<p>We do use the 1040A, we have never itemized any deductions at all, we always use the 5 children deduction and can not use house taxes, Church givings, etc. We also do not use an Accountant, or ever had anyone do our taxes (again to save the $$) , another reason I am on here, I want to do this myself when the time comes and not hire someone to do it for me -cost out of pocket. I seen on the net how you can hire professionals to fill out your college financial aid Forms & walk you thru this whole process & THEY claim they can get you the most aid. I imagine others have used this service, but I want to do it myself to save $$. I know what you mean, it really does not seem fair if you can live in a $200,000 house (accually my house & property only appraised at $120,000 - house being $58,000) and receive the same aid as someone who maybe only owns a $40,000 house. (I put a higher figure on it because in about 4 yrs it will probably be worth more) All I can say is.... Me & my husband have been SOOO frugal & cheap throughout our lives to get this old country house with land, we have scraped & skimped, not taken vacations, driven cars almost 15 - 20 yrs old plus always fixed them ourselves, only buy food with coupons, never go to movies, only rent, never buy new clothes, but go garage saling or Goodwill, eating out for us is a Luxury, we even put in a wood/coal furnace at our last house to avoid paying High gas prices. Plan to install an Outdoor furnace at this house to avoid these Rediculous Oil prices. ANd I Ebay for all the games my kids want- sometimes that cuts the prices in half compared to store prices. I mean, the families who have the same incomes but lesser priced houses probably live like everyone else.... eat out at the drop of a hat, financing newer cars, basically blow their money when they get it, so in that respect, I really don't want them to hold my house & land against me. I know alot of poeple who make more $$ than our family & have less kids who have ALOT less to show for it. We have been prepared for almost everything financially --but not this college thing --- We choose to start a 401K a few years back - before college savings.</p>