<p>I have been trying for a while to settle this situation I have with not being able to come up with parent information and now Im at my wits end.</p>
<p>I needed to place parent information on the FAFSA worksheet, however I was unable to obtain any. My mother is deceased and my father is not in my life. I live with my aunt who isnt my legal guardian and I dont know what to do.</p>
<p>I have tried posting here for help, going to many representatives from many places, but nothing at all gives me a clear answer.</p>
<p>I sent a letter to the fafsa student programs in February with the paper fafsa application asking if they can give me independent status, but all I got was an email saying My fafsa was incomplete. I answered no to all the questions that make you Independent, but I also skipped the parent information part so It wont process. :( :( I am so screwd.</p>
<p>I called Fafsa and the colleges I am applied to but they told me to write a letter. Fafsa I guess just rejected my letter and didnt give me independent status! :(</p>
<p>You're in the same boat as me. My parents (OK, just my dad. My mom is a housewife, so she didn't have any financial information to give.) refused to give their financial information to me, so I can't file a FAFSA. It pretty much cuts all of my choices for paying for college IN HALF (moreso, even). But there's nothing I can do about it, and nobody cares, so I'll probably just apply for tens of thousands of dollars in private loans and hope to make the best of it. Which is all I can tell you to do. Sorry :-(</p>
<p>first -- do you have any information on your mother's finances? Did she pass away before Jan 1 of 2005 or after? if it was after, put in the info (even if it is just a best guess). If it was before -- put in zeros where appropriate. </p>
<p>The point is to get it filled out and completed. The FAFSA is a computer document -- it has to have all the blanks filled out. After it is processed -- I am 100% positive you will have questions to answer. But that will get your through the door to the point of giving your answers.</p>
<p>I would fill out the blanks with as much information as you have. for example, if it asked for your mother's name, put it down followed by the word deceased. ex. Smith, Sue - Deceased.</p>
<p>for your dad -- if you know the name, put it. for address put 101 street unknown. etc.</p>
<p>the point is to get the blanks filled out so that it can be processed. fill out the financial info the same. Money in bank today -- $0 (after all, a deceased person doesn't have a bank account).</p>
<p>Let the schools that will be looking at the FAFSA know what you did. they will be getting a notice from FAFSA to verify your information and a heads up on how and why you filled it in the way you did will help.</p>
<p>Computer Document. I sent in the paper one. Can a computer really analyze that completely, I mean come on. Do you think I can send the letter the school instead of fafsa? She before after Jan 2005.</p>
<p>Thank you hsmomstef, that seems like my best bet. There are however alot of blanks to fill? If I get SSI from my mom is there anyway that can be inserted.
Can anyone give me any other suggestions as to getting the fafsa processed and let them ask me the questions later.</p>
<p>I think the real key here is the information on your father. do you know a name? have you had any contact whatsoever in the past 10 years (that seems to be a magic number)? Do you ever recieve any type of support from him? Do you know his address or any information about him?</p>
<p>It is essential that you get the FAFSA completed -- even if you are putting zeros or just guessing at the info. correct it later -- but get it filed before the deadline! This is a government form, so just do the best you can.</p>
<p>Talk to the financial aid office at the school(s) you are applying to. Let them know what you did -- write it all down in a letter. Provide them with documentation: a death certificate for your mother, your birth certificate (proof that you are her child) and a notarized statement regarding the information you have on your father. Several websites I checked all require 2 additional letters from non-family members (they are suggesting pastors, attorneys, teachers) that explain you situation. preempt any questions before they are asked.</p>
<p>You have an unusual situation and you are just going to have to muck through it -- remember that the FA officers are also going to have some problems figuring out how to do this, but they are your best allies.</p>
<p>It seems like you might want to check the "orphan or ward of the court" box on the FAFSA and then explain it later. Again -- the goal is to get the FAFSA filled out.</p>
<p>The only thing I kow about my father is his name. His location and earnings are unknown to me or any of my other relatives. I have actually had contact within the last 2 years but as of now contact is lost and I have no information :( </p>
<p>I was planning on putting the orphan ward of the court box, and later explaining it, but I'm not sure who to explain it to if my letters to FAFSA are disregarded. :( Do I still have enough time to send letters?</p>
<p>I would fill out the FAFSA and put ward of the court. Don't worry about sending your letter to FAFSA -- the individual schools are responsible to verifying the information.</p>
