How and when to talk to school's financial aid office (about being an independent)

Paying for College
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<p>I will be a college freshman, 18 years old. (Prospective engineering major, may have a child in 7-8 months) I would like to financially independent from my parents (i do not have any joint accounts/ credit cards with them). My options are: be financially independent or depend on parents who can pay the 10116. </p>

<p>This is the total price of my college, per semester (after scholarships): 5508. Per year, 10116</p>

<p>This is the total price after work study. 4369. Total price per year: <em>8738</em></p>

<p>(The numbers account for tuition, course fees, room, and meals. I have not accounted for books, other living expenses, travel, etc.) </p>

<p>If I qualify as a dependent, I can get 5500 in unsubsidized loans. So each year would be 10116-5500 = 4616 that I have to make up from my pocket (or jobs). At the end of graduation (hopefully 4 years) my loans will amount to about 25K. (5500 compounded monthly for 4 years plus 5500 compounded monthly for 3 plus 5500 comp. for 2 plus 5500 compounded for 1, all @ 4.66% rate). I assume unsubsidized means the money capitalizes while still in school.</p>

<p>If I qualify as an independent, PELL Grant is 5700 so 10116 - 5700 = 4416.
I may need to pay 4416 dollars every year. If I have work study, its about 2000 (10116 - 8738) per year. That may mean loans. If I can qualify for Federal Subsidized loans then 2000*4 years =8000 that I will have in debt when I graduate ONLY IF the interest doesn't capitalize while I'm still in school. If it does then, 2000 comp. for 4yrs, etc so 9K debt at the end of four years. </p>

<p>A few questions:
I REALLY want to be financially independent... What does CC advise?
Is this something I should be comfortable talking to my school's FinAid department? What do I ask the school? Where can I find professional advise?
Will I be able to qualify for "independent status" under FAFSA for example if parents dont pay more than 50%, i have a child, etc?
I am not in the military, not homeless not orphan, etc.</p>

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<p>You say you might have a child in 7-8 months. Who will be providing over 50% of the support for the child (food, clothing, housing, healthcare insurance)?</p>

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<p>How do I calculate that? Maybe baby’s mama. If I need to provide 50% in order to be independent, how do I do that?</p>

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<p>One of the ways to be considered independent for FAFSA is that you have a dependent child for whom you provide over 50% of the support. Does it seem likely to you that you will have enough income and resources in order to provide for over 50% of the baby’s support (pay for food, clothes, housing, healthcare)? Also, the child is not due until 2015 so if you do eventually provide for over 50% of the child’s support, that won’t change your 2014-2015 status for FAFSA.</p>

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<p>Read the requirements as to what it takes to be independent for FAFSA purposes. You have to be age 24 if you are not married, not an orphan, do not have a dependent (just having a child doesn’t automatically qualify you–you have to be supporting said child to qualify for having a dependent; look at the rules for that), be a veteran, be homeless or in imminent danger of being so and have independent qualified authority so officially state, or have been a ward of the courts/state by court order before you were 18. </p>

<p>Yes, you REALLY want to be financially independent. Most students do because they want that extra money; namely the PELL grant and the possibility of getting more aid The fact that there are parents in the picture, and you are not of age 24 or meet other qualifications is truly an impediment for that. Which is why the rules are in place They do not want a bunch of independent students as the system is set up for PARENTs to be primarily responsible for college costs. </p>

<p>I’d love to see a class action challenge to this taken all the way up to the SCOTUS, but as it stands now, you are considered dependent even if you truly are financially independent in that your parents aren’t contributing any money to you. Doesn’t matter if they take you off your taxes and quit paying a dime. Takes drastic DOCUMENTED actions verified by an unbiased official party to become independent, like being kicked out of the house without a dime given and you have no place to go but a shelter. </p>

<p>You can discuss this with Kelsmom who is and has been in a college fin aid office or Sybbie who is also a professional in this field, but them’s the rules. If it were so easy to become financially independent for college money purposes, everyone would be. Heck, my kids would be. Nice to get that $5700 PELL which is reserved for students from the poorest families, or who have no family. There are cases where even if the parent is in jail and not giving penny one of support, the student is deemed dependent when there is no official paperwork that parental ties have been officially terminated–that’s what it often takes, official court documents that show that relationship is legally severed to be deemed independent, though in special cases, usually dire, a professional judgment can be requested from the fin aid office, often while the court process is underway but not complete. </p>

<p>In my opinion, ain’t no way you are gonna get independence for FAFSA purposes as you just want if to get more money for school. The rules got you covered. Lotsa kids like you.</p>

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<p>If you have to provide over 50% of the baby’s care, then there goes your Pell Grant…babies are expensive…doctor visits, shots, illnesses, diapers, ever-changing clothing sizes, food…along with shelter, crib, etc.</p>

<p>I doubt you would be able to provide that much care unless the baby is living under the roof that you provide. If the baby is living with the mother under her/her parents’ roof, then you wouldnt likely qualify.</p>

