with my brother and he provides the support for her.
My EFC provided by FAFSA was $4000 this year and it says I do not qualify for any pell grant-only loans.
I live in San Francisco so the living expenses are quite high. I’m assuming FAFSA uses only one federal standard for income.
I’m currently attending a community college and am transferring to Berkeley in the Fall. I’ve been in college for roughly 5 semesters now, but I know I have not “maxed” out my aid yet because I checked with a counselor.
Shouldn’t a student with a FAFSA EFC of $4000 be eligible for part of the Pell Grant?
And what about a Cal grant?
@corgicollege what did you put for your class standing on the FAFSA? How many credits do you have?
Will you have junior class standing when you transfer?