<p>One of my schools requested my legal guardian's tax return. As she has contributed to more than half my support she will take me as a deduction this year on her tax return. She is under no obligation to provide them, but the school said they will not finalize my financial aid without it. Even if my legal guardian were a millionaire (not. barely scraping by) would she be obligated to give me financial support in school because the school said she earns enough money?</p>
<p>For federal aid purposes, there is no expectation of financial support from a legal guardian. An individual school, however, may have an expectation that the guardian should provide support.</p>
<p>There is never an <em>obligation</em> to provide financial support, even for a parent. However, that does not mean that the school will not expect it … it is the parent’s/guardian’s choice whether or not to provide it. If there is a financial expectation that the parent/guardian cannot or chooses not to meet, the student may need to find a more affordable school.</p>
<p>When schools are giving out their own money(institutional aid) they can set whatever policies they want as far as who to give the aid to and how much.</p>
<p>I know that but a legal guardian is not the same as a parent. If they said to my dad, when he was alive, you need to give her 25k, he would have done it. If they said to my legal guardian, you need to give her 1k a year, she’s not going to do that. Her obligation ends on my 18th birthday whereas many divorced parents have stipulations to help pay for their children’s college until age 23. In other cases, the student is NOT eligible to be considered independent therefore the parents must provide documentation.</p>
<p>I am an independent student and after this year will receive no support from anyone nor will I be a deduction on anyone’s return (I assume that is unlike parents of college aged kids). She’s not going to be able to deduct my educational expenses because I am not a legitimate deduction after this year. She’s going to provide them (she doesn’t make a lot of money) but I am nervous that there will be an expectation for her to give money she doesn’t have and doesn’t feel obligated to give.</p>
<p>If this school does expect her to contribute, then you have to look at schools that don’t expect her to. Legal obligations have nothing to do with it. Since she doesn’t make a lot of money it may not affect your aid at all. They just need proof rather than your word. All you can do is wait and see and make sure you have other options.</p>
<p>There was another poster with the same situation yesterday. Bates College requested the tax returns of a legal guardian. That guardian was going to call Bates and inquire about this request. I would suggest you do the same.</p>