<p>Mom is now balking at the FAFSA paperwork. The school started asking for verification and I know she has at least one correction to make. Mom has no skin in the game so it's just a hassle for her.</p>
<p>One thought that comes to mind is doing it myself, based on my own income. I don't find anything in the rules that actually prohibits it. Last year it seemed beneficial for Mom to do the FAFSA, and not list my assets. Now that I've started using those assets for tuition, they show up as untaxed income to our kid and that advantage has gone away. Anything I might be overlooking? We'd have to hurry in order to meet some deadlines. We both already filed tax returns for 2010.</p>
<p>If you are the student, you will be ASKED a series of questions that determines if you can file the FAFSA as an independent student without providing ANY parent information. You MUST answer yes (honestly) to one of those questions or you are required to provide your custodial parent(s) information. NO EXCEPTIONS. That is the “rule” that prohibits your filing this on your own.</p>
<p>Sorry…you cannot do this.</p>
<p>If you are the non-custodial parent…the FAFSA “rules” are VERY clear. The student puts the custodial parent on the FAFSA only. That is the parent with whom the student lives greater than 50% of the time. No exceptions there either.</p>
<p>I would say it is not uncommon for the “custodial” parent to change while a child is in college. Frequently the parent who has had more time over the summer, who had frequently been an NCP, may end up having more time with the child, once the child is in college. I put custodial in quotes as most states do not mandate a custodial parent after the child reaches 18 or graduates high school (although some do). I would recommend parents be honest and monitor this. I am not aware of any rule that says kid can not stay more with one or the other parent in effort to reduce EFC.</p>
<p>Is the change you’re referring to the untaxed student income? If so, is that under the $5250 student income protection allowance for 2010? If so, and don’t quote me on this, but I’d let it go. It won’t change the bottom line EFC number. You can be sure it’s included in next year’s FAFSA.</p>
<p>" Last year it seemed beneficial for Mom to do the FAFSA, and not list my assets. Now that I’ve started using those assets for tuition, they show up as untaxed income to our kid and that advantage has gone away."</p>
<p>It sounds to me like this is the non-custodial parent asking if he can go in and do the FAFSA for his child instead of his ex-wife. Maybe I am misreading, though.</p>