Independent student but still claimed as dependent on mother's tax return.

Hi,

So basically I turned 24 this year which makes me an independent student now according to FAFSA. However, the FAFSA application asks me what I filed on my own tax return so I’m not sure what to put down if my mother was the one who filed the tax return. Am I considered single? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Just because someone claims you as a dependent on their tax return doesn’t mean that you can’t file your own tax return; you certainly can (and you should if you had almost any kind of income for that tax year that exceeds a certain amount). Are you working? Do you have income from a job or from investments? Have you sold anything and realized taxable gains?

If your are not married, then you are single. You are supposed to file your own taxes. I am assuming that you worked a little?
Also, being considered independent for FAFSA doesn’t necessarily provide you with more funding.

If YOU didn’t file a 17 tax return (2017 is the tax year for the 2019-2020 FAFSA), then you put down that you didn’t file. Period.

If you didn’t file, you will need to complete a non-filers statement which will document WHY you didn’t file. You need to complete this ASAP.

Your parent can declare you as a dependent…but that really has nith8ng to do with YOU filing your own tax return if you were required to do so.

Did you work in 2017?

Did you receive scholarship money that was in excess of tuition, fees and books?