<p>One of my friends had told me that his father wanted him to get married [as a sham] before applying to colleges because he would then be qualified as an independent. Do private colleges typically give out a great deal more of financial aid to students' whose status is 'married'? I'm assuming that if you are classified as an independent, the school/FAFSA/CSS wouldn't need your parents financial information, and your income would be so low that it would qualify you to receive a lot of aid.</p>
<p>well, doesn't that mean you would have to file taxes jointly with someone? hmm, that seems so complicated but wow, I haven't though of that....</p>
<p>You are independent as a married person. But college finaid folks are not fools. If you submit the FAFSA and (if needed) the Profile, and your income is not substantial enough to cover your living expenses (say you earn $3000 at a summer job and $2000 during the year), the college will likely "inquire" how you were able to pay ALL of your bills (because that is what independent students do) on your vary limited income. Sure...it is possible to get more finaid this way...but buyer beware!!</p>
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One of my friends had told me that his father wanted him to get married [as a sham]
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<p>What an awful thing for a parent to suggest! I am appalled in so many ways. It is completely immoral to the person you are "marrying" and to the whole idea of marriage. So many people in our day and age are fighting for the civil right to marry and here you are suggesting that someone do it as a sham. THAT is what should be illegal. The student in question should get a job. Should apply to schools that s/he can afford. Should try to figure it out in a responsible way. Don't game the system in any way. It will catch up with you, whether you believe in karma or whether the financial and legal system will catch up. Etc. Etc.</p>
<p>morals and ethics aside, let's look at it from a purely practical viewpoint in terms of FA.</p>
<p>To begin with, being married does make you independent in terms of FAFSA. FAFSA schools generally have limited aid to begin with (usually just federal and state funding) so it is unlikely to mean that the student will get a ton of money. It might be worth ~$6000 at a state flagship school if the student went from an EFC greater than the cost of attendance to $0.</p>
<p>Private schools, those using Profile/their own forms, can still require parental income and asset information is they so choose -- so unless the student is sincerely married and the couple are supporting themselves, it won't help (and will probably just **** them off).</p>
<p>Thumper is exactly correct -- when the student files the FA paperwork, they will have to list the assets and income of both husband and wife. They will ask for an explanation of how the couple were able to support themselves during the previous year (you need to be married when you file -- so you have to get married in January/February to meet most priority deadlines).</p>
<p>You also have to declare any bills paid on your behalf -- so you have to include money given to you from mom and dad.</p>
<p>When I attended a local community college and also at our local state college, they are very stringent about this requirement. From newly married couples and from people who show an very low income, they require receipts for rent payment, utilities, and bank statements. If they live at home, they include a typical rent/utilities payment into the income. They check health insurance payments, groceries, car, etc. </p>
<p>On top of that, the income protection allowance for a young married couple is very low -- so if you truly do earn enough to support yourselves you will most likely have a very high EFC. </p>
<p>As far as private colleges -- if you want the typical 4 year college experience, it is pretty hard to get that while married. Just about no one is married as a freshman (kids who marry that early for real usually work and attend a locall college/CC part-time). You can't live in the dorms (and if married housing is available, it is often reserved for graduate students).</p>
<p>While it may seem like a option to consider, you are unlikely to come out more than ~$5000 ahead of what you would have normally gotten, you will have restricted your options as far as housing and participating in college (can't really join a frat if you are married), and you most likely won't see any advantage unless you attend a state college as an in-state student.</p>
<p>It hardly seems worth it to me if it is just a sham marriage. Probably easier to just get a job and earn the money.</p>
<p>^^^ Good post. In addition, student must be married ON THE DAY FAFSA is filed. She can't go back & change it if she gets married at any point after the FAFSA is filed for that year.</p>
<p>I actually witnessed a couple asking a financial aid officer about that a few weeks ago. He wanted to amend his FAFSA due to his upcoming marriage. When he was told that he would have to wait until NEXT year to file as independent because he's already filed & was not married at the time ... he pointed to his fiancee & stated that she had filed as independent because she knew she was getting married that summer ...and the school gave her great aid. Boy, did that cause a ruckus!!!</p>
<p>Good points. Applying as a married student works only if you are married on the day you filed FAFSA and you cannot revise after you filed. So you can file the following year as a married student. At that point, both your spouse's incomes and assets have to be listed. If your school is a FAFSA only school, the chances are good that it does not provide 100% of need. All you are guaranteed is government monies which comes down to the Pell grant. IF your college has SEOGH funds AND IF it deems you to be one of those that can get some of those funds, you MAY get some that money. You may also be eligible for subsidized loans.that you could not get with your parents' income in the picture. Being married may put you at the bottom of the list for housing in terms of dorm rooms and put you in a more expensive housing pool. </p>
<p>If your college is a PROFILE school or one that uses its own forms, it will want not just your income and your spouses, but your parents' financial information as well as your spouse's parents' info. This is an issue many married grad/prof students face if they come from well to do or middle income families that are done with paying for their children's education. Many married students time their marriage to make sure it does NOT complicate their aid situation. One of our friends was outraged and upset that her D's grad school still wants parents financial info though she is now over age 24. Yes, she is independent, but when it comes to private schools' money, they can ask for whatever info they want and use whatever guidelines they choose before they give aid. You can do the numbers and see what you get as a married student vs single. But you might need to an awful lot of number crunching and get a lot of info from more people, such as your spouse and family. Not sure they would want to go along such a sham. Do remember that morals aside, FAFSA is a federal form and taking federal money under a ruse can cause you a lot of trouble.</p>