<p>My parents were never married. I live with my father and he has remarried. My real mother is currently unemployed. My father also makes very little money but his wife makes abt 100k BUT, since she isnt my real mom, she doesnt think she should have to pay for my education (she didnt adopt me either). So when I filled out the Profile, I just put down the information abt my mother and the information abt my father and then did the non custodial for my real mother.
Will they suspect anything since I did say my father is remarried.</p>
<p>Yes they will 'suspect something'. You will have to provide documentation supporting the figures you entered on profile - such as 2007 and 2008 taxes. Also you will probably have to complete FAFSA in January (most profile schools require Profile and FAFSA). FAFSA is a federal form so do not lie on it. It will ask for information on your custodial parent and spouse. Discrepancies between FAFSA and other federal information such as taxes do get flagged.</p>
<p>Whether your Stepmom wants or intends to contribute toward your education is not relevant to the financial aid. They base your need on what resources you have available to you and a Step parent is considered the same as a parent. It does not matter whether the step parent has or has not adopted you.</p>
<p>Concur with SCM. If she's married to your father, she's included for FA.</p>
<p>im in a similar situation - step's need to go on there from everything i've heard. explain the situation some more in the additional info section of the CSS profile.</p>
<p>For PROFILE, you need the info for all three of your parents. Step and birth. For FAFSA all you need is that of your dad and step mom. Them's the rules.</p>
<p>Here's the issue...while your stepmom doesn't plan to pay for you to go to college...it is assumed that you and your dad benefit from her income to live. In addition to listing her on the Profile, I believe you would need to put Dad and step mom on the FAFSA as well. It sounds like you live with your dad thus he is the "custodial parent". In both cases the applications consider "family" income. Your stepmom is a member of your family.</p>
<p>well when I'm gone, then she wont be supporting me so what she makes doesnt matter where as my mother would support me, if she could. Besides, they file their taxes seperately (my stepmother and father)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Besides, they file their taxes seperately (my stepmother and father)
[/quote]
This is irrelevant. You are required to report your Stepparent's information. Not reporting someone who is asked for is not an option. If you lie on FAFSA by omitting the legally required information on your Stepmother information then you and your father put yourself at risk of fines and possible imprisonment. There is a warning at the end of FAFSA when you sign it and before you submit it.</p>
<p>From the FAFSA instructions
[quote]
A stepparent is treated in the same manner as a biological parent if the stepparent is married, as of the date of application, to the biological parent whose information will be reported on the FAFSA or if the stepparent has legally adopted you. There are no exceptions. Prenuptial agreements do not exempt the stepparent from providing required data on the FAFSA. Note that the stepparent's income information for the entire base year, 2007, must be reported even if your parent and stepparent were not married until after the start of 2007, but were married prior to the date the FAFSA was completed.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Also any aid obtained under false pretense will have to be repaid.</p>
<p>so basically, I'm just screwed then?</p>
<p>I dont think this is fair at all, I'm really upset. They didnt even really want me to move with them. I HAD to and they really cant wait until I'm gone. Unlike most parents, my father isnt so getty abt trying to get me into a good college. he thinks I should go to a community college. This is ridiculous. What if I found another relative to live with who was poorer, could I then use their info?</p>
<p>pyles...presumably your FATHER benefits from your stepmom's income. Stepmom is contributing you the FAMILY expenses. Stepmom is a member of your family. You can't just "decide to live with a poorer relative". For Profile schools, both of your parents (and step parents if there are some) report income and assets. For FAFSA schools, your custodial parent and any step parent (their spouse) reports. Those are the rules. </p>
<p>I will say...I am questioning one thing. If this OP moved in with her mom and established residency and mom as custodial parent...how would the dad (who was never married to the mom) be listed on the Profile? Since he's been contributing to support and was a custodial parent (even though never married to the mom), I would guess that the Profile would still expect his income and assets AND those of his spouse to be listed.</p>
<p>The only thing I suppose you could do is move in with your mom, attend school where your mom lives, etc. If you live with your mom primarily, and attend school where mom lives (thus that is your residency and she is your custodial parent), I suppose you could use your mom for the FAFSA schools. BUT that doesn't deal with the Profile schools...where your dad's income will matter no matter where you live.</p>
<p>the benefits that I get are for necessary things such as food and shelter but when I'm getting my education, she isnt going to support some kid who isnt hers. She doesnt think that is fair and neither do I. Which is why when I did file the profile, I could include her information even if I wanted to because she wouldnt let me see her tax documents so I had to do it off what my father gave me from 2007 and my mom on the phone.</p>
<p>pyles... no, it won't make a difference if you move in with a poorer relative.</p>
<p>I know that it seems like the situation "stinks" - but there really is no other way to fairly do this (and it isn't completely fair in any circumstance - whether parents are married, divorced, or whatever). </p>
<p>The way they look at this is this... your dad is being partly supported by his wife (otherwise he'd probably get a better job and earn more money). Therefore, he isn't just living on his own salary. </p>
<p>I know it "stinks" - but it is really not much different than cases where kids live with both bio parents, and the parents won't or can't come up with the EFC. It is not much different from cases where the parents are divorced, and the dad refuses to pay for anything after the child reaches age 18 - even tho he can easily afford to help.</p>
