NOT legally separated or divorced, but spouse had a 3rd party FAFS specialist file FAFSA as “legally separated/divorced”. AND, now I’m getting CSS requests to do “non-custodial parent” form. Ill stop there…anyone ever deal with this? I’m aware of the CSS waiver, but the REAL concern is I’m in disagreement with the filing status. It causes war here.
Do you and your spouse currently reside in separate homes? If so, for how long has it been that you have been physically separated (regardless of legal status)? And where does the child for whom the FAFSA was filed live for the majority of time?
What was your tax filing status for the past 2 years (2018 and 2019)?
I don’t think you have to be legally separated to file FAFSA as separated. Do you live together or apart (at the time you filed FAFSA)?
Thoughts? @BelknapPoint @thumper1 @kelsmom
- Do you parents live in the same home, or separate homes?
- What does. CSS waiver have to do with this? A waiver for the non-custodial parent form is for a parent with no contact and a severed relationship with the student. Is this the case?
- Does the student reside with the spouse only and not with you?
- Why don’t you agree with the filing status?
I’d add that is actually the student’s responsibility to vouch for what is on the FAFSA. I know that plenty of parents take this on and complete the FAFSA for their child – but the student is the one who will be held responsible for any false information. The student knows where they live and should know whether the parents are together or not, even though the student might be misled as to the exact legal status of separated parents – so if this is a case where a spouse has the idea of gaming the system in some way, it’s going to backfire terribly.
Both the student and a parent (if parent information is provided) must sign and certify that all of the information provided is true and complete to the best of their knowledge.
Right. Did the father get a FSA ID for the kid?
If you & H do not live together and consider yourselves separated, the status is correct. If you simply live apart due to something like him working in another place, the status is incorrect. If you live together, the status is incorrect. I will add another one … if you own a second home & the idea is to pretend you are separated by using the second address, the status is incorrect.
hmm…on CSS Profile, what address will be given for each parent?
I’d just note that the OP did not specify gender – just referred to spouse and the username is gender-neutral. So I wouldn’t assume that it is a “H” who is doing this.
Not that it makes any difference to the overall analysis – but the point is that @fafsa10 could just as easily be a person who is upset over a decision made by their female partner.
The OP has also not logged back into this site or answered any questions since the OP yesterday. Hoping they do so some of this can be clarified.
If the student lives with the spouse, and not this non-custodial parent…then the FAFSA was filed correctly. In addition, the Profile would have been done by the same custodial parent…and yes, the non-custodial parent would be asked to do the non-custodial parent form.
What makes this poster disagree with the FAFSA filing status! That is the question.