I’m kept out of the loop for everything despite constant contact and child support.
Love my kids and want to help them in any way I can, but honestly.
X spouse sends me a link to an NCP waiver and acts like it’s something I’ve filled out in the past for other children (wasn’t.)
Realized what the NCP waiver was while reading the directions and that it wasn’t actually anything for me to fill out. So I went ahead and filled out and then submitted the right form, the NCP CSS profile.
Obviously I want the best for my child but I’m not going to allow my child to sign a NCP Waiver (although I secretly think my x would probably forge it. ) I’m also not going to sit silently by pretending I’m a deadbeat parent.
I completed the net price calculator using the variables of my x’s and mine combined income and then again using individual incomes and regardless, it’s no where near affordable. I have other children to send to college and am not willing and can’t go into hundreds of thousands dollars in debt.
I recommended from the get go an in-state college, preferably nearby to save on room and board but was willing to consider this option if it was affordable. Since I am not included in anything other than writing checks—I had no say when applications were sent to out of state and out of country pricey, private schools.
I know I did the right thing but looking for some affirmation as I’m sure it will be used against me for destroying our child’s educational future.
What basis would your former wife have for a NCP waiver? She would need independent verification that you actually are an estranged parent…or are in jail or something.
As a non-custodial parent…YOU would never be submitting the non-custodial parent waiver. That would need to be done by the custodial parent because they had no way of getting in touch with you.
Clearly…that is not the case.
In addition, I believe the non-custodial Profile waiver needs to be done for each college…maybe I’m wrong…but I don’t think the college board handles this.
Hoping others chime in…because really…your story makes no sense. You would never be the one completing a non-custodial parent waiver.
As a side note, Mister Tripster is my dog, I never referrred to the role of my x being husband or wife. Feel free to use whatever pronoun you like, just saying.
I guess maybe the other parent thought somehow they could claim you weren’t involved and thus get cheaper tuition. Yeah no… they actually require proof, and lots of it, to grant a waiver. As well as the fact that taxes are going to show child support was paid. A waiver just isn’t going to be granted in this case, and having a form filled out by you would in effect disqualify it since they were obviously able to communicate with you. Hopefully that isn’t their sole strategy for paying for colleges, and yes, state options should be considered. I’m hoping maybe they thought they were sending the NCP profile info, and accidentally sent you the waiver, but I like to think the best of people…
No one gets the tax benefit of child support. The person who pays does not get a write off and the person who receives, does not have to claim it on their taxes. It is alimony, that goes on your taxes. However, you must still include child support on all of your financial aid documents.
I was wondering about the financial documents that would include child support—specifically FAFSA. Because in the past, for other children I had to submit parent stuff for FAFSA, but not for this child— I haven’t yet been asked to do that. It may be that since the other children did not qualify for FAFSA due to both incomes—applying for it was bypassed or maybe the x may have left it off the FAFSA and that’s why the X sent the link to the NCP Waiver Request instead of the NCP parent profile? I’m not as dumb as I look, lol and would like to think it’s all “accidental” but on the same token i am not going to behave unethically.
Is there a way for me to check what information may have been submitted about me on a FAFSA? Everything seems like such a big secret and finding out anything from my x or the school due to FERPA makes it a defeating thought before even trying.
I didn’t realize thete would be unfolding revelations since my first post about what could be going on here. I’ve poked around on some of the other boards an there are a lot of knowledgeable people on the forum. Should I just let it go and let the chips fall where they may or do more digging?
The FAFSA only looks at the income and assets of the custodial parent. You will not be able to see what is placed on the FAFSA.
You don’t “qualify” for FAFSA. The only thing FAFSA does is determine your eligibility for federal aid; PELL, SEOG, Federal Work study. Everyone who files a FAFSA is eligible for federal loans,
If you are the NCP, your will not have to submit anything for FAFSA. However, the school may ask you for information regarding institutional aid.
Your EX and your child playing a dangerous game. Both attest that all of the information on the FAFSA is true. Lying on the FAFSA is a federal offense, which can mean hefty fines and jail time. Misrepresenting the family’s financial status will be grounds for kicking your kid out of school, rescinding the degree (leaving him/her with a worthless piece of paper). In both cases, they will be responsible for paying back all financial aid monies fraudulently received.
If you submitted “financial documents” related to child support, this would have been to the colleges if the kiddo was selected for verification. It would not have been when your ex spouse submitted the FAFSA.
