<p>I will be a Freshman in the fall an my EFC is zero since I only had to report my mother but now she is planning on getting married next year. If her and her husband DO NOT file a joint tax return do I have to legally report his info on my FaFsa since he is not giving me money and I will have never lived with them? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Yes, you must report your stepfather’s income. The fact that they didn’t file together is irrelevant. Once they are married, both incomes (and also his assets) count.</p>
<p>Absolutely…make sure your mom is aware that her new husband’s income and assets will have to be reported on next year’s FAFSA! If that causes your EFC to rise significantly, you’re going to be losing federal, and possibly state/institutional, grants and she needs to plan for that!</p>
<p>Might be easier to get you through college if your mother does not marry!
She can get married the day after you fill out your last FAFSA. :)</p>
<p>SLUMOM, if there was a “like” button I’d be clicking it…</p>
<p>Remember colleges won’t recognize any “3rd party agreements” that your stepfather will not contribute to your education! So any kind of pre-nuptial agreement will not help.</p>
<p>Diver17, tell your mother she should just live in sin!
Don’t throw away that Zero EFC! :)</p>
<p>I do know of a couple that are waiting to get married until the mom’s kids are out of college…</p>
<p>Make sure your mom realizes that you will lose most/all of your financial aid if she marries before your senior year in college (actually, as mentioned above, before you file your last FAFSA.)</p>
<p>Everyone is right above. Make sure your mom is aware of this potentially large problem. </p>
<p>Perhaps if your mom tells her fiance that she can’t get married at this point because of the financial ramifications, then her fiance will offer to help pay for college.</p>
<p>I have known a couple that waited as well & they were so glad that they did!</p>
<p>I did remarry and my kids’ financial aid decreased.</p>
<p>But there are some things more important than money. </p>
<p>Just make sure your mom (and her fianc</p>
<p>Haha thank you all for the replies! (Serious or not…)</p>
<p>*I did remarry and my kids’ financial aid decreased.</p>
<p>But there are some things more important than money. </p>
<p>Just make sure your mom (and her fianc</p>
<p>There’s a difference between treating all the children “as family” and being able to afford to help send them to college. Many people cannot meet their EFC, especially if they have not saved sufficiently for college as the child was growing up. Obviously a new step-parent would not have had that opportunity!</p>
<p>But we also know that a Zero EFC will only be really helpful at schools that meet need. Beyond that the difference is subsidized Stafford vs. unsub and Pell grants. Certainly helpful but not crushing.</p>
<p>I think Pell Grants plus sub loans is a big deal. My state also piggy backs off of FAFSA.</p>
<p>Well if the OP can get accepted to schools that meet 90-95% of need then she might do OK & if her mom doesn’t get married until after her last FAFSA is filed & their income is verified, then even better! </p>
<p>Her potential stepfather has to know what he will be walking into, because obviously Mom will not have the money when his income & assets are thrown into the mix.</p>