<p>I am currently enrolled at a two year community college and am planning to transfer in a couple years. My parents could not afford rent anymore when I was a junior in high school so I had to find my own place to live. Luckily, a family let me live in a bedroom in their house for free to finish high school and while I am in college. I have a job and am completely financially independent. I have been trying to find a way to not have to include my parents financial information because they are extremely irresponsible and do not give me paperwork or copies of tax returns when I need them. They also refuse to help me financially, partially because their income is below poverty level. I am wondering how I can go to court to become considered independent? I know if I would have done this before I turned 18 I could have filled for emancipation but now it is too late. Help!</p>
<p>I don’t know if this would help, but could you get some kind of signed affidavit from the family that took you in that you were essentially homeless at the time?</p>
<p>Was your high school aware of your situation?</p>
<p>BTW…when your parents couldn’t afford rent anymore, where did they go to live? couldn’t you have gone to live wherever they went to live?</p>
<p>Sorry, the rules are very clear and from what you’ve posted here, you would not qualify for independent status.</p>
<p>These rules are posted on many different websites. Here’s what StudentLoan Network says:</p>
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<p>This student’s situation is similar to Kerissak’s situation. I think it was Kelsmom (an FA officer) who helped her get independent status. Kerissak is now a student with full aid at Boston U. :)</p>
<p>*EVERYBODY!!!</p>
<p>I got into my DREAM school - BOSTON UNIVERSITY!
I was admitted to their College of General Studies, and will be in their College of Comm my junior year. I was told that the College of Gen Studies is a BIG honor, so I am SO happy because apparently the “applicant pool is highly competitive.”</p>
<p>Can I also add…that I got a FULL RIDE there!!!</p>
<p>You guys, as I’m writing this, I feel like this is a dream that I’ve yet to wake from. I’ve wanted this school so bad, but it was so expensive and I knew if I got in, money would be a big issue…and now I have nothing to worry about. They are paying for EVERYTHING. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I can’t even begin to express my love and gratitude for people on here that I don’t even know. The help I received from this site is irreplaceable, and I honestly don’t know where I would have gone for a better support system of knowledgeable individuals. Kerissa is a Boston Terrier now, and who cares what other denials or acceptances I get? I’M LIVING MY DREAM! *</p>
<p>I don’t think this situation is the same as Kerrisak’s at all. As far as I can recall she had a very abusive and difficult background and was able to provide a lot of documentation to prove it.</p>
<p>I didn’t remember the abusive part…I was remembering what seemed like her family kind of abandoned her to live with others (but maybe I’m not remembering that right).</p>
<p>That said, isn’t it significant if the family became homeless and didn’t take this child with them to wherever they would be living? It doesn’t seem like they “placed” her with a family…that would be fine. it seems like she was abandoned as a minor.</p>
<p>Morgan…when you were a minor, who signed your “sick notes” for school?</p>
<p>Do you get financial aid now, while at the community college? And, if so, is it based on your parents’ info?</p>
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<p>It sounds as if you may qualify for an Automatic 0 EFC, so it may not be in your best interest to try to become independent. Depending on your income, you may find your EFC would increase and you would lose some financial aid. Are you a freshman this year? </p>
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<p>Are you living with your parents now? What paperwork, other than the tax return, do you need? It doesn’t sound like their tax situation would be too complex for you to figure out/estimate. Maybe it would be easier if you ask in advance for them to hold their last paystubs of the year so you can file FAFSA together using estimates in early January and offer to help them file online as soon as their W-2’s are received. Or at least ask them to let you know as soon as their taxes are done so you can double check the figures and update your FAFSA. The first time through the FAFSA process is tough for lots of families (especially if they haven’t figured it out in advance). It gets easier once you know what the school deadlines are and what info is needed to finalize the FAFSA.</p>
<p>I agree with S8krmom…it might NOT be financially advantageous to become an independent student. You may find that being a dependent gives you an auto $0. That would likely be a LOWER EFC than one for an independent student who works and earns enough to support themself. Use one of the finaid calculators and run the numbers both ways.</p>
<p>Well when we had to leave, my mother decided to live in an apartment with her friend which I was not welcome in, and could not fit in. My father moved in with a friend of his, farther away. I was put in a situation where I truly had no where to turn and if I was not able to find a place to live I would have been out on the streets. While our EFC is already 0, I still was not approved for the Cal grant, even though my GPA is 3.6. I just would like to be free from my parents to be able to break all communication with them. </p>
<p>And I do not live with them now, nor will I ever. The problem with their tax information is I had to have four notarized letters, one from my father, one from my mother, one from the person who my father lives with, and one from the apartment manager my mother lives with to prove that they are separated. My father has no income and has never filed taxes, which has enabled me from getting financial aid thus far. The person he lives with also refused to sign a notarized letter because he did not want involvement in my fathers life, so I ended up offering him $100 if he would sign the letter and he eventually agreed. These tasks may not sound like a lot, but they are very difficult to get done because my parents are so irresponsible.</p>
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<p>I think that there is now a form that you can get from the IRS as documentation that your father did not file taxes. The follow-up question is that if he does not work or has any income, how does he eat everyday/ If your father collects SSD/SSI, public assistance, etc, then you will need a copy of his budget or award letter as documentation of his source of income.</p>
<p>I understand your situation because mine is almost the exact same. My parents both make very little money, are separated, and my mom kicked me out halfway through my senior year partially because she couldn’t afford me and partially because of our disagreements.</p>
<p>My high school counselor was SURE I’d get an independent override, but when I applied for one at a state school, they denied me.</p>
<p>Now I’m 21, will be 22 by the time the FAFSA comes around January 1st, and I’ve been living on my own supporting myself 100% for the past 4 years-ish. I’m trying to go back to school, but when I came on here, whoever the poster is that is a financial aid person told me I would still not qualify. It’s frustrating and in my view, complete BS that someone independent and trying to further their life through education is unable to do so because their parents aren’t being good parents, but it’s life.</p>
<p>In my situation, I slowly began talking to my mom again (reluctantly) and she agreed to give me her tax return this coming year. Well, she’ll have made under $31K and I’ll be getting the automatic zero.</p>
<p>Since your parents are separated (and you have affidavits proving this) then you should only need one tax return and since your dad doesn’t file, work on getting your relationship with your mom enough to at least be able to get a copy of her tax return.</p>
<p>Also, try to look at schools that meet full need, and if you don’t get in any of those schools, apply for scholarships non-stop.</p>
<p>morganmcmurray, your situation sounds like you might fit into the at-risk-of-homelessness category. If you are under 21, you can just check the box on the FAFSA that indicates that status to be considered independent … but most schools will ask you to provide documentation to back that up. The best thing to do is to be proactive. Call the schools you are interested in to ask what documentation they would require.</p>
<p>The difference between this student’s situation & that of other post-ers who have claimed that they are homeless is that THIS student’s PARENTS are homeless … which puts the student in a precarious situation, particularly since those who are allowing the parents to live with them will not welcome the student into their homes.</p>