<p>I guess I will be filling at my Financial Aid forms soon so I had a question.
I just want to know that I have a chance of qualifying.</p>
<p>My parents have been seperated for two years now. The road to divorce has been very long because my father is appealing every decision by the judge concerning that amount he owes my mother.</p>
<p>My father makes approx. 140k/year. My mother works at a coffee shop and goes to community college. She also recieves about $4,000/month in alimony. I live with my mom. My dad does not contribute money other than what the court has ordered.</p>
<p>My mother has qualified for a Pell Grant and was awarded $1000.</p>
<p>Will I be able to qualify for financial aid since I live with my mother? Or will my father's salary prevent me? He's already refusing to pay for my first college deposit (I was accepted ED to UVa)...</p>
<p>UVA requires both FAFSA and the CSS profile to determine financial aid. This means the income and the assets of both your parents will be used to determine the amount of financial aid you will recieve.</p>
<p>Your father's refusal to pay will not be a factor in FA and since he makes
$140K, there is going to be an expectation that he pays for your education (you are probably going to be considered a full freight payer). Since your father pays alimony, the likelihood of your getting a non-custodial waiver is going to be nil.</p>
<p>But-- if you're also considering other schools that only take the FAFSA--</p>
<p>Your Dad's income won't be a factor for these schools. Just Mom's income and assets, and your income and assets. Mom's income will include the 4K per month alimony. So if you're still considering other school options, you're likely end up with significant financial aid packages from FAFSA only schools.</p>
<p>Meh that sucks. I geuss I'll just be looking at loans and four long years of arguing with my father lol. But at least I get to attend my dream school!</p>
<p>Your father can be an uncooperative non-custodial parent, and if you appeal your award letters agressivly and negotiate cleverly, you can end up with tons of need-based aid. Too bad your mother doesn't get child support, as there are legal ways to keep most, if not all of it, out of the formulas.</p>
<p>What Sybbie posts is generally true, but there have been kids who have successfully gotten some waiver or consideration from a college. Talk to your guidance counselor about the situation. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, college is considered the responsibility of both parents and if one refuses to fill out forms that are required to even qualify for financial aid, it can stop the process. There are schools that use only the FAFSA for determination of need, and you may want to consider adding some of those to your list. Check to see % of need they provid (USNews &WR has averages of those stats) You should have some of those schools as financial safeties on your list. FAFSA uses custodial parent's income only. However, I think the the alimony will be included in your mother's income.</p>
<p>My mother never married my biological father- I've never met him at all. So I assume that he has no affect whatsoever on me for financial aid, yes? </p>
<p>Here's where it gets hairy. My mother is in a long term relationship with someone, however they are not married, nor engaged. He is not officially divorced from his current wife (because money reasons, there is a lot of fight over there), so is he expected to contribute to my education at all?</p>
<p>If your parents are separated or divorced, the custodial parent is responsible for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The custodial parent is the parent with whom you lived the most during the past 12 months. (The twelve month period is the twelve month period ending on the FAFSA application date, not the previous calendar year.) Note that this is not necessarily the same as the parent who has legal custody. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, the parent who provided you with the most financial support during the past twelve months should fill out the FAFSA. This is probably the parent who claimed you as a dependent on their tax return. If you have not received any support from either parent during the past 12 months, use the most recent calendar year for which you received some support from a parent. </p>
<p>Note, however, that any child support and/or alimony received from the non-custodial parent must be included on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>The only way to keep child support out of the formulae would be to disguise it as something else, like instead of a $1000 child support check from Dad to Mom, a $1000 check from Dad to Mom's landlord or Mom's credit card bill. The disguise has an air of legitimacy if the parties agree to it in the original or modified divorce settlement and a court signs off on it. </p>
<p>This payment is not included in FAFSA, because the Worksheet B question "Money received, or paid on your behalf (e.g., bills), not reported elsewhere on this form" is blacked out for parents, though not for students. I have never understood why this is, exactly. I'm not recommending this strategy, just guessing this is what Reecy is suggesting.</p>
<p>I think lawyers are very negligent in this area. In my divorce, there was no provision made for college education. Dad seems to feel he has paid child support all these years, that when that ends he doesn't seem to be planning on paying for college. He makes a decent income, but due to whatever reason, barely gets by.
It really makes it a double whammy for children of divorce when the colleges expect the noncustodial parent to contribute, but there is no legal requirement for them to do so. I feel that many children of single parents are underprivileged in this regard.There was a recent article published about this, and how lawyers are now finally starting to catch on to this problem when doing divorces. It also cited statistics that prove my point about underprivileged status in some cases. If I can find the link I'll post it. I think it was in NY Times in last week or so.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your responses! My mother and father go back into court in a few months (its amazing, they've spent over $30,000 in the courts but yet my dad refuses to pay the $250 deposit for being accepted ED). I may ask my mom if she can bring my college up to her lawyer.</p>
<p>Another question, my mom is currently attending community college and will be transfering to a four year college to finish her degree by fall of 2008 (but she receives financial aid). My brother will also be attending by fall of 2008 soo I'm hoping that will help things also.</p>
<p>there isn't any legal requirement for any parent to contribute to college education.
The student is considered a dependent in most cases for aid purposes until 24, but lots of married parents haven't made any provisions and don't contribute either.
Its just that sometimes spouses include that in the settlement agreement.</p>
<p>The colleges will ot take your mother attending college in to consideration (however the good thing for her is that her college will take into consideration that you are in college and her EFC will be lowered). As for your brother, it will not be considered until he apply for college in fall 2008 then your EFC will go down some. </p>
<p>However, it still will not let your dad off the hook. EK raises a good point that while your Dad is not legally obligated to pay for your college, as it is more of a social and moral obligation. Keep in mind even if you get an amendment when your parents go back to court, most colleges don't care wht the divorce decree, upward modification states, they will still look for your father to pay his full "share" proportionate to his income/assets</p>
<p>I am surprised that your mom does not receive child support. Parents do not generally have the right to waive support, as it is not their money, but their child's money they are waiving.</p>
<p>I looked on divorcenet and it appears there is no obligation for post secondary support in Virginia, but you need to find a lawyer quickly and consult about your rights and your dad's responsibilities. </p>
<p>I am surprised that if Virginia statute doesn't address post secondary support why the UVA requires CSS. It seems to be a catch 22 in the law--again find a lawyer.</p>
<p>Do not talk to your mom's lawyer--he or she represents your mom, and her interests are not your interests here.</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat as "wecandothis." My divorce was 14 years ago and college was never in the divorce decree and order said support would continue until youngest turns 18.</p>
<p>After being dragged back and forth to court multiple times over the years by my ex to reduce support, the last time we were in there, the judge added that support would continue until youngest turns 23 (without even me requesting it).</p>
<p>I live in MA and new support laws will cover support until 23 if in college. They also are very big on education and will require both parents to contribute towards college. </p>
<p>I have one in college right now and another going next year. I have never gone to court to have ex contribute towards first one in college because he'll take it out on our kids. I figured he would at least throw some money to our D for spending/books/whatever, but he hasn't. He also refused to fill out the Profile, so any schools that require that are out. </p>
<p>My youngest should have most of her education paid for with scholarships, so I'm not too worried about that. But, if that wasn't going to happen, we would have quite the dilemma on our hands.</p>