<p>I agree that it is terrible for college applicants whose parents refuse to pay for college, but I’m not sure that it would be realistic to equate them to people who parents are divorced, especially if the NCP has been out of the picture for a very long time (say, before the child was born, which is… fairly common! 
)</p>
<p>Of course, you don’t have to marry. What usually happens is that the couple marries without even thinking about the impact this may have on financial aid. Whatever anyone decides to do, the awareness of financial implications should be clear.</p>
<p>As I have said, this is not a some huge windfall for millions of familes, that the NCP 's finances are not taken into account under FAFSA. First of all, the CP’s financials has to be low enough to be Pell eligible for the student to be eligible for much in grants. The maximum Pell for the two term school year is $5300. There may be some other Pell linked grants available in some situations. </p>
<p>The big bucks that really make an impact are usually from schools that use PROFILE or their own fin aid apps, and those usually want both parents’ finances along with all of the steps and the siblings as well. FaFSA only schools do not tend to meet full need.</p>
<p>Including the NCP is simply impractical as there would be more exceptions than actual award decreases. The processing of it all would cost a fortune and bog down FA offices to a crippling level which would impact all students. Are you aware that, per the DoE, nearly 40% of all students receive at least one Pell grant over the course of their education? I’m sure that number is on the rise with the expanded eligibility and state of the economy…but it’s already a huge number of applications!</p>
<p>I’m not an expert on divorce, but I do come in contact with a significant number of lower income single parent families. I have never seen a stipulation for college expenses in a divorce decree, much less one that was enforced…I’m sure there are some out there, but probably among those with higher incomes/assets (ie. those who would not be Pell eligible anyway due to the CP’s income/assets or the NCP’s contribution which IS reported on FAFSA). </p>
<p>Generally there is a reason for the divorce that still exists - frequently the NCP was a scary person or committing other bad acts. Often the required support is received through court ordered garnishments from the Sheriff’s office in order ensure payment and, in many cases, to shield the CP and kids from contact. Many CP’s don’t attempt to have the support order enforced at all in order to avoid contact. In any case, the NCP is no longer part of the family unit, for legal, tax, or any federal/state aid purposes and that is unlikely to change.</p>
<p>I object to your assumption that the stepparent agreed to anything, I certainly did not. My main objection is that my income is included but SS’s mother is not, so you will hold me accountable for a child that isn’t mine, but will not hold his mother responsible? She CHOSE not to work, she CHOSE not to financially contribute to anything but I as the STEP PARENT am responsible according to you. Secondly, intact parents have no such obligation to provide a college education. Just more in the line of entitlement thinking that has ruined people’s ability to live as adults independently…</p>
<p>This really isn’t about what any of us think is fair or unfair. It’s about regulations, which are written by Congress and must be enforced by the financial aid community. For private schools that have large endowments, even more is expected because the income of all parents/stepparents is often considered. This is done because the schools feel that this is the best way to allocate their resources.</p>
<p>No one is forcing any parent to pay anything. The underlying assumption in financial aid is that the parents are first in line with responsibility for paying for their child’s education (“parent” being defined by the government). Entitlement to federal/institutional money comes AFTER family responsibility. BUT … the parents do not have to pay anything more than they want to pay, or even anything at all. That is their choice.</p>
<p>
You’re right. What makes you think your step-children are entitled to aid for a private or four year school when they could work their way through a community college?</p>
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</p>
<p>Fair enough. Mother’s income should absolutely be counted.
