hey everyone im a transfer student, ccc to ucsc. i did my fafsa app and I would love some input about putting in your parents tax info. everyone has a different situation, mine in particular is that both of my parents have never been married and there is a huge difference in the amount of money they both make. my dad makes between $100k-200k and my mom is probably just under $50k and my dad still claims me. however my dad is spread thin with basically taking on a lot financial responsibility for multiple people. he pays the rent/mortgage on 2 houses so even though he makes a decent amount of money there isn’t much left that can go towards college. so finally my question is/are: should i just put my moms info so that i might actually get some type of aid? or do i put my dads info? i have already included my dads info just because he pays for everything (car, house, school, etc.) whereas my mom isn’t financially responsible for me at all. after the fafsa app my efc was $9k.
If your parents are living together, you’ll provide information about both of them. If they’re living apart, you provide information about the one you spent more nights with.
Which parent do you live with? That is the person you list.
If you live on your own, you put the parent you used to live with.
If you spend exactly the same amount of time with each of them, then you put the one who contributes the most to your support.
Which parent did you reside with? If both…than both go on the FAFSA whether they are married…or not.
Also, there is a BIG difference between $100,000 income and $200,000 income. Are you saying that you put your dad’s income and got an EFC of $9000? Sorry, but with an income of $100,000, you would need a sibling in college at the same time as you to get a $9000 EFC.
That isn’t correct. You use the information for the parent you have spent the most nights with in the 365 days before the date of filing. If it is even (or if no days with either) you use the one who provides the most support. If that is also even (no support?) then you use the parent who makes the most.
If you haven’t lived with either in the last 365 days, go spend a few nights with your mother.
Didn’t this kid say he already filed the FAFSA? He needs to use the Parent with whom he resided greater than 50% of the time as of the date he filed his FAFSA. OR if equal the parent who provided the most support.
If he hasn’t lived with either parent this year…he uses the one with whom he resided last.
Did you already file it? It’s not supposed to be a matter of which parent to enter so you get more money. As others have said, it’s who you live with the most during the year. If your parents live together, it’s both parents. If you’ve already filed the FAFSA , you’ll need to correct it.
Some things to note: doesn’t matter if your dad or mom have a lot of expenses. It’s income mainly and assets that count. You don’t get to write off your high living expenses. It also doesn’t matter which parent claims you; it’s the one with whom you live the most that is your custodial parent for FAFSA
I agree that a $9k EFC doesn’t seem right on a parental income of $100-200k.