<p>my parents are divorced. in the agreement, my parents each took one child, my dad (who makes more) claims me, and my mom (who makes less) claims my sister. starting this next semester, my dad isnt helping me out financially with school anymore. but he still claims me as a dependent and head of household. i am listed under his health insurance and under my moms car insurance. before i moved out i was living with my mother and one of the advantages to that was that at my community college i could put my mothers tax returns on my school aid info and because she makes less i would've presumably got more aide, but i was at a community college and still didnt qualify except for a registration fee waiver. now im am applying to berkeley in the fall and of course im going to need financial aide. since i think im a dependent, even though my mom doesnt claim me, i use her tax info because she's the one i live with, not my dad. but because my dad claims me under head of household, does this mean that his info automatically goes to the government in determining my fafsa awarded aide? and therefore i get less aide, even though i dont live with him, and havent lived with him the last 3 years? and hes not going to help me with college next year? im very confused about all this tax stuff and no one quite knows how to explain it to me. </p>
<p>laure - I’m sorry you have to go through this. It’s unfair and unnecessary I know, but I’d encourage you to persevere because anyone who qualifies for UC-Berkeley should make every effort to get an education.</p>
<p>I believe FAFSA policy is that both parents’ incomes and assets go on the FAFSA. But there are probably exceptions to this policy, and you should check into that. Please avoid the temptation to simply put your Mom’s income on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>No. FAFSA’s policy is that the custodial parent’s info is used. That would be your mother. It doesn’t matter who claims you. Your father probably has to continue claiming you for health insurance reasons.</p>
On the FAFSA, income and assets information is self-reported by the student. Approximately 1/3 of FA cases are selected for verification, only then do students need to send in tax returns, to the university.</p>
<p>Who claims you for tax purposes and who reports income on FAFSA are unrelated. They can be the same, or they can be different. In your case, your dad can continue to claim you if he provides significant support, but your mom would be your custodial parent for FAFSA purposes. </p>
<p>Whether you need to send in tax returns is equally irrelevant. Your permanent address counts.</p>
<p>I stand corrected. And it appears that California is one of the states that does not obligate non-custodial parents to pay college expenses (presuming the divorce occurred there of course).</p>
<p>So if your son is living with you and will be leaving to college this fall and your 2008 returns you have him as a dependent and he is currently living with you he may quailfy for less aide?</p>
<p>Students have to report their parent financial info on FAFSA. (not a choice unless they qualify as independent - most freshmen do not). If parents are divorced only the info of the parent the student lives with the most has to be reported for FAFSA. If he does not live with one more than the other then the one providing more support is reported. If neither provides more support then the higher income parent is reported. </p>
<p>Claiming him on your taxes makes no difference one way or another to aid. Him actually living with you makes a difference only when parents are divorced and only the relevant parent is reported. Not living with parents or living with parents makes no difference to aid if he is still a dependent for financial aid (under 24, unmarried, no dependent of his own etc). Dependent for taxes is irrelevant to FAFSA.</p>