<p>Hi,</p>
<p>My parents separated in July, but the divorce has not been finalized yet. My dad is self-employed and has a siding and guttering business. However, my mom currently owns 51% of it. The corporation will be dissolved after the divorce is finalized.</p>
<p>My mom only makes about $40,000 a year, but if the business income is factored in, our income goes up to $81,000.</p>
<p>I'm applying to Colby College and the FAFSA deadline was today. The FAFSA asked only for my mom's income, but because she owns 51% of the business, she included its income. And our EFC is $19,000. My mom was hoping to keep it under 10K. </p>
<p>I tried to email someone, but I never got a response, so I don't even know if she was supposed to list the business income. We're not going to be able to depend on it for much longer.</p>
<p>Can we make changes to the FAFSA if someone gets back with us? I'm afraid that including it completely messed up our aid chances. </p>
<p>Please help!</p>
<p>Yes, you must include the business income. In addition you must file the profile so either way the business income will have to be listed. Colby states while they do not ask for non-custodial forms in the initial financial aid process, they may be required later in the process. While they may not have the non-custodial profile, they may ask for your father’s income and assets using their own forms (which they probably will since they are separated and not divorced).</p>
<p>Your fafsa most likely is going to be changed once the data is retrieved from the IRS (which your mom will have to file married, filing separate.)</p>
<p>If your circumstances will be much different next year, a gap year might be your best bet.</p>
<p>This is just a question. Does the OP’s mom report all of the income or only 51% of the income or is it how the income was actually distributed. I would think for assets of the business, if any, it would only be 51%.</p>
<p>It sounds like your mom included all of the business income. She should have only included half of it.</p>