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<p>Thanks. I posted a similar question on another forum and one person (the only person who replied said they qualified for pell because his/her parents werent paying more than 50%… led to believe something to good to be true…) Given the facts about the baby and misinformation from the previous thread, as it stand it seems that I’m way more like to be a Dependent. So there goes that… </p>

<p>tl;dr: thanks for the help, reality check. bottom post i answered myself–personal decision.</p>

<p>Second question:

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<p>4616 can be brought down by 2k by work study so 2616. maybe another loan (I think I qualify for stafford subsidized but ATM i cant check it because I already declined it). </p>

<p>So at the end of college i’ll be about 30-32K in debt. </p>

<p>Question: Should I take the debt or rely on parents
I guess I answered my question for myself as I typed this…its more of a personal decision.</p>

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<p>You might consider getting a job and supporting your child. Is the mother able to go away to school, or doesn’t that matter to you? If the young woman in question was my daughter, there would be (court ordered, if necessary) child support. You may want to check regulations and find out how/if federal aid is distributed to men who owe child support.</p>

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<p>YOU must provide the bulk of the support for your dependent child to be considered independent for financial aid purposes. You will need to show evidence that you earned sufficient income to do so AND paid a sufficient amount to the child’s guardian parent. </p>

<p>It sounds like YOU are hoping to be independent for financial aid purposes. I will venture…this is unlikely to happen for you at this time. First…will the child’s mim even let the child be declared YOUR dependent? Second, do you have the earnings to provide this support?</p>

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<p>@thumper yes she will. I am still with her. I have earnings but boss pays me a few hundred under the table. So i guess showing that I am able to support 50% is too impossible for me.</p>

<p>@austin Mother is commuting for school. I’m really hoping that she finishes.</p>

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<p>Will you be providing child support? This is a bit off topic, but you may be asked to do so by the child’s mom…and really this is for the child. See note upstream about the requirements in some states.</p>

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<p>I don’t know how but I’ll try.</p>

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<p>Xscreenname, I did not catch that a child might be in the picture. I think you should talk to the financial aid director at your school, and explain the situation to that person. Not a student assistant, but one of the officers who knows the rules, and go over the situation. Read the rules carefully of what it takes to be in the category of having a dependent and see what you might be able to do get yourself so categorized, and make your case. It is possible. But you do need to talk to direct or there.</p>

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<p>It sounds like terminating the pregnancy is on the table (“may have a child”), but if your girlfriend does have the baby, please put it up for adoption so that it can have a loving, stable, and financially secure home with two adult parents. You are both teenagers, uneducated and without funds, so in no position to raise a child. (It’s absurd for anyone here to suggest you could provide 50% of the child’s support when you can’t even cover your own bills.) Please do the right thing for this child, and in the future, use reliable birth control so this kind of situation–children having children–does not recur.</p>

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<p>5,500 Direct loan/stafford loan–same thing) is the total you get. Some qualify for part to be subsidized. If not then all is unsub. You can’t get any more federal loan than that unless your parent applied for a Plus loan and are declined. Then you can get up to 4,000 more. Applying for the Plus doesn’t obligate the parent to take it. </p>

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<p>@MommaJ I wish I could do what you suggest but mother’s stubborn. “her body” so no abortion. “she carried for 9 months” so no adoption. The only valid counterargument I have is I’m not ready. But it seems like she is. </p>

<p>@cpt Thank you. </p>

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<p>If you don’t support your child, who do you think is going to do it? I know, the baby’s mother. Why should she shoulder the entire financial, physical, and emotional responsibility so you can go off to school? You seem to be planning funding sleep away college with little thought to the legal responsibilities you have, however, the courts and this young woman’s family are likely going to expect you to do more than “try” to help support your child, whether you’re ready for parenthood or not. Child support isn’t something you pay with whatever’s left after all your other needs/wants have been covered. Parents support their children and scale back their lives accordingly based on what’s left. </p>

<p>It’s very nice that you want your girlfriend to finish college. How are you envisioning that’s going to happen? Is she living with her parents? Are they, and your parents, willing and able to help out (both physically with child care and financially) while you’re off at school? Child care, food, and diapers are expensive. Health care is also very costly. You need to find out what your legal and financial responsibilities to your child are first, then determine what college you can afford and make plans to pay for it.</p>

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<p>Xscreen, good luck with all of this. I commend you for taking responsibility and seeking some solutions here. Wish I could help out more. You and the child’s mother, when the baby is born, might be able to work something out financially and on paper so that you can claim the child as a dependent for FAFSA rules, and get independent status. I suggest you PM Kelsmom to get some specific info on what a fin aid office might require, so you have that info ready when you talk to the fin aid officer. I have no idea what personal judgement And other things that might be available and it would take more this thread to go into particulars that still would not resolve the situation since it comes down to the discretion of the school’s fin aid officer and the rules that govern this. </p>

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<p>I am already enrolled at a college. </p>

<p>Thank you cptofthehouse! </p>

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<p>When you say you are enrolled in college…does that mean you have completed your freshman year…OR are you enrolled to start college fall of 2014?</p>