<p>I have a Step-daughter that is getting ready for school. She lives with her father but says she needs to use her mother's and my income to determine what aide she is eligable for to begin college this fall.....If her dad is the custodial parent then does her mother and I (the step-father) need to provide our income on her application???</p>
<p>For FAFSA only schools… no. </p>
<p>For schools that require the non-custodial parent information for the CSS Profile or their own institutional aid forms… generally speaking, yes.</p>
<p>Only dad’s info is needed UNLESS THE SCHOOL REQUESTS info from the other parent. In that case, you and your wife would need to provide it. Which school?</p>
<p>It sounds like your SD has applied to some privates that require CSS Profile and the non-custodial parent info (or their own NCP forms). </p>
<p>For many of the best schools…especially privates…they want to look at the family incomes of all parents. Parents are considered to have the primary responsibility to pay for college. </p>
<p>These schools just want to make sure that they’re not providing aid to a student who has a NCP whose family has a high income/assets. The schools are trying to determine the proper TOTAL “family contribution” from all parents.</p>
<p>If you and your wife’s income/assets is high enough that a higher “family contribution” will be warranted, then you and your wife need to discuss what your plan is. If your plan is to contribute little or nothing towards college then your SD needs to know that now since it means that those schools will not likely be affordable unless the dad can pay “your share” as well.</p>
<p>If you and your wife have not discussed how much you’ll contribute, you need to do that right away. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>