<p>In general you must have your parents sign FAFSA either electronically or on paper if you are a dependent student for financial aid purposes (under 24, unmarried, not a veteran, don’t have a child of your own you support, are not a ward of the court etc etc). There is some provision I have seen mentioned for when a parent is not willing to provide information. But I believe it just makes the student eligible for federal loans, not grants etc. And I think the parent still has to sign a form saying they refuse to provide the information.</p>
<p>In extreme situations it is possible for a financial aid officer to do a dependency override. But I believe this requires proof of abandonment, abuse etc. Unwillingness of parents to pay does not qualify.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom:
Wondering what kind of proof is needed. From U.S school? Most (teachers, students in class) knew in U.S. school when it suddenly happened. Then I had to go to a different school.</p>
<p>I am not exactly sure. If you were abandoned and were made a ward of the court there would be a paper trail for that. If they left you in the care of another friend or relative that would not probably not count. If you were made homeless there are provisions for that in FAFSA also. I am not sure of the exact proof required. I think it requires letters from people such as counselors or pastors (or whatever you religious leaders, if any, are) or doctors, who are aware of your situation, whatever that is. It is something you would have to talk to a financial aid officer about. They do not do this lightly as any federal funds disbursed because of any special circumstances adjustments become the schools responsibility if it turns out the adjustment should not have been made.</p>
<p>123, are you saying that your parent’s have already abandoned you and you’re still in high school or under 18? If so, you may qualify as an independent student. See the qualifications on page 3 of this document and make sure you get documentation from your high school and whatever other sources you can. If you can meet the qualifications, your parents income and asset information will not be necessary and they will not have to be involved in the FAFSA process. Ask your guidance counselor or the school’s social worker for help with this.
<a href=“http://www.ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/111408EFCFormulaGuide0910.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/111408EFCFormulaGuide0910.pdf</a></p>
<p>We have the first of our five children in college now, and the next will go in two years then every two years thereafter. We have an opportunity to buy a house with funds from land leases. Is buying a house a good idea now? We have been told that mortgage payments are a factor in a financial aid packages as are numbers of kids in college. Or should we simply add the money to college savings accounts for the kids?</p>
They are certainly not a factor in FAFSA. FAFSA gives a certain amount of income protection based on family size and number in college. This income protection assumes average costs for certain living expenses. Your actual living expenses (whether it is rent or a mortgage, or higher or lower) are not factored in anywhere. I don’t know about profile but I suspect probably not there either.</p>
<p>
For FAFSA college savings accounts are a reportable asset so may affect the EFC (I say ‘may’ because there is a certain amount of asset protection so it depends on the total amount of assets you have whether they will affect it or not). A primary home is not a reportable asset on FAFSA so its value will not affect the EFC.</p>
<p>Liberty777, on the CSS Profile there is a question about monthly mortgage payments, along with questions about the market value of your home, the amount still owed on it, etc.</p>
<p>The thing about the Profile, though, is just because the question is there doesn’t tell you anything about how specific colleges are going to consider it, or if they’ll consider it at all. It’s up to the schools to use the Profile info as they see fit.</p>