Your eldest DD will NOT be using YOUR info on FAFSA, no matter what some court order says about you helping pay for college. You could be a millionaire, and your info will NOT be on her FAFSA. So, yes, it will get ignored.
I think on your eldest DD’s FAFSA, she might have to list the amount that you’re paying towards her college…not sure, @kelsmom can chime in. If so, and if you had to pay $5k, then $5k would get included. We’ll find out from @kelsmom She’s a FA officer or a former one.
However, if eldest DD were to attend a CSS school that requires NCP info, then your income will count.
She lives with your ex, and that’s the income that will be used.
@kelsmom can chime in here. I don’t know if your other kids can “count” eldest DD as “being in your household,” and “being in college,” since she doesn’t live with you and her FAFSA will have her bio dad’s info on it.
I find it hard to believe that FAFSA would truly ignore the income of a non-custodial parent (of course dd is 21 so this sounds odd, nobody has custody of her per say)- especially if said parent makes WAY more money-- wouldn’t that make it awfully easy to game the system?
It is odd that the FAFSA form doesn’t seem to contemplate this type of situation- I don’t think it is all that unusual for a non-custodial parent with more income to be obligated to pay for college. I would think it is extremely relevant that I have to pay for all those college tuitions.
She is about to move out on her own (well with her boyfriend- also a student), she works AND goes to school right now-- so THEN how would the FAFSA be filled out? So confusing!
“If you obligated due to a divorce what are the terms?”
My apologies! I cannot figure out how to ‘quote’-- I am obligated to pay for tuition, room, board, books, fees… for 4 years of college - limit is up to the cost of attendance for the state university in the state we were divorced for each of my 3 biological daughters. They are now 21, 16 and 15… my step children are both in college right now.
Your daughter living with her father is required to report any money that you contribute for her education, but she does not report the income or assets of the non-custodial parent (that would be you).
How should you do what? Read the FAFSA instructions. If you have a specific question about a particular item, ask away. There are plenty of experts here eager to help.
Like I quoted above if student lives with neither parent then the one who provides the most support in the previous year is the parent for FAFSA.
The court order might say that you have to pay the whole cost of attendance but if child would get merit or grants then you would only have to pay the rest, correct?
Yes, please @kelsmom comment on the accuracy of this.
From my understanding I believe your ex will file FAFSA for older D and include his income only.
I don’t think support paying for college from a parent has to be included unless it’s child support income.
Then your husband will file FAFSA for his kids and your income will be included and your kids that you pay more than half of their support can be included in household size and number of students in college.
Then you will file FAFSA for your D at MSU and your other D who is a senior and include yours and your husband’s info and then all kids that you and he support more than 50% will be included in household size and number in college.
This is not accurate. “Money received or paid on a student’s behalf” is reported on item 45.j. This includes “money that [the student] received from a parent whose financial information is not reported on this form and that is not part of a legal child support agreement.”
@BelknapPoint – Oh I read them but it isn’t clear to me at all. If she gets any aid, then I only pay the difference of course yes. To date I haven’t PAID anything really as I had a 529 for her- I mean I saved the money but you get what I am saying, I have been paying the tuition etc. out of the 529. But that has now run out and this is all coming into play.
Now I guess when she moves out-- then I would be providing most financial support on the very fact that I am the one writing the check for tuition this semester (Spring 2016 which is due in December). So perhaps it will be more clear this way (when she doesn’t live with her father OR with me).
@mommdc --My oldest 21- is in college, the next two are step children - both in college, the next one is a junior in HS, we are starting to look for colleges, the youngest a sophomore and right on her heels!
So I wonder if the college amount I must pay is considered ‘part of a legal child support agreement’
When your other biological daughters (currently 15 and 16) are in college, they might be using their bio dad’s info on FAFSA and not yours if they spent more overnights with dad than you while “home” from college in the 12 months prior to the day the FAFSA is submitted.
@Madison85 Conceivably yes- but someone will have to pay for their transportation ‘home’ - we live in different states (the ex and I), so it will be interesting to see how THAT plays out. Once they are 18, I no longer have to provide money for transportation to his place as the visitation agreement will be expired.
I will provide the money for them to come visit me (or come home whatever you call it as they live with me and my husband) but if he wants them to come to his place he will have to provide that transportation money.
For the 529 it might depend on who the account owner is, not sure.
If your older D is not yet moved out then the rule which parent she lived with most the year before FAFSA gets filed still applies. If she is almost done with college it might not make a difference.