<p>In the last week, my mom and step dad have separated. My mom moved out and I am staying with my step dad and half brother and sister. I am filling out the fafsa. My mom is a stay at home mom so she does not have any income. So, should I answer my parents income as zero for 2013? Or should I use the numbers on the tax return that is my step dads income. Btw my step dad never adopted me or anything if that helps. Thank you for any advice.</p>
<p>1prettykitty, obviously time is of the essence in doing the FAFSA, and you are suddenly thrown into flux. I don’t think the answer is totally obvious. Here are the different points that occur to me: Your legal guardian is still officially your mom, as far as I can tell from your post. If your mom files for divorce, I don’t think your stepdad is legally liable to provide for your college costs. However, if they are still married legally, then I think his income is still jointly held with your mom’s in the eyes of the court of law. I don’t know how FAFSA views this conundrum though.</p>
<p>I pulled up some of your other posts, and it appears you were accepted ED at Wake Forest. Email your Admissions Rep to Wake Forest tomorrow, so they will see it by Monday morning and then follow up with a call to them Monday. Also check with your own school counselor on this major development in your life. If nothing else, you may need the counselor to write a letter for you. </p>
<p>"If your mom files for divorce, "</p>
<p>that isn’t necessary. It doesn’t matter if they’re still married. </p>
<p>Since WF is a CSS school, you need to contact them and tell them what’s happened. You probably rec’d a FA pkg based on the SF’s income, and it’s doubtful that they would now expect a SF to contribute. </p>
<p>Hopefully Kelsmom or someone will chime in and say how 2013 income should be handled for FAFSA. They were together then, so no “support” was given. </p>
<p>You’re in a pickle because you probably don’t have a “back up” school since you were ED. How much was the “family contribution” for WF? Do you have a college fund? Did you already deposit at WF and withdraw other apps? </p>
<p>You’re going to need to act fast. You’re going to have to get some answers from WF quickly as to how your aid will be now. If WF still expects a family contribution that won’t get paid, then you’re going to have to find another school. </p>
<p>Is your own father alive? If so, did he fill out his info on the Non Custodial Parent ?</p>
<p>“Female
Senior
Low income”</p>
<p>Ok, so you’re low income even with the SF’s income. Does that mean that WF gave you a FA pkg that covered all costs? If so, then you’re in good shape in that regard.</p>
<p>FAFSA is based on who your primary custodial parent was for the past 12 months - so a change within the past week just isn’t going to make any difference. Relax and fill it out the same way you would have if this hadn’t happened.</p>
<p>I’m sorry about all the upheaval in your life . . . but relax, it’s going to be okay. :)</p>
<p>^^
Not sure that is right. Since the mom is separated from the SF, his income may not be the one that is used.</p>
<p>I do agree that the mom is the custodial parent, even if the kid isn’t living with her at the moment. The SF can’t be the custodial parent.</p>
<p>Hopefully Kelsmom will chime in. </p>
<p>thankfully, the student got full aid from WF since she’s low income.</p>
<p>Going according to FAFSA rules, the status on the date the FAFSA is filed is what counts. The custodial parent is the mother and the mother is the one who fills out the parental parental part of the FAFSA and signs it. She is now separated if she fills out the FAFSA so it doesn’t matter that the student is living with Stepdad or on on the moon or even the bio dad. It’s parent. If the FAFSA is already signed and submitted the very day before the split, the income info of the step dad has to be included. Not now. </p>
<p>CSS PROFILE is a whole other thing. Don’t know how they would handle it, though do they not also go by the date form is filed. With ED, the estimated PROFILE that would have been submitted, now has to be changed and it should be noted that mother is now separated. I do not know how PROFILE takes status and assets as of the date of estimates vs actual for ED situations. Does student have to now file a “real” PROfILE with actual 2013 income and assets to date to replace the prior year estimated one with using 2012 figures as requested? The big quesition is whether the assets and status of mom are changed from initial filing. With FAFSA, once you file, you are stuck with status and assets as of that date unless you made a mistake as of what that was on that filing date. Too bad if you were married that day and had a $100K in your account and you separated and the spouse took all of that money. But the PROFILE submitted is estimated and not the current one for ED purposes and so directions can depend on how the school decides I would think. </p>
<p>If there is a change in the family financial circumstances (and separation would certainly be included in that category), start by contacting the financial aid office at the college/university in question. You may be asked to complete a “Special Condition” form. If you google Special Condition NAMEOFUNIVERSITY, chances are you will be taken right to the link for the PDF.</p>
