<p>The U.S. Department of Education has a new rule out about counting incomes for unmarried parents who are living together and gay parents, married or unmarried.</p>
<p>"The 2014-2015 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, will provide a new option for dependent applicants to describe their parents' marital status as "unmarried and both parents living together." Additionally, where appropriate, the new FAFSA form will also use terms like "Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent)" and "Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent)" instead of gender-specific terms like "mother" and "father."</p>
<p>"All students should be able to apply for federal student aid within a system that incorporates their unique family dynamics," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "These changes will allow us to more precisely calculate federal student aid eligibility based on what a student's whole family is able to contribute and ensure taxpayer dollars are better targeted toward those students who have the most need, as well as provide an inclusive form that reflects the diversity of American families.""
Source: Education</a> Department Announces Changes to FAFSA Form to More Accurately and Fairly Assess Students' Need for Aid | U.S. Department of Education</p>
<p>Yep. Once DOMA is overturned, in those states where same sex parents are married, both incomes will be included, and NPC will be needed for any divorces. The rules will be more consistently applied.</p>
<p>This is not just aimed at gay parents. There are plenty of people who never married yet live together, and there are those who are divorced but live under the same roof for economic reasons. This change more accurately reflects income for students in several different types of parental living situations.</p>
<p>Wondering how this will be enforced. If two unmarried parents/guardians/partners do not file their taxes jointly, it seems likely many will just fill out the FAFSA as a single parent.</p>
<p>Yes, there have been several students posting on CC that have never-married parents who live together, yet only one parent’s income was used. And there have been a number of students with divorced parents living in the same house using just one income on FAFSA (remember the dad who lived in the basement running his business that made no money?)</p>
<p>So, do I read this to reflect that now any couple living together will have both incomes counted? Divorced people still only file the custodial parent, but if both parents live in one house, then both incomes are counted…which would not affect basement Dad making no money, right? ;)</p>
<p>There will most certainly be clarification as to what exactly constitutes a “parent” … since this refers to a parent, rather than just a person who lives in the household (like a boyfriend/girlfriend of a parent).</p>
<p>So kels, if the state doesn’t recognize legal marriage or adoption of two same-sex parents, would the non-adoptive parent have to include information?</p>
<p>That is the sort of thing that must be clarified. My first inclination would be no … if only one is considered the legal parent, why on earth should the other have to provide info? But that is my gut instinct, based on what makes sense to me (so probably won’t end up being right!). </p>
<p>My thought is that this is more likely to affect students whose bio parents never married … such as a man & woman who had a child the old fashioned way but never tied the knot. Or students whose parents are divorced but live in the same house because it costs less than living separately. </p>
<p>But only time and lots of expensive webinars will tell.</p>
<p>I guess it’s moot for those of us here in Michigan. It’s one of the few states where it’s expressly illegal for same-sex couples to adopt (obviously, marriage equality is illegal, too). </p>
<p>Huh. I wonder what happens when you adopt out of state and move to Michigan. If it’s illegal, does it have to be recognized? Inquiring minds…</p>
<p>“Huh. I wonder what happens when you adopt out of state and move to Michigan. If it’s illegal, does it have to be recognized? Inquiring minds…”</p>
<p>Most states refuse to recognize it. That is why Lisa Pond died alone. Her three children and partner of 18 years couldn’t visit her because their adoption papers were not considered valid in Florida. Apparently, it’s not a good idea to celebrate your anniversary with a cruise off the Florida coast if you’re a gay couple. Even if you’re only 39 and don’t expect an aneurysm to manifest and kill you.</p>
<p>On topic…
Yay! Part of the whole marriage equality thing is that you get the good and the bad of marriage.</p>
<p>*So, do I read this to reflect that now any couple living together will have both incomes counted? Divorced people still only file the custodial parent, but if both parents live in one house, then both incomes are counted…which would not affect basement Dad making no money, right? *</p>
<p>In that odd case, the kid was (wrongly) claiming that the dad in the basement was his custodial parent. The dad didn’t literally make “no money.” He made very little money compared to the mom who was paying the rent, etc.</p>
<p>This sounds to me like a political correctness stunt meant to attack DOMA and appease an interest group. It is not enforceable and would be exceedinly difficult to constitute fraud - it sounds like an unmarried partner can simply “move out” on the day that FAFSA is filed. If he/she is not living in the home when the form is filed, then his/her income can be excluded.</p>
<p>The cavalier attitudes of too many FA applicants sickens me. The objective should be for every FA applicant to fully understand the rules and apply them fairly. I love this discussion board for this reason. However, it is common to read posters who are unethically manipulating the rules to their advantage.</p>
<p>I’m glad the DOE at least acknowledges that a problem exists, “These changes will allow us to more precisely calculate federal student aid eligibility based on what a student’s whole family is able to contribute and ensure taxpayer dollars are better targeted toward those students who have the most need…” This is a noble goal and I applaud (cynically) the stated intent. However, I believe there is far more truth in the end of the quote, “…as well as provide an inclusive form that reflects the diversity of American families”.</p>
<p>In my state, Maine, gay couples can marry and before that, they could both adopt and register as domestic partners. Although DOMA is still in effect, this recognizes both spouses and makes the system more fair.</p>