I have always answered selected not going to file on the taxes option on FAFSA, because my parents didn’t live in the United States. But now since my father is living in the states, how much money can he make in order for me to still receive aid?
I also do have a job but they never asked for my income so it was never reported. I also file taxes independently on my own.
So where do I stand with not reporting my income? Am I in trouble for not doing so?
FAFSA aside, if you work in the US you have to prepare a tax return to see if you need to file taxes. You may not have to, you may not owe anything, but it is on you to file if you need to.
You may be independent for tax purposes but that won’t make you independent for FAFSA. Two different sets of qualifications.
I think I didn’t explain myself well enough.
I did file for income tax returns, but I didn’t report it on my FAFSA application. And I classify as a dependent for FAFSA and independent according to IRS. So the problem lies here, is it fine to not report my income to FAFSA and still receive aid, or should I speak to a financial aid adviser?
No, it’s definitely not “fine” to not report your income on FAFSA as you’re supposed to. Why would you not report your income?
“So where do I stand with not reporting my income? Am I in trouble for not doing so?”
It is difficult to know from what little you have posted. However, yes this does sound like you might have a significant problem. Have you received any aid money yet?
I believe you still have to report your parents income even if your parent doesn’t file an income tax return. Under what was your parents adjusted gross income question — “answer the questions whether or not a tax return was filed”.
The form also seems very clear about the student information and asks for student income information whether the student filed or not.
Seems like you need to talk with an advisor.
Why didn’t you report YOUR income on your FAFSA?
Even if your parent earned money on the Moon, that needed to be reported on the FAFSA.
Is your dad a U.S. citizen?
@twoinanddone no you don’t need to prepare a return to SEE if you need to file. My DD earned $500 in w2 income one year. We didn’t have to prepare a return to know she was NOT required to file.
The FAFSA will ask for the tax return information of the prior prior year. So for the 2018/19 FAFSA it asks about 2016 income.
You would report what your dad made converted to US dollars and that he didn’t file a 2016 US tax return.
For you not having to report your income, auto zero EFC would have to apply.
Did you get reduced or free school lunch?
Did you live and go to high school in the USA?
Whether or not anyone files a tax return anywhere is immaterial. Where the assets are held is immaterial. You report on the FAFSA (or other financial aid forms) the income, assets, and other figures in US$ at the exchange of the day that are equivalent information for what is on the tax form lines that the FAFSA refers to. Unless your parents’ income is so low that the skip-logic of the FAFSA eliminates the requirement to report your own income and assets, then your numbers should be included.
Make an appointment with the Financial Aid Officer at your college/university, take your paperwork in with you, and get this sorted out. It is possible that your parents’ income was so low in previous years that your figures weren’t required. It also could be that your situation is unusual enough that you need to file the paper version of the FAFSA instead of the electronic one.
Well, you knew that because you know the tax rules and where the cut off is. Last year my daughter was $25 under the amount required to file, but we didn’t know that until she gathered all the W2s and other info, and she filed anyway to get back a few dollars one of her jobs had withheld.
This guy doesn’t know if he needs to file, so he needs to gather his documents, and he needs to report his earning if he is filing FAFSA as an independent.
He needs to report his earnings for financial aid purposes whether he files a tax return…or not.
Report your income on FAFSA. My kids reported their meager high school earnings and what was in their savings accounts.
How can you be classified as an independent student and not live on anything? How do you eat? Where do you sleep. If you are living in a homeless shelter, then that is possible.
I’m surprised you haven’t been busted by now.
Is your father a U.S. citizen?
How much did he earn?
You can be dependent for financial aid…and independent for tax purposes…
I simply did not find the option to report my income on FAFSA, The application did not ask for it. My income was reported just fine on my tax return though.
I guess my best option is to sort things out with an adviser.
Of course FAFSA asks for the student’s income.
FAFSA question 36:
What was your (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income for 2016?
FAFSA question 39:
How much did you earn from working in 2016?
The ONLY reason this food would not have shown up is if you qualified for the auto $0 EFC. If that was the case, your income would not have been a required field.
What DID you put in the parent field for income? Did you put $0?
I see where I messed I shoulda never reported zero income on FAFSA for parents. I will resubmit with my parents actual income. I had no idea about the auto 0 EFC.
How much can the parents make and still qualify for an auto EFC?
If you report 0 income, you are automatically going to get flagged for verification. Your parent will need to prove how they meet their day to day expenses (food clothing and shelter). In addition they will need an IRS non filers statement that says that they were not required to file taxes.