Two kids in college. If I complete FAFSA, does my ex also have to complete forms? Info: I am the breadwinner; he has been extremely difficult/non-compliant through the separation process;
Thanks from all the kind knowledgeable people on this site.
Do your kids reside most with you? If so, you are the custodial parent.
If you are divorced, only the custodial parent completes the financial information on the FAFSA. The non-custodial parent does not get included on the FAFSA at all. Any child or spousal support would need to be reported on the custodial parent FAFSA.
If your child attends a college which requires the Profile or a school financial aid form, financial information might be required from the non-custodial parent.
Do the kids go to CSS Profile schools? If so, do they require the info of NCP’s?
What years are your kids in college?
How were you filing for aid while “separated”?
Thanks both. I didn’t file when separated because there was too much other stuff going on and I knew ex would not comply. I don’t know how to define custody – son is 18 (finished freshman year); daughter is 22 (17 credits left to go). When they’re not in school, they live with me. There is no support flowing in either direction. I would like to file FAFSA/CSS (I have to find out which one each school wants) but not if ex has to also file, because he won’t.
If they live with you more, and your ex lives elsewhere, his info is not used on the fafsa.
For the Profile, you will complete the profile. If required, your former spouse will need to complete the non- custodial parent profile. Some schools require this non-custodial parent profile and others do not. But if required, it’s required…unless there is some extenuating circumstance ( not wanting to do so would not count).
Some schools also require non- custodial financial info and get this using a school form.
Just FYI, if the school is a Profile school and requires the non-custodial parent to submit information, he will not see your information nor will you see his.
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son is 18 (finished freshman year); daughter is 22 (17 credits left to go). When they’re not in school, they live with me.
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Then you will file FAFSA.
Does either one go to a CSS school? Does the 22 year old go to Emory? If so, then your ex-H’s info will be required for them to process aid. They won’t process w/o his info since he’s been in their life…the divorce is too recent.
To the OP. Will you qualify for need based aid? It sounds like you are planning to fund college costs yourself.
Both of your kids can get the Direct Loan if you file a fafsa. No other form needed for that.
As mentioned above, your ex-H will not see your info and you won’t see his.
I know from past posts that he’s been “difficult” and may be “angry” about the divorce, but can you appeal to his sense of “his kids’ education” to get him to file if NCP info is needed?
yes 22 y/o goes to Emory who gave me zero aid when I filed freshman and sophomore year. And since you’re saying I would need ex to file, I’ll have to assume zero aid from Emory. I can appeal, but he will do whatever he can to frustrate me (including promising to file then “forgetting” the deadline). 27 years taught me a few things about him. He is not going to change overnight. Plus it only hurts me (which is the point) – not the kids – because he knows I would not abandon them, financially.
thx thumper – what is a direct loan? Stafford? DD has a Stafford loan (2 of them – one subsidized, one not). And yes I think I would qualify (but crap shoot since I’m self employed). Business is doing worse and worse so income is low (even after adding back the few perks I take). I’ll have to find out what DS’s school needs. Maybe having 2 in college I can get something.
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If your D is at Emory and your ex-H won’t file, her aid will not be processed…except for the FAFSA direct Stafford loan (yes, Direct loans are Stafford loans). If your EFC is Pell eligible, then you’d get that.
however, Emory will not give you “their” grants if the ex-H will not file. The school can’t take a parent’s word that “he has no money” or “he won’t pay”. The school will deny aid on the grounds that they don’t know if he has lots of money or not. He could have gotten an inheritance for all they know…or property may have been sold and equity stashed somewhere. Emory (or wherever) will want to know.
That is why if your DD can appeal to her dad to file so that she can get aid, she should try.
Thanks. I’m just realizing I might have missed the cutoff anyway? FAFSA comes out Jan 1 and it’s for the next year, right? If all goes according to plan, she will graduate Spring 2016. I didn’t do any FAFSA in Jan/Feb of 2015. Yeah I remember hearing on this forum it was “offensive” I try for a Pell. Maybe times have changed.
You can file the fafsa now for the Direct Loan which would be $7500 for your college senior. The “deadline” for this is the end of the 2105-2016 academic year. So… Do it now!
Do one for your son as well. Freshmen get $5500.
It will help your. Ash flow.
These loans are in the student’s name…they qualify by you completing the fafsa 
And… Your fafsa efc would need to be below 5000 to get a portion of the pell grant. It’s an entitlement…so if your kids have low enough EFCs they will get those too. You didn’t miss the deadline on that either.
Awesome! Thank you thumper!
For fed aid, FAFSA can be submitted anytime during the school year up to about June 2016…so you’re not late.
however, things like Work Study and Perkins loans may be gone at this point.
Just one comment: This next year’s Profile is going to require information from both parents if divorced, according to the presentation I heard at a recent conference. It will be possible to request that the second parent’s info not be required, but that will be a college-by-college decision from what I understood. 
Ugh…thanks for the tip – I appreciate it.