PLEASE HELP. DID I SCREW UP MY DAUGHTER’S FINANCIAL AID? Since CSS want both parents on the profile, does it matter if I put married instead of separated? My ex and I are separated and have been for a few years, but not divorce. He agreed to help me pay for our daughter education. .She lives with me and I am the custodial parent . Instead of going through the NCP profile I just left it as married since CSS does no care if you are married or not, bcause you have to report both parents income. I did file the FAFSA as head of household and know I have to fill out a Head of house hold worksheet and get my tax preparer to verify why I was able to file that status .We were not together and I am renting from a family member because he works with my budget and my credit is not good, do to to the separation. When the verification is fininsh I’m not sure if we will be able to afford college with me and my ex paying rent. We have been talking about becoming roommates since both income is reported on the CSS anyway, and using my rent to add to the tuition payments. I know we will have to start filing married-jointly and that is fine.if this will help with tuition. I will do it for my dauhter. But for FASFA, we were separated for the entire year. Did I raise a flag leaving CSS as married? How can I fix this or do I need to fix it.
Should I call the school about leaving the CSS as married. I dont want to look like I am lying. DO FAFSA AND CSS HAVE TO MATCH SINCE THEY ARE DIFFERENT FUNDINGS? PLEASE HELP ME! SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE IN THIS
Well I am not the best to ask but until you get a better answer.
Yes I think you will raise questions that your CSS does not match your FAFSA. That seems like it will get flagged because it will look like you filed the wrong tax forms. I don’t think they can give aid until you file correct tax forms. But your tax is correct and your Profile is wrong. You should have said separated and had the father do the NCP. I think that could possibly be to your benefit as they will see that the custodial parent house has less income than the total. Not sure.
It seems to me that now you will have to contact them and fix it.
Take care of this year before you worry about future years.
If you were separated last year you need to report that. If you will live together next year then you put what your situation is then.
I agree with BrownParent. The two forms don’t agree so there will be a question as to why.
Your filing status as HOH could flag it, but there are situations where it is fine for a married but separated parent to file as HOH.
However, really, the completion of the verification stuff could actually take you as much time as dealing with the NCP form.
If the school uses IDOC or otherwise asks for tax forms, you will need to get the NCP to send his in, as well as yours.
It’s April 15. Did you receive financial aid packages with your student’s acceptances? Were you asked to verify any information by the college?
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Instead of going through the NCP profile I just left it as married since CSS does no care if you are married or not, bcause you have to report both parents income.
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This was the mistake and it can actually hurt you with aid.
You’ve implied that you’re living in one household, so only one household’s worth of expenses will be used in the formula. BUT , you live in TWO households because you don’t live together.
You thought you were doing things the “easier way” since both parents’ incomes are needed, but dad’s info should be on Ncp so that the school will calculate that he has his OWN household expenses to pay for.
Yes. I had to fill out the head of household worksheet and get a licence CPA or a certified tax preparer to write a
letter how I am eligible to file head of household. I filled out the head of household worksheet and my tax preparer is getting my letter to gether. Hope to have it by the end of the week. I dont know if they will need further documents.
Also, on the SAR there was no * by the EFC. So is the school verifying or FAFSA. I thought FAFSA would have an * by the EFC it you where selected for verification.
The problem isn’t your FAFSA…the problem is the CSS. You don’t live together, yet you indicated that you do.
Thats what I thought. Everything is the same but the CSS. Thanks for your help.
I made a similar mistake and had to mail individual corrected copies to each school with an explanation.
I will do that thank you.