<p>Lets say, hypothetically, there are two siblings in a house hold. The older one graduates college this summer and has not included the divorced parent's financial information ever and thus forced the younger sibling to do the same in fear of receiving less financial aid. What would be the repercussions of having/not having the non-custodial parent fill out the CSS profile? The parent would probably not be able to foot much of the bill even if his/her income is considerable given that they spend most of it on their other children and in businesses. Lying does not seem right, but being completely honest now could potentially cause problems.</p>
<p>It should also be noted that the non-custodial parent does not pay child support and or alimony (officially, at least) and was never taken to court. The parent does maintain contact with the children and does offer them some financial assistance, which is where the dilemma arises.</p>
<p>So, what would be the best course of action? Continue to file with the parent who maintains full custody and act clueless about the non-custodial parent's whereabouts/finances or convince the non-custodial parent to file? The Common Application has already been submitted and does not include any information about the non-custodial parent except the name. In the past, a letter from a counselor waived the CSS information for the parent but it seems that colleges are not convinced.</p>
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<p>The biggest issue is one of fraud. If you are awarded financial aid by completing documents dishonestly, it is considered fraud. </p>
<p>If it were me, I would have child number last go to a FAFSA only school where only the custodial parent’s information is required.</p>
<p>You say that the colleges are not “convinced” by the letter from the GC. If your child has any (read that ANY) knowledge of the non-custodial parent, usually the form is required.</p>
<p>You do understand that if your dishonestly is ever uncovered, you could be liable for some significant repayments to the colleges. </p>
<p>I’ll also comment that I don’t believe this is a good lesson to be teaching your college kids…lie to get more aid. Not good…in my opinion.</p>
<p>Well the younger sibling has always wanted to be completely forthcoming but has been afraid to considering the unfortunate precedent set by the older sibling. Currently the younger sibling attends a FAFSA only school but is attempting to transfer to a school that requires the profile.</p>
<p>It is not something to be proud of, but it is not a situation the younger sibling intentionally put him/her-self in.</p>
<p>Would calling the financial aid office at the institution requiring the CSS profile and explaining the situation be a good idea?</p>
<p>I’m sorry, but I believe you need to be honest. If your child is transferring to a school which requires the non-custodial parent Profile, then complete the form. Do what is right and honest for this youngest child. At least that one will not be placed in a situation of receiving financial aid without the proper documentation from both parents.</p>
<p>Your issue is with your other kids. I don’t know what to tell you. You know you have been dishonest. It’s a problem those kids will have to live with. Don’t saddle the youngest with the same problem.</p>
<p>I am not a parent, and the financial dealings the older sibling made were made unbeknownst to me. I do not appreciate your condemnation considering I have done nothing more than try to attend college. Again, this is the situation that I was brought in to not one that I created. I am asking for advice, not an ethics lesson. And, again, had it been up to me the process would have been completed honestly.</p>
<p>The youngest child should complete the Profile and have the non-custodial Profile completed as well…if that is what their transfer school requires.</p>
<p>Surely this would cause controversy considering that the older sibling neglected to provide the non-custodial information? That was my original concern. I think I’ll just call the office and be honest to see what they say.</p>
<p>Is the younger sibling applying to a school where the older sibling(s) attend? If so, I see your problem.</p>
<p>No, they both currently attend the same university. The younger one is trying to transfer to another institution that requires the CSS.</p>
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<p>Well…if the younger sib and the older one attend the same FAFSA only school, I’m afraid I don’t understand the issue. The non-custodial parent (the parent you do NOT live with) does NOT put information on the FAFSA. At a FAFSA only school, this is not required.</p>
<p>So…if the younger sib is now applying to a school where the Profile AND the non-custodial parent Profile are required, this would have NO BEARING at all on a FAFSA only school where the non-custodial parent info is NOT required.</p>
<p>thumper is right.</p>
<p>The NCP info was never required for the older sibling because he/she is attending a FAFSA only school. </p>
<p>I don’t know why you say that the older sibling got a waiver when a waiver wasn’t needed for a FAFSA only school.</p>
<p>Either way…this younger student is apply to a DIFFERENT school. So, they don’t know what the older sibling did or didn’t do.</p>
<p>BTW…few schools give much aid to transfer students, so tell the younger sibling to find out the aid policies for transfer students.</p>
<p>And, if the NCP info is needed and he has a good income, but won’t pay, then won’t all of this be a waste? How is the student going to afford to go there?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids: I did not say the older sibling got a waiver, I said the non-custodial parent was not involved in his FAFSA. I am not asking for advice on how to pay for school, but rather whether to include the non-custodial parent.</p>
