I’m really confused on what to do with my fafsa. I’m really considering going back to college after three years graduating from high school to pursue a education, even if it is a community college to get my AA degree. The only problem is that I live with my boyfriend and we have a child together. I don’t have a job and he supports the both of us. What should I do? We’re not married so I know I’m considered a dependent but it only asks to fill in parent’s information. Can anybody give me any information that may help me?
For financial aid purposes (which is not the same as for tax purposes) you are a dependent of your parents until you are 24. But there are some exceptions and one is having a child and supporting it.
Do you now have—or will you have—children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2015, and June 30, 2016?
https://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/filling-out/dependent
But you don’t support the child, your boyfriend does, so my best guess is that your will have to list yourself as a dependent and your parents on the FAFSA. See what other suggestions you get.
If you live with your boyfriend, you are not legally married, and he is in fact providing all of the child’s support (or at least 51% of the support) you are in fact considered a dependent of your parents still if you have not reached the age of 24. Once you are 24 or if you choose to get married, you then can be considered an independent student and no longer need to list your parent’s income on the FAFSA.