<p>Here's the deal: I'm a sophomore that applied for finaid at UNC by the priority deadline. Then the office asks me to send in some additional forms (mom's tax return). I get an email back (in July, geesh) saying its incomplete because my mom filed her return as HOH and not as married (she remarried last year). So I turn in my mom's amended tax return and my stepfather's amended tax return (because his tax preparer filed him as single not as married, filing separately). I send in those documents to this woman who worked for the student aid office. She said she would attach an email I sent her about my special circumstances about my stepfather (who takes care of his parents) to my application file for aid. I send those documents on Aug.8th. </p>
<p>I hear nothing from the aid office or her at all, so I try emailing her, asking her if everything is alright. The university email system says she no longer works at UNC. This infuriates me because I don't know (or I'm pretty sure) that those documents didn't get through to processing so I can get an aid package. This was about 2 days ago. I decided to send the required documents to another applications coordinator, who actually emails me the next day saying my file is finally complete. Yes, finally some great news. </p>
<p>Not so much.</p>
<p>I received my aid package yesterday and they basically are giving me $5000 for the whole year, $4000 that is a loan. UNC costs abut $7000 each semester, so this is not good news. MY EFC was about $15000. Last year it was about 240. My mom makes about $40000 and my stepdad makes about $50000. My mom nor my stepdad can't afford this (his income goes towards his parents, while both of them have extremely bad credit and are also trying to buy a house). Classes are almost about to start and I still haven't paid my tuition, housing and fees yet (which my invoice says are due on the 13th of Nov.). </p>
<p>I do not want to drop out of Carolina. but I am not sure what I should do. Its so late in the finaid process that I fear they won't be able to fix this. I'm going to the Office tomorrow to try to see if I can fix, but I want to know what other forum members think of this and tell me what I should do.</p>
<p>P.S. My dad is a retired Marine of 20+ years. Do you think he could use some of his GI Bill to help me pay for college? Is it too late to get loans?</p>
<p>The total family income of $90,000 is likely what is your issue. This seems to me like it would generate a family contribution in the $15K range. </p>
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<p>When doing this, your mom didn’t include your stepdad’s income at all on the tax return…and likely didn’t do so on the FAFSA either (or the Profile). The school was REQUIRED to flag this and require the correction. </p>
<p>UNC-CH also uses the CSS Profile which means the incomes/assets of your mom/stepdad AND your dad would be considered when your application for financial need was calculated.</p>
<p>thumper- I know it doesn’t make much of a dent, but can’t the OP take out at least the full Stafford loan of 6500 for a sophomore? Or is there a reason why they would only offer the OP $4k in loans?</p>
<p>To answer the question of retired military benefits, it really depends on when he retired. Those who have retired in recent years have an education benefit that can be passed to family members. Do a web search for GI Bill, Family Member, Education.</p>
<p>On the positive side, it’s truly wonderful to have an excellent in-state option for such a great price. UNC is one of the best deals in the country.</p>
<p>Its just really frustrating and annoying to get my aid package so late (on Saturday) when had everything been done right and fast, I would have gotten this package in the summer and I would have had time to pick and get a loan to cover the rest of the expenses. The fact that I got about $1000 for this year is just shocking to me because I basically got a full ride last year. </p>
<p>So an update: I deferred my charges so I will have until October to pay the charges off. I am also debating whether or not I should cancel my meal plan, so I don’t have to pay as much in my bill. What should I do?</p>
<p>That is the problem, you had not done everything right. Both your mother and your stepfather misrepresented themselves on their tax forms and the school is obligated to verify the tax information, especially when giving out federal aid. Your mother was married, never had head of household status and your stepfather was not single. They both should have filed married, filing separate.</p>
<p>If you did the same thing last year, and they did an audit on your account, you will end up owing Carolina the aid that they gave you last year</p>
<p>I should have reiterated that had my mother and stepfather done their taxes right, I wouldn’t be in this situation. Both of them (who married in October of 2010) were used to filing the way that they did. In no way was I trying to suggest this was Carolina’s fault. ;)</p>
<p>unfortunately, you would have still been in this situation. </p>
<p>Financial aid for school year 2010-2011 is based on 2009 income. In 2009, your mom was unmarried. </p>
<p>Financial aid for 2011-2012 is based on income and assets for 2010. Your mom got married in 2010, so now the school is looking at the income and assets of both her and your stepfather. Even though they did do their taxes incorrectly (which they will have to work out with the IRS), the fact still remains that your mom and stepdad had a combined income of 90,000. This is why your new EFC is 15,000 when last year you were Pell eligible using just your mom’s income.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, in the school’s eyes, they do not care if your stepdad says that he uses his money to take care of his parents. They look at your family’s ability to pay as evidenced by their income and assets.</p>
<p>Are we talking about the same situation? If we are not, the situation I’m talking about now is not the fact that I got a horrible aid package, but the time that it was released to me (2 days ago). Had my parents filed their taxes correctly, the office would not have made me tell my mom and my stepdad to go amend their taxes and send them back to the financial aid office. It was not my fault that they filed their taxes incorrectly. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t be in this situation where classes are almost here and I’m scrambling to find a loan to cover the rest of the bill before the due date. Had I got my package in the summer like the rest of students, I wouldn’t be in the same situation. </p>
<p>And they actually deemed my stepfather’s situation as a special circumstance and attached it to my file (I went to the office today). Hopefully that clarifies things up. :)</p>
<p>The reason your package was released to you so late was because the school could not complete your file until your mom and step dad amended their returns. The school is required by law to pay attention to filing status on the tax return. You obviously included your step dad in the household size, so the school then had conflicting information … a head of household tax return for a married parent. The school was required to collect amended returns in order to process your aid. Your mom did not have to amend her return - although she most certainly was wise to do so, since she filed incorrectly & could have been caught in a future audit - but if she did not amend her return, you would have received 0 aid. So while it was not YOUR fault that this was an issue, it WAS your mom’s fault … even if it was not intentional … and you are a dependent student, so that impacted your aid.</p>
<p>You didn’t get your aid package in the summer because you needed to submit additional information in order for your aid to be completed. Aid officers would love to get everyone’s aid ready as early as possible, but they are required to follow the regulations.</p>