Don’t take out your anger with the mother on the poor kid.</p>
<p>However, I <em>do</em> think that when you married, you took on the role of a parent to those kids. If you didn’t sign on for that, then I frankly don’t think you should have married someone with kids. That is my opinion with everyone who enters a marriage… you marry the whole package and the kids are part of that package. You can’t pick and choose what parts of the package you want to take on (ie- wife and not mother). JMHO. </p>
<p>PS: College costs about $20k+ for an instate school. Do you know a lot of 18 year olds who have that kind of money? I am financially independent from my parents and work three jobs to support myself. However, those jobs pay my bills and slightly more. My parents make so little that I receive quite a bit of aid. Most of the rest is covered by academic scholarships. If my parents were richer, I’d be SOL. So I have quite an issue with you assuming that asking for help for school means that we’re not independent adults. No, it means that we’re being screwed by costs beyond our control and therefore we ask our parents for help because that is the ONLY thing we can turn to. If the world thought college students were independent adults, we would be able to get loans to cover school and wouldn’t be under such strict requirements. But, we’re seen as new, young, and irresponsible and therefore we need parents’ help because they are older and more established.</p>
<p>You used to be able to “work your way” through college. Not so much anymore. That’s our reality as college students.</p>
<p>Don’t think it was really all that easy to work one’s way through college in the past, either. My dad had to quit because his family took every penny he made (against his wishes, but that is another story). I could absolutely not have worked my way through the college you attend, romani, and I am in my 50’s. I could have worked my way through a CC and through the local university to which I could have commuted while living at home … but no way could I have paid for a stay-away-from-home state school even back in the dark ages. I went to the school I attended for one simple reason: it was the only stay-away school I could afford (it was extremely unique). Maybe, just maybe, if I had applied to others I could have received a scholarship & been able to afford it … but no one in my family knew anything about paying for college & my guidance counselor was useless.</p>
<p>Paying for college was tough back then, and it’s tough now. I am not thrilled when I write big checks for my kids’ educations. I am, however, very glad that I am able to do so.</p>
<p>Paying for college was tough back then, and it’s tough now. I am not thrilled when I write big checks for my kids’ educations. I am, however, very glad that I am able to do so. >></p>
<p>I graduated in 85 in Texas when tuition was $4/hour. My most expensive semester was $250 for tuition, fees and books; rent was $100 a month. My $350/month campus job paid for my last two years of school. When I started, I had $10K in my college fund and when I graduated, there was enough left to pay for most of my first car and for my wedding (13% interest helped there). It was definitely possible to work your way through school in TX at that time.</p>
<p>Holy cow! I graduated before that, and tuition was much higher at state schools in MI. (and living expenses had to be added in, of course)</p>
<p>Then again, I did not have $10,000 in my college account. I had 0. I worked at McDonald’s all through high school, and I paid $600 for a beat up station wagon. Fortunately, my parents paid my insurance. I made less than $2/hour, as I recall.</p>
<p>LOL. Rates went from $4 to $24/hour the year after I graduated and there were protests. It was still one of the cheapest states. </p>
<p>My parents started saving when each of us was born and interest rates were high for much of that time, so the fund grew rapidly. I don’t remember the numbers, but I think that the amount was a bit larger when I graduated than when I started since I took nothing out if it those last two years and not much the first two. I did work in high school and during holiday and summers, so used that money for living expenses. Wish it was the same now!!</p>
<p>@kels- sorry, I didn’t mean to insinuate that it was ever easy. Obviously, it was not. However, costs have increased astronomically compared to the rise of inflation. Therefore, it stands to reason that it was, indeed, far more feasible to do it back then than now.</p>
<p>Romani…</p>
<p>You’re right. Back in the 70s when many of us were in college, we could work part-time and pay to commute to our local state university and still have money left over for clothing, cars, entertainment, etc.</p>
<p>Now, it’s really not do-able for a student to pay for his local state university out of part-time income earnings and still have a good amount left over. The tuition alone at many local state schools is $5k-14k per year plus add another couple thousand for books, parking decal, supplies, etc. Most kids can barely earn $3k-5k per year.</p>