For the 2018-2019 FAFSA, child support paid in 2016 would be listed.
And “qualify for FAFSA”? Every student who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is able to file a FAFSA. There is no “qualification” other than that.
As the non-custodial parent, there is no way to check your former spouse’s FAFSA…or Profile. That is why there are FSA ID numbers and PIN numbers. You can only check your own submission.
Frankly…you did the right thing by completing the NCP Profile. In my opinion.
Maybe let this go for now. If something doesn’t align…then the school will deal asking for info to reconcile.
Thank you. That makes sense. I don’t know what the x filled out on the FAFSA but as you said, only the custodial parent needs to fill out that info. Hopefully I’m totally wrong and just drawing from many many years of the spurious behavior the x has displayed. Doesn’t sound like there is any more I can do—the school can obviously match up the FAFSA with the CSS and NCP CSS and it’s their call. Thank you so much!!!
As I’ve been saying, I don’t know but the suspicion is strong. I didn’t intend to make this about the x, just throwing out background information to give a clearer a picture. So yes, no one is saying the x cheated. Thank you so much for all of the very valuable information. Honestly, It’s so very helpful—I’d be drilling through phone extensions and voicemails for months for the info that has been shared here.
The FAFSA is only going to help see if your kid is eligible for a Pell Grant and a federal loans. The colleges that only take FAFSA don’t usually meet need with financial aid anyway. CSS profile schools do.
You kid’s choice has to be made by May 1. Have you clarified exactly how much you will contribute, or is it in your divorce settlement? I’d provide that info TODAY if you haven’t yet. You should have done that last fall at the latest, but today is better than after May 1 when she can’t pick among her acceptances any more. If she accepted someplace unaffordable, she could still change back to another school on Monday or Tuesday this week. She would lose her initial deposit, but better to draw the line now.
I mentioned in my initial post that I am kept out of the loop. I ask until I’m blue in the face and get nothing. I literally got the email at the end of last week from the x, with the wrong link, that’s how I found out what school my child was considering. I’m told “not sure” or “I’ll get back to you” all the time. As mentioned in previous post I have submitted the CSS. These deadlines make me think even more the X purposefully withheld the information. Once I found out about the school, I check the fees and there is NO WAY it’s affordable. I’m left out of the loop and feel like I’m extracting teeth to get info from the x.
So you’re saying that the CSS should have been submitted in the fall? I’ve never been told about this May 1 from the x. I really don’t understand how the x thought this could ever happen financially. I did the NPC using several variables, including just the x’s income and it’s still unaffordable. But this isn’t a question for the forum, just venting.
I’m just wondering what happens now that my CSS has been submitted yesterday? Will the college give my child an answer by tomorrow? I don’t think it is the school’s responsibility to rush around to give an answer, like said before, this should have already been done. I did find out the the other 3 schools my child applied to are also ALL unaffordable.
Please don’t beat up on me. If my x and child are secretive about the schools and irresponsible to wait until the last minute it just solidifies my thoughts on the matter. Do I want my child to have nonwhere to go in the fall? No, but there is always community college—I went to one and did just fine.
All you can do is file the (correct) forms for a NPC when asked, and let your ex and child know when the forms that are forwarded to you are incorrect. For FAFSA verification, the NPC will never be contacted from the school for information about child support paid as the school (through FAFSA) doesn’t even know who you are. The most I’d do is send a statement to the Ex confirming the amount of child support paid.
Don’t assume the child or Ex is lying. Maybe they are willing to take a lot in loans, maybe a relative is paying, maybe there is some weird scholarship picking up the difference.
Don’t worry about being considered a deadbeat dad by the school. It is a rare school that will give the student more money because an NPC won’t pay (at least without being in the waiver situation of a court order barring contact, NCP in jail, etc).
No, the NCP info did not have to be filed in the fall. (Nor the Fafsa or CSS, except in some cases with Early applications.) Some schools are still collecting these last details. Or the particular college may have flagged that it was missing, during a standard review.
More important now is: what will your expected contribution be? As intparent said, is this covered in your divorce agreement or left open-ended? Some states wil require a parent (or parents) to provide funds, regardless. But I believe only up to the amount of local college costs. I think this is where you should invest your energies now. Not the issues with the X’s communications skills.
You said originally that you’re in constant contact with the child. After you get your ducks lined up, understand more, you can be clear. One-way communication is still communication.