We have 3 children. The oldest just started medical school. We are paying for her housing and food. She is borrowing money for her tuition. We count her as a dependent. The middle one is college senior this year, not sure what she’ll be doing in the fall of 2021. Our son is a HS senior. For the purposes of his financial aid, do we still have 3 dependents as we did for our daughters or once the girls have graduated are they no longer counted? TIA.
(Our son is applying to schools that use both FAFSA and CSS)
It depends. For FAFSA for academic year 2021-2022, a child will be counted as a member of the household if the parents will provide more than half of the child’s support between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, or if the child can answer “No” to every question in Step Three on page 5 of FAFSA.
Don’t confuse tax dependent status with the way that FAFSA determines household size.
You medical school student is independent for financial aid purposes even if the school asks for your info.
It is not likely that this student will be counted as a dependent college student on the sibling Fafsa forms.
The way to know for sure…contact the other undergrad schools and ask. Some will consider grad and professional school students In the college student count and others won’t.
@thumper1 is correct … you need to contact the individual schools to find out. This is an area where schools interpret regulations differently.