<p>Get together all the proof you have (what I mentioned before -- all official, notarized, etc) and have it ready. Write a letter to each school you are sending the FAFSA to explaining the situation and telling them you have verification material available.</p>
<p>They may also want to know how you have supported yourself this past year -- so be prepared to explain that, with details and dates.</p>
<p>
[quote]
My mother is deceased and my father is not in my life. I live with my aunt who isnt my legal guardian and I dont know what to do
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I am sorry about your situation but I am also a little confused. </p>
<p>Do you collect your mother's ss benefits? Who are the checks mailed to (as they do not get mailed out to minors). </p>
<p>What your aunt can to do is to go to the courts and to have herself appointed your legal guardian. The courts will tell her what paperwork she needs to submit. Then she can file to get your SS benefits from your mother, which will be considered your income. Since she is your guardian and not your adopted parent her income will not be considered for your FA, she can write her statement simply stating that she will supply you with room and board when you are home but she does not have the funds to contribute to your tuition.</p>
<p>You wrote that you are a ward of the court, do you have the documentation to back that up (because you will have to show it).</p>
<p>My aunt does receive the SS benefits, but that hardly matters doesnt it? The problem we are facing is that we dont have enough time to go through the process of ward of the court or of adoption, so we are going to try to get independent status due to unusual circumstances. </p>
<p>No, I am not ward of the court but I am going to submit three letters to try to get Indepedent staus at each of the capuses I have applied for (as suggested by the admissions officer at Cal Poly). Marking both parents deceased was the closest I can get to marking "1 dead and 1 lost".</p>
<p>you have a very unusual situation and you are just going to have to wade through this as best you can. I think you are on the right track.</p>
<p>You have paperwork in and when you are questioned, you can explain the situation fully. I would be happy to read over your essay (it may take me a day or two) just pm it to me.</p>
<p>In the end, it will all work out -- but you are going to have some frustrating experiences until it all gets settled. Just know that going in and understand that busy FA officers encounter far more people trying to game the system than honest students who are stuck in bad situation.</p>
<p>It is not a long drawn out process for your aunt to be named your guardian (actally it can all happen pretty quickly especially since you are old enough to speak for your self). The courts will also provide you with the paperwork you need so you don't have to go through hoops regarding your non-custodial parents.</p>
<p>Part you are half way through the process because the SS administration recognizes your aunt as your guardian and believe me she had to go through a few hoops to make that happen. Overall, this is the "cleanest" way to handle this so you have no problems in the long range because once it is done, it's done (you never know you may one day want to transfer, change schools or attend grad school so take the time go through the process once and be finished). I would suggest contacting the family court as they can tell you what you need to do and they are pretty amenable about listening to your situation and getting you a date on the courts calendar.</p>
<p>Since your father is alive it may be hard for you to get independent status and it could take you even longer to get the paperwork done. If your school ask you to produce a death certifcate for your father it could ruin your chances of getting aid becasue you were less than truthful . I know it can be a headache working through the system, been there done that, both or my parents were deceased, had death certifcates and it was still a drawn out process through the college.</p>
<p>Have you considered talking to your aunt and becoming emancipated?</p>
<p>I am not trying to lie or get away with independent status by marking what I did. I am trying to be considered independent for financial aid purposes becuase that would be the easiest way to do things. It is much to late for my aunt to try to adopt me and if she did it would do me no good whatsoever. I am going to try to get a clear understanding out of the admissions offices before I am asked for death certificates and such.</p>
<p>Your aunt does not have to adopt you and probably from a financial aid point should not because once she becomes your adopted parent, then her income would be used to calculate your FA.</p>
<p>This is an tuff situation for any young adult to be put into ... I hope it all turns out OK. A lot of good advice has been given already .. the only thing I'd add ... if it seems you might get pinched timewise trying to get everything in order taking a gap year or accepting an admission offer and deferring admission might buy you the time to straighten out all the legal paperwork.</p>
<p>Yay! Just to let everyone who posted on my thread know, and for anyone else in my situation: I submitted three letters to the admissions office of the school exlaining my situation. 1 from my councelor, 1 from my aunt, and 1 from myself along with my mothers death certificate and my SSI stuff. They reviewed it and I am getting financial aid for college. The only downside is that I have 5,000 in loans..</p>