<p>Since a fairly destructive domestic legal proceeding 7 years ago, my family has been living off child support + alimony checks (which are frequently late), maxing out credit cards and food stamps until this year, where my (single) mother acquired fairly lucrative job. [You can count my father as good as dead.] Since most of our financial resources have been used for subsistence rather than savings of any sort, now I am really panicking.</p>
<p>I haven't even gad the heart to suggest to my mother yet (she loves her new position), but if you were in our position for example, would you even be considering quitting employment (returning to foodstamps again, etc.) so we don't get a financial aid shortfall?</p>
<p>No. If her job is fairly lucrative you she will probably lose more than you would gain. And the effect on her happiness, and probably self esteem, would be devastating.</p>
<p>If you are applying to FAFSA schools grant money is fairly low anyway (max pell grant is $4731 for 2009-2009 with a zero EFC) and the rest would be loans and WS anyway.</p>
<p>If you are applying to schools that require CSS profile you will have to provide your fathers information - whether you consider him ‘as good as dead’ or not the school will not.</p>
<p>Well, what if the court has no ruled no contact without supervision (as well as the fact that I don’t even know where in the country he lives now, nor who is employer is)?</p>
<p>I mean, on the common app form I had to mark him as “unknown” because the designers of the form apparently couldn’t fathom a student with a living (but cowardly / totally irresponsible) father applying to a common app school).</p>
<p>(Also, I’m fairly unclear on the whole loan thing: what’s the likelihood of falling short?) </p>
<p>I am not too scared about loans, since I envision myself being involved in decades of active research, so I’ll probably be in school for the rest of my life…</p>
<p>No, it would be a big mistake to quit a lucrative job to qualify for foodstamps and financial aid.
More than likely a lucrative job also would mean retirement benefits, something important when it comes to the future. It also probably means health insurance, something else that’s very important
And while you think you’ll make lots of money during research, none of us can predict what the future will hold.</p>
<p>In addition, being able to pay some money for college actually expands the number of colleges that may accept you and give you aid. Only the most wealthy and competitive colleges are able to meet the full need of very impoverished students.</p>
<p>It does not make sense for your mother to quit the nice job that she enjoys in order for you to qualify for more financial aid. Your family will end up losing a lot more. I will rather see her doing so well in the future that you end up not needing financial aid. Do you see my point.</p>
<p>“If you are applying to schools that require CSS profile you will have to provide your fathers information - whether you consider him ‘as good as dead’ or not the school will not.”</p>
<p>Not necessarily. It varies by college. I was in a similar situation. Talk to someone in the colleges’ financial aid departments and explain your circumstances. They should let you know what to do (I remember having to explain my situation in a letter and sending it to some colleges, then having someone familiar with my situation also send a letter as verification).</p>
<p>Op states:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This statement alone establishes contact to the extent that at schools that use the CSS profile, the “just as good as dead” income and assets will not be excluded. </p>
<p>Alimony is income that has to be reported to the federal government on your income taxes and it is also treated as income on both the FAFSA and the CSS profile.</p>
<p>While neither the paying or receiving parent receives the tax benefit of child support (the person paying does not get to write it off and the person receiving child support does not declare it on their income taxes) again for the FAFSA and CSS profile child support gets reported as income.</p>
<p>I agree with the others it is not in the best interest of your family for your mom to quit her job as the family would be losing much more than what you would gain in FA.</p>