<p>I turn 24 in nine months. I will be finishing up my Associate’s degree, at that point. Are there any benefits to claiming yourself as an independent student on the FAFSA?</p>
<p>You will be independent for FAFSA for 2016-2017.</p>
<p>The benefit of being independent is that your parents will not need to be in your FAFSA. You do it yourself. On,y your income and assets will need to be provided. Independent students also get $4000 in additional Direct Loan money.</p>
<p>I think that if you turn 24 before Dec 31st, 2015, then you’ll be independent for the 2015-16 school year.</p>
<p>@kelsmom can you chime in???</p>
<p>The 2015–16 FAFSA asks whether you were born before Jan. 1, 1992. If that answer is yes, OP would be considered independent for 15-16. </p>
<p>
[quote[My parents also refused to fill it out. I paid my own way. It was hard but worth it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, but as you said yourself, you have been married for 20 years, so this was a long time ago. Just in the past 10 years the price of a college education has gone up by 79%. 225% in the last 30 years. Could be that part of the problem the OP has with parents is that they figure that they did it, so their kids can, too.</p>
<p>I was born in 1991, if that helps things.</p>
<p>You would indeed be considered an independent student for 15-16. </p>
<p>Any relevance here?</p>
<p><a href=“N.J. tuition lawsuit heads to new courtroom venue”>N.J. tuition lawsuit heads to new courtroom venue;
<p>@nvaparent Why would that be relevant? That young woman is a spoiled little brat. I would never even think about suing my parents over not paying for school. That’s deplorable! My parents paid their own way through undergrad, and they expect me to do the same. I’m already putting myself through community college. I’ll find a way to make it work for the rest of my undergraduate education, wherever I go.</p>
<p>@2400Hopeful definitely admire and applaud for your determination! btw, never suggested the article has anything to do with your situation at all, just was very surprised to see how far some of the millenniums are willing to go to get what they want.</p>
<p>Oops - students born before 1/1/1992 are independent for 2015-2016 (and of course 2016-2017).</p>
<p>@2400hopeful, read back over the thead. My comment had nothing to do with the link about the student suing parents. It was aimed at the poster who said they paid their way through, implying that students today should be able to do the same.</p>
<p>@2400Hopeful </p>
<p>Your problem is solved for Fall 2015. When you submit FAFSA after Jan 1, 2015, there will be a question about turning 24 before Dec 31st. You will say, Yes, and then you’ll be independent. So, your parents’ info is no longer needed. </p>
<p>@intparent
I totally agree with you. When I read that post about the parent who said that she paid her way, I rolled by eyes. Back then, state tuition was low because it was heavily funded…and even the privates weren’t over-the-top back then. </p>