Hi, i’m an undergraduate from 2015, currently in my spring semester but FAFSA time has arrived and now i’m concerned about my aid. I live with mom and step-dad, and my mom makes about 30,000 to 40,000 a year. Although I don’t exactly know how much my step-dad makes a year it is roughly about 80,000 - 90,0000. Last time i received a very small fraction of my tuition and i attend a state school. This is due to my step-dads high income. My mom has been paying for my tuition for this year but she is saying next year she is not sure if she can spend 4000 out of pocket for a semester again. My step-dad does not help one bit, not books, nothing at all. I’m not very experience with FAFSA but is there any way I can file this year for the 2016 fall semester and receive more than i did this past year? Do i need to move out? Emancipate myself? I’m not sure but i am very worried because thanks to my step-dads high income i cannot receive full aid, even though he does not help whatsoever and if this is the case for the 2016 semester i will have to stop college and I really do not want to get to this point. Please any sort of number, tip, or type help would work.
You are past the age of emancipation, or if you are under 18 there has to be a reason, not just getting more aid. For FAFSA you have to use the married parent spouse, there is no getting around that. Until you are 24 you are not independent of parent income, even if you move out. Unless you get married or join the military. 100k doesn’t get much help from the fed govt except your student loan. Are you working p/t? Summers? I would try to get a commitment from your mom how much she will pay per year/semester total. It is in her interest for you to get a degree and have a good self supporting income. Normally when people are married, they pool money for college student assistance within reason. If your mom divorces or separates, then you can use her income only.
so if my mom separates from my step-dad legally and files married but separated on her 2016 tax form, would i be able to just include her income on my 2016 FASFA application? I understand it is under our best interest to keep pursuing my career but when economics battle this decision, it’s harder to say than actually do it. I’m looking for a way to get more aid besides scholarships etc.
Are you saying that your mom would claim she’s legally separated from your step-dad in order to get better financial aid? Unless she really is separated because of marital difficulties, such a claim would constitute fraud.
Your mom and step parent would need to reside in different residences. Otherwise, both incomes need to be reported on the FAFSA form.
They are separated but at the moment we currently live at the same house. I’m not sure when will be moving out but it wouldn’t be fraud to say that because we are actually leaving right?
Also I have the opportunity to move out and live somewhere else, if i do this. would this help my situation at all?
FAFSA is filed based on the conditions that currently exist at the time of filing, not on what someone might be planning to do in the future. And no, you moving out and living somewhere else would not make a difference.
Your mom would have to move out before you file FAFSA. So don’t file until she moves out. When is she moving out?
How much was the tuition and how much aid did you receive last semester? Did you spend money on textbooks, have receipts?
If your mom was not separated in 2015 and would file a tax return as married filing jointly she might qualify for a American Opportunity Tax credit.
That might help pay. Have her sign up for a payment plan.
But if she and stepdad have now separated, not sure how they would handle this.
Are you in contact with your biological dad?