<p>Yes, college tuition has out-paced inflation. The advent of the internet & sites like this one have made it easier in many ways to have viable options, though. As I said, I had absolutely no idea that there were options for me back in the day. Motivated students today have the ability to find something that might work for them, which is a good thing.</p>
<p>I am feeling like finding the silver lining today, I guess. ;)</p>
<p>I am the step-father. I have read the posts where many of you think the step should be on the hook for helping the step child. What many of you are missing is that if he is a step-dad, chances are he has biological kids of his own. In my case, I have two kids. Mom never re-married. Who will pay for their college education? Like one poster said, don’t blame the step if the biological parents did not plan for their kids college. While I was going to school and better myself both bio were out partying or sitting home watching tv at night while I was going to night school. My first kid just started college as freshmen. Kid number two is a freshman in high school. I have a step that is getting ready to graduate this year. My wife has not worked in over year. My income (six figures) is on the FAFSA. The government does not take my kids future in consideration. There should be more information surrounding step parents where deductions are in place for other kids. As it stands now, my step may be heading in the military because aid will more than likely be low.</p>
<p>How is that for those of you that think the step should be on the hook? Not enough money to go around. Your kids or kids of two other people making babies and not planning for the future?</p>
<p>The step eat pretty good. Entertainment is there. Good accommodations.</p>
<p>Hutty, I agree that steps should not be expected to help pay for college. But I think more states should be like NY and NJ and allow courts to require a NCP to help with college. To those who say that is not fair that a divorced parent could be ordered to pay, but not a parent who is married, I say that getting divorced means you lose control over a lot of things when you get divorced.</p>
<p>One of the kids in my DDs class dad was a dentist. He left his wife, and said he gambled away millions in the Bahamas. Why should the government consider his kids in need? Fortunately the state judge said he was gonna sit in jail for a while to figure out a way to help. Surprise suprise, he did.</p>
<p>Huffy, what we think doesn’t matter. The way it works is that the step-parent’s financials are included in determining financial aid. If you want your step child to have a shot at ANY financial aid, you have to provide your information. Otherwise he is entitled to zip, including loans, most of the time. What the formula yields is the amount of money your family is expected to pay for college. It doesn;t say anyone has to pay it. It just gives the amount the government thinks the family should pay.</p>
<p>Most schools that require FAFSA only, do not tend to meet full need anyways. The PROFILE schools tend to include everyone’s financial’s, the custodial parent, the custodial parent’s spouse, the non custodial parent and the non custodial parent’s spouse and those of all of the kids in the blended family as well. </p>
<p>They say EFC stands for “Every Frigging Cent”, but its the PROFILE that goes after your silver fillings and those of all of the kids as well.</p>
<p>While I was going to school and better myself* both bio were out partying or sitting home watching tv at night while I was going to night school**.*</p>
<p>Uh…is one of those bio parents your current wife? </p>
<p>* My wife has not worked in over year. My income (six figures) is on the FAFSA. *</p>
<p>Tell your wife to go to work to pay for her child’s education.</p>
<p>*or kids of two other people making babies and not planning for the future?</p>
<p>*
Or, since you seem to think your present wife behaved in such an irresponsible manner, why not divorce her? (hey, why’d you even marry her? Maybe you should go back to your first wife.)</p>
<p>@hutty1, no one is requiring a step parent to write a check.</p>
<p>I am remarried, and although my husband has no obligation to support my children, his income does allow me more flexibility in using my own income to pay my children’s tuition.</p>
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<p>This isn’t always the case…if your bio kids are members of your household, then all the kids benefit from having 1) more household members, and a bigger income protection allowance; 2) having more students in college on FAFSA, which divides the parent EFC among them.</p>
<p>Also, many kids are residing with the lower earning parent (usually the mom) and using their income for FAFSA, which results in a much lower EFC since the NCP info is not required at all. I know many students who are receiving Pell and other grants who would not have this aid if the other parent’s income was reported. So, to me, it’s kind of a wash whether the step’s income is increasing his bio kid’s EFC or the stepkid’s. This, of course, doesn’t apply if the kids are at Profile schools which consider all of the parents’ income/assets…but that’s a choice. Just my $.02.</p>