<p>hi..last year my sister got accepted to college but without scholarship...so my dad tried to get financial aid...we got some but not a lot ( $1000 i think), but thats because my dad can afford it.....the thing is he told the colleges we live with him(because we do)..</p>
<p>I was wondering..if i tell the colleges i live with my mom (i am still in her custody but i live with my father) will i get more financial aid?..My mom would be considered "poor" but if i say i am under her name i can save money on college...will this work?</p>
<p>In divorce situations, you list only the "custodial" parent. They define custodial as the parent that you lived with for most of the past 12 months, regardless of who has legal custody.</p>
<p>So that would be your Dad. Dad's income and assets would be considered when calculating aid.</p>
<p>If you tell the colleges you live with your Mom (a lie), you would end up with a lower EFC, and perhaps a higher aid package. You might save money on college. But you'd be committing fraud, and risk losing all aid, and being rejected from the college if it was uncovered. You'd also be starting your adult life out on the wrong foot, in my view.</p>
<p>"...my dad can afford it." OK-- let him help you pay for college.</p>
<p>plus reemy i dont think that they will knock on your door to check who u relaly live with :|. i personally think that both parents incomes have to be taken into account</p>
<p>From the FAFSA instructions for divorced/separated parents:</p>
<p>"answer the questions about the parent you lived with more during the 12 months preceding the date you complete the FAFSA. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the 12 months preceding the date you complete the FAFSA."</p>
<p>
[quote]
If your parents are divorced (or separated - see below for more information), answer the questions about the parent you lived with more during the 12 months preceding the date you complete the FAFSA. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the 12 months preceding the date you complete the FAFSA, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent. If this parent has remarried as of the date you fill out the FAFSA, answer the questions on the remaining sections of the FAFSA about that parent and the person he or she married (your stepparent).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>as sblake said - if you lie about it and get caught you can lose aid and have your admission rescinded. Not to mention the possibility of fines etc etc. Honesty is the best policy.</p>
<p>my understanding was that the non custodial parent was also expected to contribute though. The non custodial parent is not just ignored in terms of financial aid.</p>
<p>reemy98, colleges are not inexperienced or naive. Where have they been sending your mail? What address is on your application? Where is your high school located? What address does your high school have for you? All very easy things for colleges to verify. If they suddenly see a change in your address, don't you think they'll get suspicious? You're signing your financial aid forms and verifying that the information is truthful. Do you really want to get into that kind of trouble with the Federal government?</p>
<p>As for the question of "what if your non-custodial parent contributes less" - that's irrelevant for the financial aid calculations. It's not based on what they do contribute; it's based on what they can contribute. Otherwise, most families could simply split up for the college years and refuse to contribute and get aid. Or intact families could simply refuse to pay. </p>
<p>Remember that financial aid doesn't just "appear" from thin air - the money comes from somewhere. In the case of government loans and aid, the money comes from other taxpayers. In the case of institutional money, the money comes from other parents and from donors. You'll be asking other kids' parents to pay for you to go to college, even though your father can afford (and is willing) to pay for it. Is that right? Is that really how you want to start your life?</p>
<p>ebeeeee - for FAFSa the non-custodial parent only seems to be counted as far as any actual financial support they provide (child support etc). CSS profile does want information on both parents incomes and assets and expects both to contribute. </p>
<p>reemy - I was making the assumption that the you were talking about FAFSA. If you have to file profile (most private schools and some publics) they ask for a lot more information.</p>