<p>We went through something similar last year when the breadwinner’s job was lost. After filing the Special Condition paperwork, Happykid got a whole new financial aid package at her FAFSA-only state U.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>One more question. The OP does not mention her dad at all in this thread. Was the dad required to complete a non-custodial parent Profile? Just curious.</p>
<p>Agreed. The mom is the custodial PARENT…unless the step dad actually adopted this student. Did that happen?</p>
<p>Mom is definitely the custodial parent; you cannot use a stepparent. This would be a special circumstances review, as others have suggested. The college is not required to allow an update to the marital status after filing, but they are allowed to do so if it benefits the student. Talk to the aid office.</p>
<p>Kelsmom…the student hasn’t yet filed FAFSA…doing so NOW. </p>
<p>but the student did ED and needs to contact WF about the family change. </p>
<p>Either way, the family is low income and the student got full aid.</p>
<p>My father did fill out the non custodial part of the CSS… He’s not very active in my life and makes very little and has alcoholism and severe diabetes. I filed the CSS last week the morning before they split. I will try calling before I do anything further on the fafsa since it looks like there’s no clear answer. I did do the estimate for financial aid and it had an EFC of around $5,000. I have a little over 3,000 in college savings, and my grandparents said they’ll help me out… Although half their farm burned down last week so that’s another dilemma in itself. I will call right after school tomorrow which will be 4 o’clock eastern time. The financial aid will still be open then you think? Thank you so much for all the advice I really appreciate it!</p>
<p>Email the financial aid office tonight, and describe your situation. Tell them that you will give them a call around 4 pm Eastern Time on Monday. By the time you do call, someone there should have had a chance to take a look at your issue and ought to be able to help you out.</p>
<p>"I will try calling before I do anything further on the fafsa since it looks like there’s no clear answer. "</p>
<p>yes, there is a clear answer. Kelsmom is a FA officer. You ONLY put your mom’s info on FAFSA. She only said what she said because she thought that you had already filed FAFSA.</p>
<p>since you haven’t, then there isn’t any issue. ONLY use your mom’s info on FAFSA.</p>
<p>But, as for CSS, you need to contact your school about the fact that your mom and SF have split. Rarely would a school expect a SF’s income to still get considered. </p>
<p>Do call the school. I suggest you write down exactly what you want to ask. Since WF is a PROFILE school, the institutional formula that they use will be what determines your aid. Did you get an estimated aid package with your ED acceptance? Since you have not filed FAFSA yet, and your mother is now separated from your stepfather, when you do file it, it will have your mother’s financial info only, not your stepfather’s. The rules about that are clear.</p>
<p>I would ask the FA officer, if given the above info, that when you verify your PROFILE info, whether you change it to show your mother is separated, and replace the joint info now on there with just hers, so that it will match the FAFSA. </p>
<p>Is your estimated age package still doable under the current circumstances? </p>
<p>" I did do the estimate for financial aid and it had an EFC of around $5,000. I"</p>
<p>that will not be 5000 if you only use your mom’s info.</p>
<p>When you call WF tell them that your mom and SF have separated, I wouldn’t offer that you’re living with your SF, that may just confuse the issue (they may think that your SF has adopted you or that he’s really your father). I’m guessing that you’re living with your SF because that location: 1) has the space for you, 2) your things are there, and 3) it’s where you go to school. Perhaps because your mom has no income, she’s gone to live where you can’t easily live as well (with a friend or family member).</p>
<p>Others may complain here on CC about not mentioning that you’re living with the SF, but really it’s not relevant. You could be just as easily living with a friend right now. The point would still be that your mom is your CP. </p>
<p>What was in your WF aid pkg?</p>
<p>They emailed me back and said to use my mom’s income only and to write a letter. Any ideas of how it should be formatted or what I should all say?</p>
<p>Dear FInancial Aid Officer:</p>
<p>My mother, ABC and stepfather, XYZ, separated on xx/xx/2014. As per FAFSA directions and verified by you, I am filing the 2014 FAFSA with my mother’s financial information only. Please let me know what further information you will need from me. My name is JJJ and my SSN is 000-00-0000. </p>
<p>Thank you for your help in this situation. </p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Is this letter going to your ED school? If so, you might want to include a sentence.</p>
<p>“I filed my Profile by the priority deadline and it included income and asset information from both my mother and stepfather.”</p>
<p>Use your student number, NOT your SSN on an unsecured email.</p>