I know similar questions have been asked but I am still confused. I am 18 and a senior in high school. My dad passed away in 2012 and I have been receiving social security survivor benefits. My mother and I do not have jobs and my mom does not file for income tax. We do not have any other source of income and neither of us have any type of bank account. Do I not report the untaxed benefits and do I report our income as $0?
I’ll cut to the chase here.
How is your mom paying her bills for everyday expenses if no one has an income?
It doesn’t matter how she pays her bills. FAFSA doesn’t ask that.
Yes, answer the FAFSA questions as asked. Just because she doesn’t file taxes doesn’t mean her income is $0, but if it is $0 then that’s what you put.
As a widow/er raising a child under 19, a parent is also entitled to a SS benefit. If you are not sure whether to report this income, check with the FAFSA hotline. I have called them a few times over the years for different questions, but not this one. They have been helpful.
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@twoinanddone I’m asking that question…because it’s possible that this parent has unearned in one…maybe interest on accounts or something…that she is using to pay bills. So while she doesn’t have income from a job…she could have income from elsewhere.
And while it may not make any difference to me…with $0 income…the colleges are very very likely to select this student for verification…and they likely will ask this question. So the student will need to have clear documentation of how these expenses are covered…if not by income.
The survivor benefits check.
Are SS survivor checks considered income on the fafsa?
Elsewhere, untaxed SS benefits seem not included on the Fafsa. On the CSS, untaxed SS is asked about.
Untaxed SS benefits of any kind are not reported on the FAFSA.
Your mom should file income tax forms for year 2016. They are still available on line from the IRS. She needs to show her income or lack thereof. It should be a fairly simple one page ordeal. She mails them a copy, keeps a copy for her records. From that she records the info on your FAFSA. Don’t use the link to download tax info from the IRS as they don’t have any from your mom. Keep a file with all the PINS and user names you use. I bet you will qualify for maximum financial aid. Good luck.
I put it in other untaxed income. I don’t know if that was correct or not. My daughter doesn’t qualify for aid so we wasn’t pulled for verification.
Sensation723 we had to file FAFSA all 4 years for our DS to receive a school merit scholarship. We got selected for verification twice. So you most likely will be asked for verification at least once.