<p>I have a sister who is the same age as I am, and whom I am including in the household size. But I also have two younger sibling that live with their father, and who is their primary caregiver. So do I include them in the household size for my mother's information on the FAFSA?</p>
<p>If you live with your mother you do not count your siblings who live with their father</p>
<p>Well, they might be part of your mom’s household if she provides more than 50% of their support…unusual, but not unheard of! Question 72 of FAFSA is explained in the detailed instructions as follows (pay particular attention to the third bullet point and the last paragraph):</p>
<p>
Number in parents’ household. Enter the number of family members in your parents‘ household.
<p> Your parents (the ones whose information is reported on the FAFSA).</p>
<p> Your parents’ other children, if your parents will provide more than half of their support from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 or if the other children could answer ―No‖ to every question in Questions 45-57.</p>
<p> Your parents’ unborn child, if that child will be born before July 1, 2012 and your parents will provide more than half of the child‘s support through the end of the 2011-2012 award year (June 30, 2012). (If there is a medical determination of a multiple birth, then all expected children can be included.)</p>
<p> Other people (including your children and/or your unborn child due before July 1, 2012), if they live with and receive more than half of their support from your parents at the time of application and will continue to receive that support from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012.</p>
<p>To determine whether to include children in the household size, the ―support‖ test is used (rather than a residency requirement) because there may be situations in which a parent supports a child who does not live with the parent, especially in cases where the parent is divorced or separated. In such cases, the parent who provides more than half of the child‘s support may claim the child in his or her household size. It does not matter which parent claims the child as a dependent for tax purposes. If your parent receives benefits (such as Social Security or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families [TANF] payments) in the child‘s name, these benefits must be counted as parental support to the child.
</p>
<p><a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/2011-12CTF.pdf[/url] ”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/2011-12CTF.pdf</a></p> ;
<p>Thank you, this cleared things up.</p>