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<p>Let me get this straight…you are going to BE a college freshman and you want to live in an off campus apartment. Is that correct? It sounds like your parents are not in favor of this plan…and had anticpated you would commute from home thus saving the costs of living expenses. YOU want to assume those on your own…is this all correct.</p>
<p>First…many students attend college and live OFF campus AND are still dependents (for tsx purposes). Their parents are paying for their college costs and/or they are receiving financial aid which does not preclude them from being tax dependents. Your parents are justifiably concerned that they will NOT be providing more than 1/2 of your support if you become self supporting. They are concerned that if you become self supporting they will NOT be able to declare you as a dependent on their taxes. AND that may (right now) be a provision of their health insurance. You need to verify this with your PARENTS. No one here knows the current provisions of their health insurance policy OR how soon their employer will allow them to keep you on their coverage per the new initiatives (we don’t know when the open enrollment period is for their insurance).</p>
<p>Your father gets a good tuition benefit for you, it seems. I’m sorry…but as a parent, I’m going to say…why do you want to jeopardize this? What IF his company says “sorry…she’s not a dependent and we are pulling that scholarship?” What will you do then?</p>
<p>AND lastly…so you know where I’m coming from…as a parent, I would NOT allow my kiddo to live in an off campus apartment…I just wouldn’t. Maybe that is where your parents are coming from also.</p>