<p>Anyway, thank you for the attempts to answer the question. I think I will just reach out to the school directly. Moderators can close the thread or whatever it is they do.</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>you made it sound like the younger sibling’s choices were limited because of what the older sibling did. The older sibling did nothing irregular. NCPs aren’t included on FAFSA. Period. </p>
<p>Therefore, the older sibling’s actions have no influence or bearing on what the younger sibling needs to do.</p>
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<p>You should not ever include the non-custodial parent on the FAFSA. It sounds like you already knew this.</p>
<p>You DO have the non-custodial parent complete the non-custodial parent Profile if the school requires it. That you never included the non-custodial parent on the FAFSA in the past has NO bearing on this. You are required to provide the non-custodial Profile if the schoool requires it. It’s OK that you didn’t mention your non-custodial parent at the FAFSA only school. That is the way it is supposed to be. So now…for the Profile school, check to see if they require the non-custodial parent Profile form and if they do, then yes, you are required to submit it.</p>
<p>Yeah, as the others have said…</p>
<p>Not only has the older sibling done nothing wrong by not referencing the non-custodial parent on the FAFSA, he/she did things exactly the way they are supposed to be done by only including the custodial parent’s financial information. No one reports the non-custodial parent’s info on the FAFSA. It is specifically excluded.</p>
<p>The Profile is a different thing. Some schools that require the Profile also require the non-custodial parent’s information. There is nothing inconsistent in having only the custodial parent’s info on the FAFSA and then both parents’ info for the Profile.</p>
<p>This is how it is desgned to be done. Older sib has no problem, neither does younger sib.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Exactly…so no worry that some precedence got set by the older sibling. Your FAFSA only school only wanted info about custodial parent. </p>
<p>Your future school wants info about BOTH parents. You have to comply otherwise you won’t get an FA package.</p>
<p>Well thank you for clearing up some of my misconceptions. He pretty much handled the FAFSA for me when it came around to apply since we would both be heading to the same school and lived in the same household. I was just worried that if I started mentioning the non-custodial parent now it would cause some discrepancy, but I guess it will not.</p>
<p>Also, as for committing fraud: when I applied to schools last year I explained the situation to the college advisor and she informed me to write a letter explaining the situation which she signed. Though it would raise my EFC (or the CSS equivalent), the parent is deliberately abstaining from paying for my education. So, yes, I do need aid for whatever the custodial parent’s income does not cover. Its not as if the non-custodial parent is Donald Trump, I think I gave the wrong impression of the parent’s income.</p>
<p>Again, thank you for answering my questions and clarifying this process for me. I will apply for aid with a bit more confidence this time around. I will also call the school just to double-check, though with finals it keeps slipping my mind.</p>
<p>* when I applied to schools last year I explained the situation to the college advisor and she informed me to write a letter explaining the situation which she signed. Though it would raise my EFC (or the CSS equivalent), the parent is deliberately abstaining from paying for my education. So, yes, I do need aid for whatever the custodial parent’s income does not cover. Its not as if the non-custodial parent is Donald Trump, I think I gave the wrong impression of the parent’s income.
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<p>*The parent does maintain contact with the children and does offer them some financial assistance, which is where the dilemma arises.
*</p>
<p>Although it was nice that your GC wrote that letter, I really doubt it’s going to make a difference to your future school. Having a parent who refuses to pay is not reason for a school to cover his portion. </p>
<p>NCP waivers are typically granted when the whereabouts of the NCP is unknown or has never been in the kids’ lives. </p>
<p>I don’t know if your father will be willing to fill out the NCP info this year** or the following years. **He may be concerned that his info will be used someway to force him to pay back child support (even though that wouldn’t happen, he might be afraid that it would and therefore refuse to fill out his portion).</p>
<p>What are you going to do if you have an unaffordable “family contribution”?</p>
<p>Also…have you called the school to find out what their aid policies are for transfer students? many school give worse aid packages for transfer students. Also, find out WHEN they do the aid packages for transfer students.</p>
<p>I plan on calling this week. I have heard that the school gives great packages to low-income families so I wasn’t too worried, though as a transfer student that might not apply to me. I was just planning on applying and seeing whether the loans (if any were required) would be worth attending. I don’t think the non-custodial parent is too concerned about paying back child support, they just aren’t interested in financing any part of me or my siblings’ educations (save for my half-siblings I’m assuming).</p>
<p>I was reading another thread about one parent refusing to pay and how the college will still expect the student/family to come up with a contribution as stated in the financial package. I suppose I’d have to supplement one parent’s contribution with loans, though they have a relatively low income and massive debt (and other children, etc.) so I would have to take out loans anyway.</p>
<p>I’m not planning on ending up like that girl from Northeastern, I just wanted to see if I could get in and if I would be able to graduate with minimal debt in order to attend grad school some time after.</p>