Parents are divorced but live together...HELP!

Paying for College
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<p>So, my parents are divorced, but they still live together. I am very confused as to how I am supposed to fill out the CSS Profile/FAFSA. The Collegeboard website says that they should fill it out jointly since they live in the same household, but it appears that on FAFSA you only put the parent with the most income. I am just...confused. I am not going to be able to go to any of my top colleges without financial aid, and I really don't want to mess this up.</p>

<p>Any help is much appreciated!</p>

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<p>So, you know the rules…just file accordingly!</p>

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<p>But (s)he is receiving conflicting information.</p>

<p>CB says that parents living together need to file together but then it says that if a student has divorced parents that the one with higher income should be reported.</p>

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<p>Are you applying to only Profile schools? If so it is probably is fine to fill out FAFSA with the higher paying parent and then CSS will have you fill out separately for each. They’re divorced, why should anyone care where they live?</p>

<p>Looked at your list, the UCs are moot as they give no OOS aid and the rest are Profile.</p>

<p>If you have an instate FAFSA school you’re applying to, call them.</p>

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<p>I think you misunderstood…CB is giving Profile instructions (file jointly as they’re in the same household). The FAFSA instructions are very clear - if the student with divorced/separated parents lives with both parents equally, the parent with the higher income is considered the custodial parent for FAFSA purposes.</p>

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<p>NO…the FAFSA requires the higher income person. If a student filing the FAFSA lives equal time with each parent, then the parent providing the most financial support is put on the FAFSA. This would be the parent with the higher income in most cases.</p>

<p>For the Profile, both parents will be reporting their income.</p>