<p>OK, here's the scenario, my daughter wants to apply for Fafsa. I am single and have never been married. Her father is married but his wife left the country years ago and they were never divorced. I have lived with this man for 24 years. We live in California where common law marriage is not recognized. What do I put down as her parents marital status ? And who's financial info do I use?</p>
<p>Are you saying that you live with her biological father? How do you file your income taxes? I think how you do that would determine how you do FAFSA.
Did I ansawer this already somewhere else?</p>
<p>I THINK SHE means she lives w/her significant other. So you just report your income and put down single.</p>
<p>Hm, mother and father of college student have lived together for 24 years and he's still technically married to someone else. Okay fine, I have no problem with that. </p>
<p>I would put single and include his income. IMO, not doing that is cheating (even if it's not technically illegal)</p>
<p>He files single,I file single and our daughter files single. Before our daughter started working, HE used to file head of household.</p>
<p>Oh, and yes he is her biological father.</p>
<p>sueinphilly, why would she put HIS income on the FAFSA if they aren't married...that seems incorrect to me. She would put single and put her income I think. CCS/profile if to me would include his income since he's the biological father.</p>
<p>You're not married, so you put down single.</p>
<p>In situations where parents were never married (to each other), in a state that does not recognize common-law marriages, you follow the rules for divorced or separated parents.</p>
<p>In a divorce situation the student would ordinarily only report the information for the parent with whom he/she lived most during the last 12 months. If the student lived with both parents for an equal amount of time during the last 12 months, the student reports only the information about the parent who provided the most financial support during the last 12 months.</p>
<p>See the FAFSA instructions that Swimcatsmom posted in another thread, page 51 for more.</p>
<p>I wonder how Swimcatsmom would answer this question.
Seems unfair to me. Isn't there the question as to who else would be contributing to the child's finances? especially if if filed head of household previously.</p>
<p>I agree with sblake. Since both biological parents reside in the same home, the parent who makes the most is going to be considered to be the one who provided the most financial support.</p>
<p>Tax return filing status really doesn't matter, especially since they both reside in the same home and are both biological parents to the child in question.</p>
<p>OK, so let me get this straight. I check the single box, fill out the info on both mother and father, then submit tax info on whoever made the most money, right?</p>
<p>You would only list the person who made the most money. Depending on policy, the lower wage earner may not qualify as a person in the household. (Some schools do not allow significant others to be included unless it is clear that the main person is supporting the lower wage earner by 50% or more).</p>
<p>I said to put his income because I assumed the father made more money than the mother. That could be an incorrect assumption. </p>
<p>When it asks the number of parents, you would be putting 1, not 2. I could be wrong, but if you put 2 parents, I would think the fafsa would expect you to put the income of mom and dad.</p>
<p>Ok. Got it. Thank you soooo much everyone for helping me!</p>
<p>I'm still confused though. The application specifically asks for mothers name and fathers name. and how many in the household. And also what tax form you will be filing. Since we both file seperate, our forms are very different. He has to claim capital gains and I do not.</p>
<p>I'm single, I don't list the father. If you tell it there is one parent, you only list one person's info.</p>
<p>If the student's parents aren't married, and you don't want to list both of you , you should be putting the person who provides the most financial support.</p>
<p>Who is considered a parent?</p>
<p>If your parents are both living and married to each other, answer the questions about both of them.
If your parents are living together and have not been formally married but meet the criteria in their state for a common-law marriage, they should report their status as married on the application. If the state does not consider their situation to be a common-law marriage, then you should follow the rules for divorced parents. Check with the appropriate state agency concerning the definition of a common-law marriage.</p>
<p>If your parents are divorced (or separated—see below for more information), answer the questions about the parent you lived with more during the 12 months preceding the date you complete the FAFSA. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the 12 months preceding the date you complete the FAFSA, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent. If this parent has remarried as of the date you fill out the FAFSA, answer the questions on the remaining sections of the FAFSA about that parent and the person he or she married (your stepparent).</p>
<p>The FAFSA is designed for two-parent households. You would just leave the lower wage earner's information off of the form. Select single, fill in either the mother or father's name and information, and then use that person's tax information. On the household question, count the parent whose tax information was used, the student, and any other dependent children that reside in the home. You can check with the institution(s) your child will be attending to see if they will allow the lower wage earner to be counted as being in the household. If so, then that person would be counted for the household question but nothing else.</p>
<p>Agree with NikkiL.</p>
<p>There are lots of permutations to the "Parent" issue these days. This seems to be what the instructions require. Whether that's fair, or right, or makes sense, is another issue.</p>
<p>NikkiL, if the mother was never married to the live-in biological parent shouldn't the OP use her name, her tax information and her income...I'm assuming she is legally the custodial parent? If they share custody, then I could see where she would use the biological father's name, tax form and income on the FAFSA...but if not, then shouldn't it be her rightfully?</p>
<p>It's a matter of what is right I would think.NikkiL is saying that the higher paid persons information should be use. They are living together with the daughter so they do share custody in the practical sense of the word.</p>