<p>. I am a high school Junior attending GHS. I have a very perplexing family situation and I am concerned about my financial aid eligibility. My mother and my father are divorced. My mother had custody over me. The living environment at my mothers house was unstable for numorous reasons so I moved out when I was 12. I have been living with my grandparents for 4 years now with minimal support from my mother. When I say minimal support I believe she includes me on her health insurance. My father lives with my grandparents, also. He receives disability checks from the government and is paying back child support for me and my brother(who also no longer lives with my mother). I receive no support from my father but a monthly check issued from the government. My grandparents are the ones who support me the most. They also claim me on their taxes....although i'm sure my mother does also. I have no idea who I should put down as my parent.</p>
<p>For financial aid purposes unless yor grandparents have legally adopted you, you must include the income and the assets of your custodial parent (in this case it would be your mother). For schools that require the CSS profile you must use the income and assets of both your parents.</p>
<p>It seems like it might be in your best interest to establish your father as the custodial parent -- you share the same residence as he does (I assume, since you said he lives with your grandparents) and if you are receiving checks from the government due to his disability, he is most likely low-income with few to no assets. If you file using the FAFSA form, that will yield the best FA outcome -- and is the closest to the truth. FAFSA doesn't ask who pays to support you -- but for the custodial parent or the one who provided the most support. If you father contributes to the household expenses of your grandparents -- then that is also supporting you, since you live there.</p>
<p>If you apply to a school that requires profile, they will require the information from both your mother and father -- regardless of who you live with. Your grandparents income and assets will not come into play.</p>