<p>I need some help from some experts in this area. I am remarried and have an 18 year old daugther who would like to go to college. I also have two smaller children and Im a stay at home mom for the time being.</p>
<p>I did get Child Support for many years but then her father seemed to disappear 3 years ago and owes quite a huge amount of money to us which i know we will never see. I would like to add he was a total loser, no good paying job, didnt have a roof over his head, lost his license, etc...... so i really hate to see what kind of shape he is in now. </p>
<p>My current husband takes care of everything for our other 2 kids and whatever my older daughter needs she will usually get. He has been very good to her but he wont be paying for her college but will pay for the minor things such as books, transportation, etc.. (nor do I expect him to as this really isnt his responsibility ). He has pretty much given her our second vehicle so she has a car to drive and plans to let her keep it eventually.
It took alot of pulling teeth for him to give my daughter his financial information for the fafsa I believe it is? He is afraid that his income is going to hurt her in the end (he makes a bit over $100,000 a year). Is there any way around this weird situation.</p>
<p>No there is no way around it. It is a very common situation. FAFSA regards a step parent the same as the a custodial biological parent. Your ex husbands income is not required at all for FAFSA.</p>
<p>Not really a way around this. It’s not really a weird situation; it’s quite common. </p>
<p>This will sound harsh, but I don’t mean it to - **so my apologies first. ** </p>
<p>The adults in your D’s life have made some decisions that negatively impact her. Your ex doesn’t support your child. You married someone who had no interest in really supporting your child either. You’ve decided to stay home, so your D has no support there for college, either. Her step-dad’s income is so high that she won’t get any real financial aid unless she’s accepted to an ivy league school. </p>
<p>She’s the one who’ll suffer from all of these adults’ decisions that she had no control over. </p>
<p>If you want your D to have money for college, then either you will have to return to work or have your H help with college. </p>
<p>Your H’s income will determine her EFC - which will be high. Assuming that his income is about $100k per year, that could mean that the EFC will be about $20k or more. That’s about the cost to go to many in-state public schools. There would be no way for her to pay that $20k gap.</p>
<p>Is your daughter a senior now? Where does she want to go to college? She will likely have to pay her own way at a community college and then pay her own way for the last 2 years.</p>
<p>I can see this from you current husband’s point of view. He does a lot for her but the financial support for her ultimately is the responsibility of her dad (and you), but I know you already know this.</p>
<p>It sounds like she will have to put herself through college. It isn’t easy but people do it. If this is how it turns out be encouraging, if she is smart and motivated she can do it.</p>
<p>thanks for your answer
The reason I am not working at the moment is kindergarten is only 2 1/2 hours a day. My 5 year old has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 18 months old. It is very unpredictable at times, many different things to manage it. I will never be able to work a full time job at the moment until she is older due to this. I may work parttime in a year or so but that seems about it. Not enough to get her through college though.
She is a senior and did apply to three colleges (SAT score wasnt the best). She is currently awaiting a grant for an apprectice nursing program so i really hope she gets it, then some of our problem will be solved</p>
<p>The reason I am not working at the moment is kindergarten is only 2 1/2 hours a day. My 5 year old has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 18 months old. It is very unpredictable at times, many different things to manage it. I will never be able to work a full time job at the moment until she is older due to this. I may work parttime in a year or so but that seems about it. Not enough to get her through college though.</p>
<p>I completely understand. But when such circumstances came up, that is the time to say to an H…“Honey, if I’m going to have to stay home to take care of OUR little children, then that means I can’t be earning any money for my D or her future college costs. Either I work and you help with the little ones, or I stay home and you help with her college and other costs.” I realize this is harsh, and you’ve been the parent who has “stuck around.” It’s just too bad that no one looked ahead and saw this coming.</p>
<p>But, that time has gone, so now your D will have to pay for her own education.</p>
<p>*She is a senior and did apply to three colleges (SAT score wasnt the best). She is currently awaiting a grant for an apprentice nursing program so i really hope she gets it, then some of our problem will be solved *</p>
<p>If she wants to be an RN, there are wonderful community colleges that have RN programs. Then once she gets that, she can begin working as a nurse and then perhaps choose to get a BS at a later time. :)</p>