Parents Problems Getting In the Way of Financial Aid?

Paying for College
1

<p>I have a very complicated situation with my parents currently, so I'll try to make it as brief as possible. I've lived with my grandparents since the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year (I'm a senior in high school this year) for many reasons such as my parent's alcoholism and other problems. I've been looking into the FAFSA and trying to get my parent's financial information for the forms so that when January 1st hits, I'll be able to file as soon as possible.</p>

<p>I have two major problems getting in the way of me filling out the FAFSA:</p>

<p>1) My family hasn't been very well off financially as of the past year or two due to energy prices and the effect it has had on my dad's business. I've never been really involved with my parent's or their taxes either. About two months ago (soon after moving out), I brought up the FAFSA to my parents and what I would need from them to help fill it out. It turns out, my parents haven't filed taxes for the past 5 years... Right away, I freaked out. Luckily, the IRS found out recently (not too long before I started working on colleges and financial aid) and started to force him to file taxes and his earnings, etc. So for the past month, he has been working constantly on getting this information together both for the IRS and for the FAFSA. I'm not sure how this will work out in the long run, since he hasn't filed his taxes for the past few years, but he will be filing this year, albeit probably not paying completely since he has no real income at the moment.</p>

<p>2) This is my biggest worry currently... My father, who, for lack of a better word, has been an idiot over the past decade or so, has been using alcohol to try and fix all of his problems. The past 2 years have been especially bad. Over the past two months however, he has managed to get arrested three times due to alcohol related incidents, but he has been released on bail the first two times. The most recent one occurred just five days ago, while he was driving home drunk from the bar. He managed to run into another car, and because he was so drunk, didn't even realize it. The man followed him back to my parent's house (which was a couple of blocks away) and called the police. Long story short, he is in jail now, and will most likely be there for a long time. He is my father, but he has a problem that he obviously can't control, so his being there is by far the best thing for everyone (rehab has been tried). The problem is, the prison he is in is allowing almost no communication. I probably won't be able to have my dad's part of the FAFSA forms filled out any time soon thanks to his mistakes. Is there any way to forfeit my dad's responsibility to fill out the FAFSA due to his being in prison for what will most likely be at the very minimum a few months?</p>

<p>Obviously, I'm not in control of my financial ability to go to college. My only real support financially is my grandparents college savings for me, which amount to at the most, $10,000. If anyone has any information or advice, I'll take it. Being so late in the year, I'm running short on time. Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>Only thing I can think of is try to get independent status. Or maybe your grandparents may be able to use their information (but I don’t think they can because they haven’t adopted you). Your parents are legally responsible for your education. You need to try your hardest to get their information. Call up all the schools you have applied to and ask them what you should do.</p>

<p>Try going to a community college your first two years and then transfer. Maybe by then everything will be straightened out.</p>

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<p>Do you live with your grandparents over 6 months in 2008? Is your grandparents filing you as their qualified dependent in 2008?</p>

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<p>A dependency override is usually only possible if both parents are incarcerated. Grandparents information cannot be used for FAFSA except when they have legally adopted a student. FAFSA is quite specific about this (Grandparents claiming you on their taxes will not alter this).</p>

<p>FAFSA asks for the parents joint information. Your Mom is not also in jail is she? Why can’t she complete the tax filing for both herself and your Dad, and also FAFSA (I am assuming they are not divorced from what you have posted).</p>

<p>If you cannot get it done you should talk to your school and ask what you should do. There may be some sort of special circumstances adjustment available to you if your Dad’s incarceration will mean a reduction in parent’s income. But you will probably be expected to file FAFSA with the 2008 tax information so your Mom needs to find a way to complete that. Non filing of txes is not likely tobe met with much sympathy by financial aid officers.</p>

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<p>swimcatsmom is correct, parents’ info has to be filled. However, if bart12300’s father does not have an income in 2008, he is, most likely, not required to file his 1040. Then, bart12300 can skip questions on his father’s tax. If his grandparents file him as dependent, his SS# should be come up under his grandparents (not sure FAFSA check this far).</p>

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<p>Even if he is filed as a dependent of his grandparents for tax purposes they are not considered his parents for FAFSA and are not allowed to be reported as parents on FAFSA unless they have adopted the student.The FAFSA instructions are very specific on this.</p>

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<p>Dependent for tax purposes and dependent for FAFSA are two very different things. For instance my 22 year old son was not in school, has lived on his own and been self supporting for 3 years, and has not been a dependent on our taxes for years. Now he has returned to school he is a dependent for FAFSA.</p>

<p>Now if the parents have insufficient income to be required to file a return then FAFSA can be completed showing any income and a ‘will not file’ for taxes. But I did not get the impression from the OP’s post that the father did not have to file taxes - just that he had not done so and the IRS are on the warpath.</p>