<p>My parents have been divorced since I was 8 and I haven't lived with my father since 2007.
I received his 2010 income tax return from him and he claimed me as a dependent even though I haven't lived with him in 4 years.
I live with my mother who hasn't worked since 2004 and is not required to file an income tax return. When I filled out my FASFA and CSS Profiles I provided her information. </p>
<p>I'm a 21 year old transfer student and I applied to Northwestern, Georgetown, UNC Chapel Hill and UVA. </p>
<p>I'm furious that my father claimed me on his income tax return and I don't want to go to a school that gives me more than $5000 in loans. He makes around $75k/year.</p>
<p>It's going to be unlikely that I get into Northwestern or Georgetown but now with him claiming me on his tax return I think that'll stop me from attending those schools even if I did get accepted.</p>
<p>At UVA I think it'll be a similar situation because they say they expect the non-custodial parent to make a contribution and the fact that he lied and claimed me on his tax return will make it impossible for them to only consider my mother's income. (in my opinion)</p>
<p>So now I'm looking at UNC, the school I am most likely to transfer into. They say they only require the CSS and FAFSA and will request additional documents if necessary. I want to qualify for their Carolina Covenant program because I think I am eligible for it but do you think they'll require me to send them my father's income tax returns when they request additional documents? I'm upset about this because it could ruin my life. </p>
<p>Btw, I haven't been a minor for 3 years so he hasn't paid child support for me or anything. He just claimed me on his income tax return for his own benefit.</p>
<p>Who claims you on his/her taxes has nothing to do with who files FAFSA. Nothing about taxes will prevent you from attending a college that you and your mother can afford. </p>
<p>It looks like UNC doesn’t require the non-custodial profile.</p>
<p>Have you asked your mom about this? It’s possible, and even likely, that she waived her right to the dependency exemption as part of their divorce decree (and likely got something in return for that). It’s a fairly common thing and schools are aware of that. But, if you’re required to file and take an exemption for yourself, he will not be able to use it…if you both file with an exemption, he will get a letter and a bill in the mail from the IRS.</p>
<p>So, for FAFSA and Profile, you will still use your mom as custodial parent - because she is. For schools that require the non-custodial Profile, your dad’s info is required and would be a factor whether or not he claims you on his taxes.</p>
<p>Dreamingbig has applied to schools that meet need, I believe, and I don’t know that they exclude transfer students. These are good choices, from a financial aid standpoint, but of course it depends on what the family’s finances are as to whether or not they will consider the aid package acceptable.</p>
<p>For financial aid purposes, your father claiming you is not going to be an issue. Your mom isn’t filing, so she isn’t claiming you - if both claimed you, that would raise a red flag.</p>
<p>At UVA I think it’ll be a similar situation because they say they expect the non-custodial parent to make a contribution and the fact that he lied and claimed me on his tax return will make it impossible for them to only consider my mother’s income. (in my opinion)</p>
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<p>Even if he did not claim you, they would still expect him to contribute. That’s why they request the NCP info.</p>
<p>Yeah, I understand that the NCP will be a factor at the schools that require it, I’m just a little frustrated that his income has to be a factor in the FA process when I haven’t lived with him in 4 years. Eh… nothing I can do about it… </p>
<p>But even if my mother did waive her right to the dependecy exemption, how can he claim me as a dependent when he hasn’t paid child support for me and I haven’t lived in his household since 2007? </p>
<p>I have a decent relationship with my father but part of me thinks that the IRS should know that he did this.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter for FA purposes that your dad has claimed you.</p>
<p>Does he provide your health insurance thru his work?</p>
<p>If you want this to stop, then tell him that you’ll be claiming yourself from now on, so he won’t be able to claim you anymore.</p>
<p>Frankly, I would ask him why he has been claiming you when he’s paid nothing. In some ways, he “owes” you the money that he saved in taxes by claiming you.</p>
<p>Yes, those types of arrangements usually end when child support stops…up until that point, there is a valid reason for it. But, my advice is not to ruin the relationship with DoD by fretting about the IRS. If you have enough income (including taxable grants/scholarships) that you exceed your $5700 standard deduction as a dependent, tell him you’re claiming your own exemption so that you get the full deduction against your own income and he won’t be able to claim you at all.</p>