<p>“The other situation is when state laws end all child support commitments at age 18 or high school and anything after that is between the now adult child and parent. Sometimes that takes precedence over any agreement.”</p>
<p>That is my situation.</p>
<p>Khaleesi, my heart goes out to you and your children. I thank my lucky stars I live in a state that will protect children in the event of divorce. I would tell my DD if she were to marry and live in a state which does not, she should not agree to have kids without a prenup to pay for any kids college.</p>
<p>I hope it all works out for you financially.</p>
<p>You are correct…if your husband had not completed the NCP Profile where required, the school would not have processed a financial aid award at all.</p>
<p>You say that Northwestern did not require the NCP Profile. Was your son’s need based award there a good one. NU is a great school…and if received aid from them, that would ease your financial burden.</p>
<p>Thumper is right. If you hadn’t asked your ex to do the NCP info, then no aid would have been processed except for FAFSA, and you don’t qualify for Pell Grants.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have at least 2 children. With ex’s income, wasn’t he ordered to pay VERY high child support? If not, then go back and get MORE for child #2. At his income, he should be paying at least $48k per year for one child. </p>
<p>It is strange that you were able to get ex to fill out the paperwork, but he won’t speak to your child???</p>
<p>BTW…according to CSS Profile…Northwestern DOES require NCP info.</p>
<p>I am writing pretty much the same thing same thing as mom2collegekids. Northwestern University DOES require the Noncustodial Parent Financial Aid Form and IDOC. This is indicated on the CSS Profile list of participating schools, and there is a link to the CSS Noncustodial Parent Form on Northwestern’s Financial Aid webpage. I am confused as to how the OP would not know this unless Northwestern was being considered as a school to apply to next year.</p>
<p>That is not the case here. Sorry. I don’t want to go into details here, but neither my sons or me did anything do be in this situation.</p>
<p>:) Good for her. Not sure her pre-nup husband will agree to it, but I wish I had asked for this.</p>
<p>I just looked at the link that was send to me re: NCP. I had not factored all this in when my son applied. If I am wrong about NW, then my mistake.</p>
<p>He has paid court ordered/guideline child support. He would do that rather than speak to either of his two children. Like I said, he was an extremely good co-parent until he met and married his current wife. Then every thing changed. I know it sounds like fiction but it is true. She changed everything; she changed him. She eroded his relationship with his almost grown sons; she eroded the relationship he had with me since 1986.</p>
<p>Perhaps I read the link wrong. I have done or asked the NCP to do whatever is necessary. I must just have read this wrong tonight.</p>
<p>We have not heard from Northwestern re: financial aid. Only that my son was waitlisted there.</p>
<p>Other factors that were likely considered…your savings, the college savings (depending on what kind of account it was), the equity in your primary residence. You also say you have your own business. If the $60,000 was your taxable income but you had deductions for business expenses and your gross was actually a lot higher, many Profile schools add some of those deductions back in. If you contributed to a pretax retirement plan, then the money from THAT is also added back in as income. The court ordered child support is included too. When you add all of these together, it might NOT be JUST your former husband (and his spouse’s) incomes and assets that prevented your son from garnering need based aid.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>Thumper is right…with the mom’s savings, investments, child support and business income, then her financial picture was probably too high.</p>
<p>That said, I think she needs to take her ex back to court for higher child support for the younger child…MUCH higher. that needs to be raised SO HIGH that she can set some of that aside for that child’s college costs. </p>
<p>Most/all states base child support on earnings of the NCP. When income is very high, the thinking is that the child deserves to live in the style that his parent’s income affords. Obviously, your ex enjoys a high style of living. His bio child deserves that (legally) as well.</p>
<p>Get that CS raised.</p>
<p>The OP has gone over the issue with her attorney and seems well apprised of her options as to getting her ex to pay anymore. Even in some of those states, by the way, getting any amount more than the state university tuition costs, or even half of that is a battle. I know someone who just paid a fortune to get less than what the ex even offered in court order. </p>
<p>The fact of the matter is that even with intact families if a parent won’t pay, it’s a problem. If any provision is made for situations like this, even more divorced families will build their agreements on this loophole. I know some families who already make their agreements so to take full advantage of the fact that FAFSA will only use the custodial finanicals—yes, I have a friends whose kids each got full PELL with a NCP that made close to a half million dollars a year. He brags about it. Got over 100K, probably way more than that, in aid for his kids with the way he worked it out, some of it from a school notorious for NOT giving money. Yes, he beat the system. It can be done, but with difficulty, knowledge, foresight and luck. But make it easier, and nearly everyone would jump on the band wagon.</p>
<p>For all we know (and it’s really none of our business), this father is already paying a huge amount of child support. He might be paying or paid spousal support. </p>
<p>I hope the finances work out. If not, this student should take a year off and next year apply to schools where he would garner significant merit aid to ease the financial burden. There are many WONDERFUL colleges where this would be a possibility.</p>
<p>Cpt, I suspect for every divorced person scamming the system to get aid for a kid, there are 99 single parents struggling. This is why I support NY law which allows judges to order payments for college (depending on facts, including income of parents). I do not mind paying taxes for kids whose families can not pay, I do not think I should have to pay taxes for programs for kids with wealthy parents. In my community, there was a divorced dentist who alleged he lost $3M gambling and couldnt pay for his kid’s college. The judge told him he would be ordered to pay, he could either figure out a way to pay or sit in jail. He found the money.</p>
<p>Thumper, I thought we generally accept poster’s version of facts, unless inconsistent or has obvious flaws.</p>
<p>Kayf, the number is more like 9999 and maybe more. In my community, a wealthy one, I might add, there are those who are living the high life and their spouses lost the battle for college payments, and yes, I am in NY. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction and for those NCPs who truly don’t want to pay for college, there are intrepid divorce attorneys who can help their clients in that. I know such an attorney well, and she’s yet to lose such a case. LIke shooting fish in a barrel, she says. </p>
<p>And it’s one of my closest friends, son is my oldest’s best and oldest friend, whose husband milked the system. He’s not alone either. His attorney advises many in the same boat. </p>
<p>But the OP might well be in a state that doesn’t even have such provisions which means the she and her sons are out of luck when it comes to getting money from schools that require a NCP form. Getting a waiver when dad simply refuses to pay, is a nigh impossible. Can’t even make him fill out the form and if he refuses, you aren’t getting a waiver either. Ironically, paying that child support is part of what quashes the deal. </p>
<p>I’m very familiar with too many such cases.</p>
<p>I DO accept what the OP has posted as fact. I was just pointing out some additional things that contribute to the family contribution.</p>
<p>I am not a fan of deadbeat wealthy NCPs who can help their kids financially and don’t. But then…I have the same feelings about married parents who can help their kids…and don’t.</p>
<p>But I will say…it really sounds like this is a very bright student who could have had some good merit aid options if those had been explored…or perhaps need based options at profile schools where the NCP info was not required. It is VERY unfortunate that these options were not explored if the finances are an issue.</p>
<p>Still maybe the dad will come around and help out…that would be the best news…and seeing his boys would as important, maybe more important, than the money.</p>
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<p>That is the most practical advice if they want to get something done in the next couple of weeks- the son should come crawling back to the father and see if he can patch things up. I betting that the father FELT disrespected, misunderstood at some point or that they kids were taking the mother’s side in everything and that is why he cut off contact. </p>
<p>Him leaving the house for college would be a good opportunity for the son to establish the beginning of a mature relationship with the father. Its got to happen at some point anyway, why wait another 10 or 15 years? </p>
<p>Nothing ventured nothing gained.</p>