I will be completing IDOC for several of the schools I’m applying to. I have two biological parents and a noncustodial stepparent, each having filled out the CSS PROFILE. However, my noncustodial stepparent did not file a 2016 federal income tax return. To my knowledge, she was eligible, she just chose not to.
My question is: will my noncustodial stepparent have to file a 2016 tax return before my IDOC is considered complete? Can the non-filer’s statement apply to her? Can I have her file a tax return and upload it to IDOC later on? Should I just leave her off my IDOC and only input the contact info of my biological parents?
For reference, I applied to a college whose priority deadline for submitting documents to IDOC is tomorrow the 22nd. I can upload my biological parents’ documents (or have them upload them) by tomorrow, but my stepparent is unlikely to have a tax return ready by then.
Thanks!
UPDATE: I just inputted all three parents’ info and got access to IDOC. There’s only space for the two biological parents to upload, not the stepparent, at least based on what I see. Have I misunderstood the interface?
IDOC is a school specific feature. Perhaps none of your schools requires a noncustodial stepparent return. (If it is required, a nonfiler statement will work too.)
@AroundHere
A non filers statement will only work IF the person really was not required to file a tax return.
If the stepparent info is used…and the person was required to file a tax return in 2016, this could prove problematic for this student.
Did you noncustodial parent file ‘married filing separately’? If so, that might trigger a response from your schools when they receive that, asking for more information.
It looks like you inputted your parents as if they’re still married to each other.
@mom2collegekids I believe they were inputted as if they’re divorced, as I submitted two separate PROFILE applications (one for each household) and IDOC designates certain documents for the “noncustodial parent.” However, the IDOC interface for me doesn’t seem to distinguish between the noncustodial bio parent and noncustodial stepparent.
It’s also interesting that, at least based on what I did, you don’t actually designate for which parents you’re uploading specific documents, it just uploads them and you’re supposed to title the documents with the name of that particular parent.
Maybe you have some experience with the noncustodial part of IDOC? Did you face the same ambiguities?
The idoc is weird. You upload docs, they look at them and figure out who they are from a few days later. Then they mark various sections as done.
@thumper1 why is it the student’s fault if the taxes are not filed? The IDOC nonfiler statement does require all sources of income to be declared.
The first in line to pay for college is the family. This can include stepparents at some colleges.
That being the case…the taxes need to be filed by all.
@AroundHere
@thumper1 - again, the IDOC nonfiler form does not exempt the stepparent from the requirement to declare their income.
Absolutely. The non-filter statement also will NOT exempt one from needing to file taxes…if they are required to do so.
But if the step parent is married to the ncp, and was exempt from filing, wouldn’t the ncp file married filing jointly to get the extra exemptions?
We have a lot of unknowns here. For all we know…the stepparent wasn’t married to the parent in 2016, but is marrie now. If they are married now, the step parent income needs to be reported for 2016…but the tax filing status if they weren’t married in 2016 could have been single. We don’t know.
Bottom line is…if the step parent was required to file a 2016 tax run and did NOT do so…this has the potential to cause issues at some colleges in terms of financial aid.
So…my suggestion…the stepparent should file their 2016 tax return if they are required to file.
The OP started a bunch of different threads on how schools even consider the step parent…and non-custodial parent.
Each college will tell you what they want submitted. But really…if they require the tax return from the non-custodial parent…and that parent was required to file…then the tax return will need to be filed…and sent.
The non-filet statement is good for those not required to file. The person actually indicates why the didn’t file.
“I didn’t feel like filing” is NOT one of the reasons.
@thumper1 I agree that there could be trouble with the IRS if filing is required, but wondering if the student could still get aid.
@AroundHere
I think the policies of the colleges will be the consideration. If they require the step parent tax return, and he or she doesn’t have one…the application could very well be viewed as incomplete for institutional aid purposes.
Schools like to have ALL of the information they require before processing need based institutional aid packages.
I mean really…what if it’s a college that does use step parent income in the formula…and that stepparent has income? That income needs to be reported…and the tax return would verify the accuracy of what they report. That’s why the schools ask for these forms.