Hey all,
So when I got half way through the FAFSA to the part where it asks for tax returns and total income from 2016
I have kinda put myself in a pickle. I Left my job the previous year and was unemployed til 2017 so I didnt have taxes to file or income from 2016 outside of some oddball jobs such as some yardwork in the summer. What would I put down for income made that year? Im also a dependant adult who is in his early 30s wanted to to go back and finish my degree. Took a year of college years back.
- How are you a dependent adult at age 30? Is this for incme tax purposes? It probably is NOT for financial aid purposes. But you will need to check that.
- If you had no income in 2016, then you put $0 for your income. If you didn’t have to file taxes in 2016, you will also need a non-filers statement to send to each college which explains why you didn’t need to file a tax return.
- If your income is really $0, expect to be selected for verification. The colleges will justifiably want to know how you paid your day to day living expenses...so be prepared to document that.
Sorry i meant independent, but yes outside mowing yards that year i didnt make much money. I had money in savings. I guess I could put a few thousand down. What i was payed was cash out of pocket.
If you are an independent student for financial aid purposes, you would be eligible for $4000 or $5000 more in Direct Loans. Are you including that in your loan amounts?
How are you independent for financial aid purposes? You have been in college for four years…unless you didn’t start right out of HS, you would now be about 22 or so…right? Age wise, you would need to be 24 to be considered independent for financial aid purposes. Do you meet another criteria that would make you independent for financial aid purposes.
This has NOTHING to do with taxes!
I didn’t go to college til i was 25, and only went for one year. I moved locations now 5 years later i wanna reapply. Im 30 now
Ah…I see!
Good luck. It sounds like you need a new job…actually it sounds like you have one now…right?
Yes i have a job now but the FAFSA asked for 2016 but ok ty
Answer with the best info you have. If you made $500, put that. Don’t guess just to make it look like you made money. If you lived off savings or with relatives, that’s okay. Answer the FAFSA questions and expect that they may ask follow up questions (like how did you pay your expenses).
There are people who were homeless and two years later file the FAFSA. You can’t change that, and the schools have seen it all.