No, my dad MAY. I just know there was a name down there last time, and if not my own, has to be someone’s. But, my mom is only claiming me. I could get access to is tax forms from two years ago but I don’t really find a deep need to do that, in all honesty.
I have no real advice. However, I wonder if OP can get advice by directly calling his desired college’s FA office and speaking with a senior person there. What would happen if he said, “This is my situation: My parents are asking me to falsify the Fafsa form, and I refuse to do that. What are my best options for getting some type of financial aid?”
It’s bigger then falsifying FAFSA. They are falsifying tax returns. No wonder they have no problem trying to defraud FAFSA. That is a step down from defrauding the IRS. I wish I could say it’s the 1st time I every heard of this I know of someone else filing HOH when they should be filing married
@morseless I have a lot of respect for you. It’s commendable that you are trying to do that right thing giving the situation you are in.
Well, you are learning about life, how people can be and how you can deal with their stuff. IT is valuable education. Nevertheless, I hope you can separate from them and not have to deal with them so much.
A notary isn’t certifying that your parents are separated or married or filing incorrectly or that you had Cheerio’s for breakfast.
A notary will ask for identification from your mom and then stamp the document which she has signed to attest that SHE has signed the form. Not someone pretending to be your mom. So don’t worry that you are perpetuating a fraud if your mom gets a document notarized- it’s just a safeguard that she herself has signed the form (and she is still on hook if in fact, fraud has been committed).
My two cents? Start to explore an online degree; start to figure out if you have any skills that will allow you to get a job to help finance your education. Shift the conversation at home away from financial aid.
The document will have to be signed by me too, apparently. Has “students signature” line on it. So, I’ll also be responsible for that.
Thanks for the advice. I’ll try looking at online degrees.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
@brantly
I may consider doing that. Thanks.
To get the unsubsidized loan without parent info, the parents will have to sign a form stating that they will not provide ANY support to the student. From the FSA Handbook: For a student to be eligible for this provision, you must get documentation (1) that his parents refuse to complete his FAFSA and (2) that they do not and will not provide any financial support to him. Include the date support ended.
No financial support means: not living at home, not being on parents’ insurance (car or health), etc. Most parents who won’t complete a FAFSA are not keen on signing such a statement. It’s hard to justify claiming someone as a dependent on taxes if the parents are signing a statement saying they provide absolutely no support.
@kelsmom. Thank you for that clarification.
They really make it hard for young students who don’t have a good relationship with their parents or who come from a messy or chaotic family background.
http://www.icanaffordcollege.com/en-us/aboutcommunitycolleges/collegecosts.aspx#
CCC is $552 a semester for 12 units which is full time. If you are also working to earn money for rent and food I would go part time.
Morseless- Just saw this thread- A young lady I know had to fill out her FAFSA and she marked the “parent’s info unavailable” spot because her father (with whom she does not live with- but she has no legal separation from) refused to give her any tax info (probably he doesn’t file or is behind). She actually had to track him down where he was said to be hanging out- literally- just to ask. Mom is nowhere to be found these days. Her situation is unusual, but the people who answer the phone at FAFSA to help were really great, they told her what to write and then they said she needs to start gathering evidence of her situation- and because courts are not involved it can be things like letters from teachers, other relatives etc and then she needs to contact the CC she wants to go to and actually meet with them in person. Because you have a unique situation too- I would call the helpline 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) and fill it out like they tell you. Best wishes as you move forward!
The young lady you refer to may have special circumstances that could result in a dependency override. She may or may not get an override … just because the person on the FAFSA line says it can happen does not mean it will. The aid officer has to collect documentation & make a decision as to whether or not the situation merits a dependency override. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won’t (and it may at one school & not another).
The OP does not seem to have any issues that would result in a dependency override (unless there are things not being shared with us, of course). Here is what the regulations say:
DEPENDENCY OVERRIDES
A financial aid administrator (FAA) may do dependency overrides on a case-by-case basis for students with unusual circumstances. If the FAA determines that an override is appropriate, she must write a statement detailing the determination and must include the statement and supporting documentation in the student’s file. However, none of the conditions listed below, singly or in combination, qualify as unusual circumstances meriting a dependency override:
- Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
- Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification.
- Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
- Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.
Unusual circumstances do include (and may cause any of the above conditions) abandonment by parents, an abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety, or the student being unable to locate his parents. In such cases a dependency override might be warranted.
Call me obstinate…but. Don’t see anything unique about this OPs situation. She resides with both parents. She knows where both parents are. She is in a position where the necessary info should be readily available.
Trouble is…her parents are being uncooperative…and potentially dishonest.
@danae9800 the situation you described is of a student who does not have access to their parents…and doesn’t even know where one is. That is very different than a student who is residing with both parents in their home.
The situation is no different if the parent refuses to provide his tax info to his child- that is unusual and unique IMO- but since my, and your, and everyone else’s opinion doesn’t matter I still say to call the FAFSA helpline and follow their instructions.
Tell you parents it will be rejected if you do not put in both parents.
Lie to them and say it gets automatically verified with IRS and will reject if #s aren’t right.
I thought the OP said they did end up getting both tax returns, but both parents filed as HoH OP, is that right?
You also indicate marital,status on the FAFSA. If this student puts “married”…and even one parent files as head of household, this will most likely trigger verification. The school will want documentation that the HOH filing is allow Le (sometimes is even with married folks), OR they will tell the family they need to amend their tax returns with a correct filing status.
Regardless…NO financial aid will be given out until this is completely resolved to,the college’s satisfaction.
Yes both parents filed HOH and lied about their income. At this point if either or both returns are used she will be knowingly entering false information into FAFSA. To OP credit she/he doesn’t want to do that.
@danae9800
You know, I think I will at least try to call and see if they can be helpful and email the school to see if they can also be of assistance. It is worth a bit of a shot.
@kelsmom
You make a great point but… none of those really apply to me. I mean, I couldn’t say those things. They WILL provide information, but their information is completely unusable. Even if they would get me both of their documents, they would be flagged because both can’t be filing as head of household. But my mom is trying to put on the idea that she is separated, called the school and told them some story about it, and is really trying to ride that horse for all it’s worth.
@HRSMom
ha, i actually just discussed that. she wants to file it as ‘separated/divorced,’ so, that’s not a concern i could bring up.
@intparent
I didn’t - I just have had both my parents tax returns a previous year and knew they both filed as head of household. I was younger and didn’t think there was anything wrong with it so I never made a huff about it.
@thumper1
she wants to file the FAFSA as single/divorced, so, this isn’t an actual concern.
I’m going to try and contact the schools to see if there is anything that can be done about it. I do think it IS somewhat unusual - I live with both my parents, they will provide me with (one) tax records, but only if it’s done under their conditions, those conditions furthering illegal conduct. I just don’t know how I could discuss it without my parents getting in hot water too AND the likelihood that the school might just say “too bad,” so I’m stuck in a household where both my parents are going to be unbelievably angry with me.
It’s just a worrisome thing.
Is there something else going on? Like… that your parents aren’t legally married and never told you, or something?