<p>
[quote]
You must select the income tax return that your parents filed or will file for 2009</p>
<pre><code>* IRS 1040
* IRS 1040A or 1040EZ
* A foreign tax return
* A tax return for a U.S. territory or a Freely Associated State
[/quote]
</code></pre>
<p>I ask my parents this question and they tell me "W-2". W-2 ISN'T A FREAKING OPTION!</p>
<p>My parents are no help at all to me. I'm in this process all by myself. Please help me fill out the FAFSA, so I can get it over with already. This is driving me nuts.</p>
<p>Ask them what form do they use to submit. Ask to see a copy of what they submitted last year; the number will be on the top.</p>
<p>W-2 is the paper that their employers send to THEM. Ask them what THEY send to the IRS. Tell them that you need to see the form that they write on, sign, and send in. </p>
<p>Ask them if they itemize. Ask them if they list deductions - such as a mortgage.</p>
<p>My mother and father are married. But they live in different houses. I should put separated, right? </p>
<p>I live with my father, an illegal immigrant, and her one month old baby (who was born in the U.S.). Should I put the household size is 3 (my father, me and not baby)? Does the illegal immigrant count? Do I include my mom?</p>
<p>Whose baby? Is there a third adult? Are you a HS senior?</p>
<p>Can your mom help you at all? She is legal, right? Do they all speak another language? If so, what? Maybe if you tell us, someone here can write the explanation in their language and you can just show it to them? </p>
<p>Is your guidance counselor at school any help?</p>
<p>^ I think I finally get it. It took me about 15 rereadings. He is saying that he lives with his dad, a female illegal immigrant, and her (the illegal immigrant’s) baby. So he is saying does he put married or separated for his parents? Is his household 2, 3, or 4? </p>
<p>It’s either 3 or 4… you, your dad, and the baby count (why wouldn’t the baby count?). I am not sure whether the other woman counts, someone else will have to comment on that.</p>
<p>If you have siblings away at college who your dad supports (or who live with your dad when they’re not in school), they would be part of the household also.</p>
<p>I just looked at the second part of “financial information”, and I just realized that it’s impossible for me to continue filling out the FAFSA without my parents filling income taxes. Which knowing them will probably take another two weeks. Just shoot me.</p>
<p>“I just looked at the second part of “financial information”, and I just realized that it’s impossible for me to continue filling out the FAFSA without my parents filling income taxes. Which knowing them will probably take another two weeks.”</p>
<p>Wrong. You can fill it out with estimated information and correct it later when they get their paperwork done. (That way, you meet all the deadlines.) Here’s the catch-- you’ll be able to correct income info (the stuff that will be on those taxes) but not things like assets, $ in the bank, household size-- so be sure you put those things in correctly.</p>
<p>My heart goes out to you. These are challenging forms. Please know:</p>
<p>1) It is hardest the first year. Print off a copy of the FAFSA when you finish and it will help you as a template when you do it next year. </p>
<p>2) It is more important to get the FAFSA in early (to get your place in line) than for it to be correct. You CAN amend it when you get the 2009 tax forms in front of you. The first year I amended our FAFSA eight times. </p>
<p>3) If your parents had tax preparers (H& R Block, etc) then they probably had a 1040 because that is the form most computers are set up to use. However, it is to your advantage for them to use the 1040A or 1040 EZ for their 2009 taxes if at all possible. Most lower income folks use the 1040A or 1040EZ. People who own their house and deduct mortgage interest (Schedule A) or have stocks they sell (Schedule D) have to use the bigger 1040. The FAFSA uses different math algorithims for each form. </p>
<p>See if they can use the 1040A or 1040EZ. You can go to IRS website and print off each and see. If their only income is from a W2 and they use the standard deductions, they almost certainly can. </p>
<p>Good luck! This horrible paperwork can mean thousands for you so please keep after it.</p>
<p>I still don’t really understand this, but I’m assuming that the Dad is not very forthcoming because one or more household members are illegal in this country, and Dad is afraid that somehow someone will figure that out that has links to INS.</p>
<p>Fin. Aid offices don’t care about that, Jon. They want to know – how many people is your dad financially responsible for?</p>
<p>Most colleges have a mid-March deadline for financial aid (correct me if I’m wrong), but the early ones, such as Harvard, the deadline already passed.</p>
<p>However, you can call the Fin.Aid offices of your prospective schools – explain that you are the student, that you are doing this all by yourself, and that your parent has not provided information you need for the FAFSA. I would bet that they would be very sympathetic and give you an extension.</p>
<p>Please provide more details. I still don’t get it. Want to help you, though!</p>