<p>My oldest daughter 19yrs does not live with me, though I am her custodial parent, but with her father in another State while she attends a nearby college there. He does not provide any monetary support to her, however, and I paid for her car and I will help her with college fees. She works as well. She wants to move out soon and get a roommate.</p>
<p>I want to claim her on the FAFSA with my youngest daughter who will be going to college next year. as part of household and number of children attending college. My husbands two children whom he supports 100% in another country I want to include as well as household an done at college (as we pay the fees). Can I do this even though they are not living with us and away at college?</p>
<p>yeah that is what I was afraid of.–except the only reason she lives there as it is close to the college. But yeah…it would seem I can’t count her then in household or # in college even if I support her and he refuses to help her in anyway to pay for the expenses. His wife’s income would exclude her from any help at all…</p>
<p>Ugh…I guess if she did move out to a rented apt. which she wants to do…then I could??</p>
<p>*Ugh…I guess if she did move out to a rented apt. which she wants to do…then I could?? *</p>
<p>Sounds like the cost of paying for an apt would be MORE than any benefit of counting her in your household.</p>
<p>Your ex may not be paying for her college costs, but by providing a place to stay and perhaps food, then technically he is helping her with college costs.</p>
<p>true-his board is worth approx $400 a month… But she is having personal problems with him and his new family and wants a place of her own. But your right…if I can’t count her on the FAFSA, she will not be able to afford school and rent. So frustrating</p>
<p>You might advise her to spend as little time as possible in the daytime at their home…just using the place to sleep, shower, and grabbing a bite to eat. If she spent most of her time at school, studying in the school library, taking part in school activities, and working a job, she’d really have little time to have much involvement with her dad’s family at all. Certainly living elsewhere would cost more than $400 per month.</p>
<p>When did your older D move in with Dad? If she’s a freshman, lived with you more than half the year and belongs in your household. Even if she’s not a freshman, take a look at the calendar and verify that she actually stayed with her dad more than with you. If she comes home to you for Christmas, spring break, summer, and all the other holiday breaks, it might be pretty close.</p>
<p>She has been with her Dad more than 12 months…I was wondering though, as I am the only one contributing to her financially, if I CANNOT count her a member of household, can I count her as a child in college on my younger daughter’s FAFSA???</p>
<p>We have the same issue with his kids, they live in college or one on their own, he supports them fully 100%, but as they have never lived with us–rather with their Mother in a foreign country, can we count them as # in college, if not # in household?</p>
<p>A part of our income goes to their schooling…we should be able to state this some how?</p>
<p>I don’t know the rules, but technically you are not the only one contributing financially to your D. She is living in her dad’s house. That counts as a financial contribution.</p>
<p>yes, I have acknowedged that “in kind” contribution. But still need to know if my real cash contribution can be counted/ or somehow taken into consideration on the FAFSA.
thank you.</p>
<p>This doesn’t look good…For FAFSA, she doesn’t qualify as one in household as you aren’t the parent she has lived with more:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Also, in order to be counted as one of the students in college, it appears that one first has to be a member of the FAFSA parent’s household:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t think the FAFSA system is set up for kids who are being supported by their otherwise “custodial” parent but rooming with their NCP. If she was living with another relative, it certainly wouldn’t affect her (and your other D) this way.</p>
<p>The whole thing kind of falls apart because unless you’re in a state where you have custody past age 18 (like NY), the parent where the child lives most becomes the “custodial” parent for FA purposes.</p>
<p>This isn’t really much different than when a divorced mom’s 20 year old child resides with her most of the time, and the ex-H is paying for college. The mom is still considered the custodial parent for FAFSA purposes</p>
<p>As an aside… I think the child may have to include whatever the dad is paying for college on the FA forms (not sure about that part).</p>
<p>It doesn’t really matter who has legal “custody” as the FAFSA rules specify physical residence takes precedence. Then financial support. It works the same way in NY as anywhere else. My sister has legal custody of her two college kids but they actually reside with their dad when they’re not in school and have to use his info for FAFSA, although he contributes a lot less to their educational expenses. </p>
<p>Dependent students don’t report parental contributions as untaxed income. If it were someone other than a parent contributing (ie. grandma paying rent for her) it would be reported. Generally, I think the only time these contributions get reported is if the bill is in the student’s name or if the student is independent.</p>
<p>If they no longer reside with their mom at all (they stay in the US full-time now) then, under the FAFSA rules, it seems pretty clear that the parent who provides more support (your H) is the parent who files FAFSA for them. They are then counted as one of that parent’s household and one of the students in college.</p>
<p>In thinking about your younger D’s filing, I’m now not sure that your older D wouldn’t qualify as a household member and college student. The instructions for number in household indicate that you CAN include anyone who you provide more than 50% of support for, which would include your older D if the value of her room and board and her own income doesn’t exceed your contributions. I’m not sure if a student can be in more than one household for FAFSA though and, by default, the student is always counted in the household of the parent they file with. Hmmm…hopefully kelsmom or someone will have the answer to this for you!</p>