Married but filed as single??

Paying for College
1

So I got legally married In August and I want to file for FAFSA for 2020-2021. This isn’t my first time applying for Fafsa…
so I’m not working and All I would need is a non filing and my mothers 2018 tax return and I still live with my mom as of today cause I’m going to school and my husband is living in Virginia in the Navy.
Would it be a problem if I file as single? Would I be able to be eligible for it or will FAFSA find out I’m married??
If I file as married can I still be eligible?? What should I do?

2

You have no choice. You must indicate on FAFSA that you are married. Yes, you are still eligible to submit a FAFSA. Since you are married, none of your mother’s information will be included… but you will need information from your husband.

3

Yes it would…because you would be dishonest saying you are single. It is fraud (that’s a crime…look it up) to get financial aid and especially federally funded aid by knowingly providing inaccurate and dishonest information.

You are married. You can’t pretend you are single for financial aid purposes, or tax purposes, or anything else.

4

You would indicate on the 2020/21 FAFSA that you are married. Then you would report what you and your husband earned in 2018.

If you didn’t have income and didn’t file a 2018 tax return, then be prepared to get a “verification of nonfiling letter” for yourself from the IRS.

You cannot use the DRT in the FAFSA since you didn’t have a married filing joint tax return last year, and will have to get information of your husband’s income from his 2018 tax return.

He will have to get a tax transcript most likely as well.

Your combined assets will need to be reported as of the day you file FAFSA.

Your mom’s income won’t play a role, you became independent for FAFSA by getting married.

5

Wait – she was married in 2019, but she has to report her husband’s income from 2018, even though they were not married at the time?

6

^^Yes.

7

Yes, because the base year is used to determine current financial ability … and since OP is now married & must include spouse income, the spouse’s base year income is used.

8

You need put truthful and accurate information on your FAFSA. In fact, being married is actually a good thing anyway. You’re considered an independent student and you qualify for more financial aid.

9

@CountingDown marital status is as of the day the financial aid forms are filed. And yes…if she is currently married, she is required to indicate so on the forms as well as provide her spouse’s income from 2018.

10

Thanks for the info – wow!