Non custodial CSS waiver with mental illness

Non custodial parent suffers from mental illness and often is not in his right frame of mind. He has no income and hasn’t filed taxes in 10 years. He may have difficulty completing CSS because he’s in and out or reality. Is a waiver ok to get in this situation if he mentally can’t fill it out. Last contact my daughter had with him he was threatening bodily harm. Howerver he has no income and is a dependent on his mom’s taxes because he can’t take care of himself. Is it better to try to force him sign the CSS even if he doesn’t know what he’s doing half the time or try to get the non custodial waiver. If I do get him to finish the CSS will he need proof from IRS that he’s a non filer. I really want to do the right thing here.

The waivers need to be sent to each school. So you might as well call each financial aid officer and get take on it. I’ve been surprised at the disparity in acceptance of these waivers at times. Some schools more accepting of them than others.

I think you have a good shot at a waiver in this situation. Do you have any proof of the illness? Maybe even a letter from his mother would help outlining his life in the last few years.

If he threatened your child, I’d include that too with the date and general story of what happened.

A copy of his mom’s taxes showing that he is a dependent on them might be useful too as well as that danged proof that he is a non filer, perhaps other evidence that he is very low income with few assets. Is he on SSI?

Here’s the thing. There are cousins in our family whose father is pretty much in same situation as your ex. But the man, though has no income, is very well to do because of trusts and other family help. Though FAFSA and the IRS might not tag him with the funds, PROFILE might. That’s why these waivers can difficult to get.

Thank you, I have called one school and they suggested the waiver. But, then I read how difficult it is to get approved. I even considered doing the entire CSS application for him and the mom would get him to click submit. I don’t think that would be right but he has no money, trusts, investments. He has nothing and lives with his mother. She works for a big retail chain
and collects SSI. She has a limited income and no investments either. Would we need proof from the IRS that he is a non filer? He just wouldn’t be able to jump through all those hoops. Or would they accept moms taxes?

It depends upon the individual school how difficult the waiver would be. Some colleges are less strict than others. You can always try.

Grandmother’s finances would not come into the picture. Just the father’s. Yes, it is possible that you would need proof of non filing of 1040 on part of father. The IRS does that upon request. The schools can ask whatever they want and some more probing than others.

Please do not let these posts that have road blocks stop you from attempting to do things like trying for a NCP waiver. These are things that may come up. You may get a waiver from some schools, not others, and some schools may ask for more things in order to get the waiver.

Thank you. If I end up submitting the NCP waiver, should I remove him from the the Parental Relationship section of the CSS. There is a drop down that indicates no relationship. If I remove him maybe he wont ever be able to complete the NCP. If they reject the waiver and if he’s living in reality he could do his part in theory. But, if I say he has no contact am I taking away the chance of getting him to do it in future.

Your non-custodial parent should NOT be listed at all on your Custodial parent profile form in terms of income and assets, i think you know that. In terms of “relationship” just be honest. You HAVE a non-custodial parent. So…put the level of relation you have with him.

If you don’t get a waiver…your custodial parent does their Profile…and the non-custodial parent does the noncustodial parent form.

I think you are a decent candidate for a waiver. Any chance he has a mental health professional who would be willing to state his inability to do this form?

The worst that could happen is that he is required to do the Profile. Since he has no income…it’s not like it’s going to have an adverse impact on need based aid. Perhaps grandma would be able to help?

Your non-custodial parent should not be on your FAFSA either…at all.

I am in a similar situation - divorced for 11 years, father has been unemployed for that entire time and has never paid me any support. He has mental health issues but my daughter has not seen him in a few years. I am trying to get a waiver as well. Does anyone know when the schools tell you they will accept it or not and if they don’t accept it do you then have to try to get the non custodial parent to fill out the profile? Will they tell you before the deadline for documents?

That’s something you’d need to talk to an attorney about. This really isn’t the place for that level of advice.

@coolguy40 to what are you referring about needing an attorney?

If you look at the waiver form, it’s pretty clear what is important on it. I suggest giving it a try. An issue can be with the-father with mental illness is that a number of forms, paper likely are being filed his behalf somehow. But that up to the professional judgement of thecFA Director.

However, understand that it can be denied. So, make sure your kids have some schools on their lists that are going to be affordable if they do not get those waivers, and they do not get the financial aid needed. Instead of throwing a safety school into the batch, spend some time looking a number of affordable schools Many of those full need met PROFILE schools are selective for admissions and there are no guarantee of admissions.

Any time there are contingencies in a plan, things have increased likelihood of happening. Your students have to get accepted, have to be eligible for enough financial aid to make it work and have to get it from the schools. The NCP wAiver is yet another “if”.

You need to call these schools and ask what they need to get a waiver (only call the ones that require NCP info.

You may be asked to provide something from a 3rd party (priest, rabbi, minister) stating that the NCP has not supported this child and is not in the child’s life.

It may be a tricky situation since it’s not as if the schools are going to take your word (or even the 3rd party’s word) that he’s mentally ill, unemployed, etc.

A family member of mine was able to get this waiver by working with her ex-husband’s social worker. He had drug/alcohol problems in addition to mental illness and was in and out of group homes. The social worker was the one who coordinated any visitation with the daughter when he was lucid, and she was a big help in getting the waiver forms filled out. Does your ex-husband have a social worker that could help you?