<p>There is no perfect to handle various families' situation when it comes to FAFSA and Profile. The system isn't perfectly "fair," but until someone comes up with something better, it's pretty much all we have.</p>
<p>I honestly believe that my father makes more money than what shows up on his tax documents because he just bought a new jaguar xf in addition to getting married with a big wedding and moving to a bigger house last year. I think there is something strange going on. Besides, I dont believe she would marry him if he really made as much money as it says on his taxes with herself being a nurse practitioner.</p>
<p>What do kids do when a parent or step-parent refuses to provide any tax info?</p>
<p>(I'm sure there are some "ex-spouses" that are reluctant to have their former wives/husbands seeing what they are earning now.)</p>
<p>What does FAFSA and Profile do about those situations? On one hand, they probably sympathize, but on the other, they know if adults just won't show their tax info, the whole system would crumble.</p>
<p>pyles... </p>
<p>It sounds like no matter what gets put on those forms, you're not going to be seeing one dime from any parent or step-parent. I don't know what your dad earns, but if he is buying the kind of stuff that you mentioned, and he claims to be earning very little, then something is wrong (or did she pay for the Jag)?</p>
<p>well when he showed me the ones for 2007, it was just over 13k. Obviously I dont know what it is now but I cant imagine it quadrupling. Also he never leaves the house to go to work. I am really upset. Should I just call Rice's Fin. Aid Office. What am I to do if they cant do anything abt it?</p>
<p>With PROFILE it asks for the Father and Mother's info. I believe it asks for the custodial parents, meaning the one that you live with and then if the non-custodial is deceased. If deceased then a death certificate would prove that. An email is then sent to the email address given stating that PROFILE has determined that there is a non-custodial parent and asking that the link be forwarded to that parent for their financial information. This is password protected so that the other parent or student never sees the financial information. If one can prove that NO child support was ever paid for the student by the non-custodial parent, it can be waived, but they expect for all parties concerned to be involved in the process for the student applying. </p>
<p>Now, with that said, if the grades and scores are high enough, merit aid may kick in and for colleges such as Stanford and Columbia, there is very good financial aid given automatically if the household income is less than $100,000 a year. </p>
<p>I have been told by college counselors that most applications get stalled because of a parent who will "drag their feet" or refuse to fill in financial aid information and the college puts those applications aside until the information is received. The colleges are wise to the fact that there are many split and blended families and they are very creative in finding out who can be instrumental in contributing to the financial part of the education.</p>
<p>I have seen where financial aid packages have been recinded when financial applications did not match IRS records, so it is not wise to try and hide anything from the colleges when applying.</p>
<p>I would be as honest as you can, and explain to all parents/step-parents involved that you will get caught in the middle if they are stubborn about it.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>new jaguar xf in addition to getting married with a big wedding and moving to a bigger house last year>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>There may be other folks contributing to the lifestyle. Perhaps stepmom's family put down a huge down payment on the house. Perhaps the Jag was a gift from step mom. It's not actually relevant to the financial aid applications anyway. Even if your dad's income is lower, his wife's could be helping him enough that they could afford this better lifestyle...that is the reason why the FAMILY income is reported. Clearly in most cases, spouses benefit from the income of one another. Where I am, a nurse practitioner makes a mighty good income. Your father doesn't have to spend HIS income on some of the things that his wife pays for...and that will continue AFTER you go to college. Your dad will continue to benefit from his wife's income for living expenses, and anything else she pays for while they are married.</p>
<p>I will say one thing...even married parents are not required to pay for college for their children. Their income has to be reported, and it is used to compute what the college(s) expects them to pay. BUT parents are not obligated to pay a nickel even if married. </p>
<p>The most important thing is to be honest on those financial aid applications. At some point the school may ask for everyone's tax returns. Your dad's will say that he is married filing separately. BUT he will be listed as married. There will be more than one red flag that indicates that your stepparent's income needs to be reported on the Profile. </p>
<p>The non-custodial form is sent in confidence to the non-custodial parent. But in this case, it sounds like this is the custodial parent spouse who won't give the necessary information.</p>
<p>You need to sit down with these parents and discuss your college future with them. It sounds like you are working under an assumption that you should get significant financial aid since no one is paying for college for you. You need to find out just what the parents can or will do for you. You need to share with them the importance of completing these forms on your behalf. And you may need to have a "plan B". What will you do if they absolutely refuse to give information or complete the forms?</p>
<p>Well my stop mom has already flat out refused to pay for anything. And I know she isnt paying for his car notes because 1, she's not dumb enough to do that and 2, his names are on all the documents. And that is what I ma saying, what am I supposed to do in this situation. It's entirely not my fault. Obviously if I'm good enough to get into the schools (rice and emory) I think that I've done just abt as much as I can. My father doesnt really care what I do after I leave his house, he just wants me gone. He doesnt even want me to become a doctor. As a matter of fact, I had to pay for my UGA application, my AP exams, and my SAT exams.</p>