My parents are unemployed and I'm not eligible for financial aid?

<p>My parents owned a business and they didnt file for income tax returns for 2011, 2012, and 2013 (they said buisness was bad so they didn't file. It closed May 2014). I need income tax returns for 2012 and 2013 in order to fill out my CSS profile for Vassar ed 2 ( Jan 1st deadline) and my FAFSA... I called collegeboard and they said I can estimate for the CSS profile, but I will still need some sort of documentation showing my parents' income. My parents said they dont have that... What do I do now? Will going to see an accountant do anything? I don't know if there's any way to legally prove my parents' income. And without that, I can't apply for financial aid and can't go to college because my parents are still unemployed. </p>

<p>What has your family been living on since 2011? Air? What pays the rent/mortgage? What is paying for food, electricity, and other expenses? </p>

<p>@Green1997 This is a tough one. Based on Mark Kantrowitz, a well-respected financial aid expert, consider consulting an accountant. Read on…</p>

<p><a href=“How to Complete the FAFSA When Parent Didn't File Tax Return | Fastweb”>How to Complete the FAFSA When Parent Didn't File Tax Return | Fastweb;

<p>Hope this helps. Good luck!</p>

<p>your parents need to go through their financial records, see an accountant and file these back taxes with the IRS (schools frown very much on and are unwilling to assist families that do the wrong thing. IN addition, they will have to file taxes for 2014. If you cannot submit tax forms for 2013, your file will be considered incomplete and you will not receive institutional aid. Since you will not have this in place by the January 1 deadline, perhaps you should consider applying RD, to give your family time to get their documents.</p>

<p>The CPA did not file income tax returns for 2011,2012, and 2013; i don’t know why my parents didn’t do anything. </p>

<p>I’m going to speak with an accountant with my parents tomorrow. I’m hoping for some sort of documentation. Thanks for the help guys. </p>

<p>They can file back taxes even if they don’t owe anything. One year I filed when I’d earned something like $154 JUST so I’d have a filed tax form in case I needed it for proof (things like FAFSA). If your parents were living on credit, savings, public assistance, use bank statements or credit card bills to prove it. On FAFSA they can check the box for 2014 ‘Do not intend to file’ but then you WILL get selected for verification and they’ll have to show how they were paying for living expenses.</p>

<p>@twoinanddone My uncle lives with us and his income is what’s been helping us. </p>

<p>For personal income tax, yes you can file even if you owe nothing, just to have the record. Also there is a non filer’s declaration that some colleges will want if they were not required to file. Maybe they are in that position now. But I believe see that a business was ever allowed not to file–they would at least have to show that they didn’t owe, but I’m not sure, the accountant should know.</p>

<p>Keep every other record of what you are getting from whom, because you are going to have to show it.</p>

<p>To the OP. Your family needs to get their tax house in order…first. I would also suggest seeing a professional for help in how to do this. If it were me, I would start with 2013, then DO 2014 on time! Then work backwards if necessary.</p>

<p>Business owners do have to file, even if their net is $0, I believe. Where is @middkid? He likely knows!</p>