<p>I've been killing myself trying to get everything ready on my FASFA, CSS and individual college financial forms.</p>
<p>My parents have given me all their paperwork BUT when I told them I had to send a copy of their 2003 returns for one of the school's fin aid forms, my father INSISTS on blacking out his and my mother's social security numbers from the forms.</p>
<p>I don't know if this will make the forms unacceptable. He feels strongly about this because my mother was the victim of identity theft about 7 or 8 ago.</p>
<p>Please, please can someone tell me what to do? Will the colleges accept the returns like this. Can you suggest any way I can convince him.</p>
<p>My suggestion would be to call the financial aid office at the school you are applying to (any one of them, if there are several) and ask them the question. Your parent's are not the only ones who would rather not share that information, so that is probably alright. Get the answer straight "from the horse's mouth" though and ask the school</p>
<p>If I were you, I'd call the school you're applying to - and explain the situation to them. Be calm and polite about it. It's not a completely nutty concern given your parents' experience. It may turn out that the SS# is required to match up your application with your parents' actual tax returns - but maybe they don't need it yet. I think FAFSA is a federal agency - so in a sense, giving them a SS# is no different than giving it to the IRS. I would think that your parents will give in if it turns out that the number is necessary for the forms to be processed. Imagine they won't want to give up on the opportunity to get financial aid.</p>
<p>I think the form has to filled out fully for governmental grants. Can you have your parents talk to thr folks in FiAid or have them fill out the forms? -As it sounds like you are doing it.</p>
<p>Txs to all for replies - I have to do it myself because neither of my parents can read English. They speak a little bit of English but they have a hard time making themselves understood. I usally do most of the translating.</p>
<p>Like I said, they've given me their returns, but my father wants me to take a black magic marker & cover up their SS#'s, he's got not problem with any of their other info.</p>
<p>I guess I'll have to call the schools & find out, but my stomach turns in knots just thinking about having to call -- they are going to think we are a bunch of weirdos.
Sorry for venting this out here, I'm just so stressed by all of this. I don't really understand what the heck I'm doing with all these forms.</p>
<p>Fastlane, I doubt that the financial aid office will think you're a weirdo because in this day and age of identity theft, it is--and it should be-- a valid concern. Good luck! I am sure you'll do fine when you call.</p>
<p>Start the conversation by telling them your parents are immigrants. You should get a warm reception....
Perhaps your parents would allow you to send the numbers to the attention of one single admin officer? Under two seperate covers?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I believe that the SSN is required for any 'parental' federal aid, such as Pell Grants (so the feds can verify income upon any audit), PLUS loans (loans made to parents), and the like. But, a call to the FinAid will clarify whether you need to send thier SSN's now or, perhaps, could send later only if the college determines unmet need exists.</p>
<p>Black the SSN out on the tax returns. Your parents are not immigrants and they are not nuts. Bill Gates' siced his lawyers on my employer for publishing his SSN which is publicly available on forms he filed with the SEC. I don't think Bill is nuts do you?</p>
<p>FAFSA determines eligibility for federal aid eligibility. You do have to give them the SSN's but that can be done online. The colleges use the CSS for doling out their money and some want a copy of the tax return before doing that. They may need the return if you want their money but they don't NEED the SSN.</p>
<p>I had my SSN lifted off of a health insurance card a few years back and my identity stolen and I still have people trying to collect money from me for stuff charged to credit cards I never owned. The credit reporting agencies had me listed with two spouses - one of either sex and that was before MA legalized GAY marriage!</p>
<p>I agree with patuxent that your parents can black out their SSNs. If the office needs them, it'll contact you/them. With identity fraud running rampant among both adults and kids (teens represent a large percentage of victims), I would do the same.</p>