<p>We have been legal guardians for our nephew (a high school senior) for the past 18 months. He was in foster care for the year prior to our guardianship. On the FAFSA, he qualifies as an independent student with an EFC of zero. </p>
<p>Neither the FAFSA nor the CSS profile required filing of the guardians' federal tax return. But today, Bates College asked us for our federal tax return, saying that it was relevant to the amount of institutional aid they would grant.</p>
<p>Has this happened to anyone else? I don't understand how our income is relevant to the situation because it is not part of EFC or CSS. Any recommendations? None of the other colleges he's applied to have requested this. We've already put 4 daughters through college and cannot afford to put this nephew and his two younger brothers, of whom we also have custody, through as well since we're in our late 50's!</p>
<p>I would call and talk to someone higher up on the financial aid food chain than the person answering the phone. Maybe they do not understand that this is an independent student…no parents.</p>
<p>Thanks…I was going to call in the a.m. The person I was emailing with today was definitely aware that he is an independent student, and twice told me that doesn’t matter and that they need the income tax returns for the legal guardians.</p>
<p>The thing…the legal guardian has no responsibility for these students once they reach the age of 18, I believe. NONE…not financial or anything else. I believe that is correct.</p>
<p>Idk, but if that’s what they require in order to distribute their institutional aid, do you really have a choice? Has he been accepted yet? Perhaps they’re on the fence if they’re not need-blind for admissions and want to see if he will have the family support to attend if their policy is to require a significant student contribution…I’m sure some kids with a history of foster care/guardianship would find that a big burden if they need that money to live on because they no longer have a family home. Just guessing at this point…please tell us what the end result is!</p>
<p>Bates can do whatever it wants with its institutional aid. This is the first I have heard of asking for the info of an automatically independent student … but they can certainly do so. I would definitely ask about this policy. If YOU are expected to contribute, you may wish to reconsider Bates as an option.</p>
<p>Thanks for the opinions. He has not been accepted at Bates yet, so it may well be that they’re checking to see if he has additional funding before they decide whether or not to accept him. I am realistic, and realize that institutions can only accept a finite number of kids with 0 EFC even when they say that admissions are need-blind (something I’ve never quite believed anyway!) At least he’s already got one full-ride financial aid offer in hand :)</p>
<p>The website doesn’t say they’re need blind, so my guess is that they’re not and that that’s what’s coming into play here. The Common App requires basic info (name, education, job) about a guardian, so my guess is that they spotted that my husband is a lawyer and think they can get us to fund some of our nephew’s education without regard to the fact that we’ve already put 4 daughters through college with zero financial aid and are now in our late 50’s needing the next 10 years to save for retirement. These 3 nephews weren’t in our financial planning, but sometimes life brings you challenges/opportunities that you just can’t walk away from :)</p>
<p>What it will come down to in a couple months is which school gives him the best financial aid package. If Bates takes your income into consideration and doesn’t give him good aid, your nephew will go elsewhere.</p>
<p>Stupid on Bates’ part, but at least your nephew has another option - with a full ride :)</p>
<p>I dont know if it is stupid or not on Bates’ part. They have to allocate the limited money they have. </p>
<p>Thumper, as to legal guardian not having responsiblity for the kids, FAFSA (and CSS) asks for information of step-parents, who also have no legal responsiblity.</p>
<p>I think all this points out is the importance of getting forms in as early as possible, and not locking yourself into one college.</p>
<p>I just spoke to Bates and they said that it is just one piece of the puzzle. They gave me the example that if Bill Gates were the guardian, they would expect him to pay. But, they did tell me that they did not expect guardians to take the place of the parents (e.g. by recalculating the EFC with the guardians’ income), and they also said I could attach a letter explaining the extenuating circumstances (that we’ve already put 4 kids through college with the last 2 graduating this June!, that we’re in our late 50’s and need to save for retirement, that we’ve taken custody of 3 nephews - not just this one - and the youngest boy will not reach college until we are 65) So, I came away from the conversation thinking that IF he’s accepted, we may be expected to contribute some limited amount, but that it would not be as much as I would have feared.</p>
<p>Apples and oranges Kay. Step parents have MARRIED into the family. Presumably they are contributing to the living expenses of the family thus easing the financial burden on the biological parent. Legal guardians are sometimes not family members AT ALL.</p>
<p>Catie33 – just wanted to say that I am thankful that you took your nephews in – not an easy thing to do when you’ve already raised a brood and might have been looking forward to an empty nest. I’m sure it makes a huge difference in their lives.</p>
<p>Thanks for the positive words. We were empty nesters for 1 year and it was sweet while it lasted These 3 boys are really great kids despite all they’ve been through in their short lives…they deserved a hand up. Let’s just hope colleges see their fortitude and resilience!</p>
<p>I asked this in another thread. I am the person with the legal guardian. As I stated in that thread, my guardian cannot legally continue to claim me on the tax return after this year so I do not understand how they can even ask for it, but they are. My guardian owns a small sole proprietership and she told me she takes an extension every year so her taxes are not filed until August. She can do one now and then amend later on, but she doesn’t want to even give this information. Suppose she gives one now and then they ask for more later on? I turn 18 soon. When does her obligation to give documentation end?</p>
<p>The thing that freaks me out is that if they decide that my legal guardian can give 5k or even 1k or even $500 and withholds that amount of aid from me, 1) my guardian is not going to give it and b) I don’t have it. The other thing is that she may not give the information in the first place. So then what do I do? I’m totally freaked out about this.</p>
<p>Ready2011 – can you and your guardian make an appointment for a conference call/speakerphone call with a financial aid officer at the school to discuss the matter?</p>
<p>I hope the situation works out for you. My advice would be to look for another school that does not require this information of your guardian. My nephew (for whom I’m guardian) applied to 15 schools just to make sure he would get one with as much financial aid as possible. Of those 15 schools, only 1 asked for information from us. I agree with you fully about the role of a guardian. While we clearly will still be home for our nephew and continue to support him in whatever way we can, we will no longer get social security money to help offset his expenses nor will we be able to claim him on our taxes. So, how can “the system” have it both ways? If they expect us to contribute to college costs, then we should at least get the benefits on the other end…benefits other than his smiling face that is :)</p>
These 3 boys are really great kids despite all they’ve been through in their short lives…they deserved a hand up. Let’s just hope colleges see their fortitude and resilience!</p>