<p>My parents just came back from filing our taxes. The filer told them that it's not required by law for those who make less than $5000 to file (aka me), so they decided not to file mine. Do colleges ABSOLUTELY require applicants who work to send in a tax form, or is there another way around it? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>They will probably request your W-2's if you do not file.</p>
<p>Most schools have a non-filer statement that you can sign and send in. Check with each school by calling or checking the financial aid page on each web site.</p>
<p>Thanks! (10 chara)</p>
<p>Since I'm not filing, do I just enter 0 for student income on the fafsa, because fafsa won't let me enter data for my income if i choose the "will not file" choice.</p>
<p>As a side question, if I send in a corrected copy of the CSS, do I include the last section that has a list of all the colleges? Also, would I correct the CSS's student income question to be 0 also?</p>
<p>badabump...</p>
<p>hi</p>
<p>I believe you still have to report your income even if you are not required to file 2005 taxes. You might want to call FAFSA and ask them.</p>
<p>You should still report the income.</p>
<p>FAFSA will not let me report my income if I choose the "will not file" menu, so I filed it without my income, but I'll report it on the CSS. Thanks!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Since I'm not filing, do I just enter 0 for student income on the fafsa, because fafsa won't let me enter data for my income if i choose the "will not file" choice.</p>
<p>You must enter the amount of money that you made from your W-2 forms. It does let you continue the finish filling out the form if you click will not file.</p>
<p>I do believe that if the numbers don't match up on the Profile and the FAFSA, those schools that require both won't be able to process your financial aid package if you are accepted at their school.</p>
<p>If FAFSA expects that you will file taxes, then do so. It really isn't that hard to do. Once your taxes are complete and you have received the SAR, you can update.</p>
<p>There is FREE efile from the IRS web site if you worried about paying fees. My D only made $900 last summer but she files the EZ one . It's better to have all that paperwork for financial aid ( my theory ) . </p>
<p>Don;t you want you State taxes refund ?</p>
<p>If you earned less than $5k you can get all of the hundreds of tax dollars that youve paid back - look at your W2 to see how much you will get back. If you dont care about the refund money why are you applying for aid?</p>
<p>It is not uncommon for yoursters to file "Exempt" on their W-4's when they know they won't be making over the required dollar amount for taxes. That way there are no taxes witheld. You can't get back what you don't pay in.</p>
<p>What do you do if your kid did not get a W-2 because of being a self-employed person (dog-sitter, yard-worker, etc?)</p>
<p>well you could leave it off- if it is negligible
but if it is a regular source of income and for example if it is included on application, you just add it to income.
I have lots of income ( well not lots but YKWIM) that I dont' recieve w-2s for, you jut write it down as "other income"</p>
<p>Also for students working, they often aren't allowed by their employer not to have any tax withheld. so you have to file to get it back.</p>
<p>Then there is our son, the musician.
He had 3 W2s from summer retail shop jobs and campus workstudy and ONE 1099. That one measly 1099 pushed him into 'self employed land' and schedule C nightmare on Turbotax (free online).
MUCH too much ado about such a small amount of money!!!</p>
<p>musicmom,</p>
<p>I think we are in the same boat on that self-employment thingy . . .think we will take it to the CPA when we have our taxes done. S2 made a bit over $500, which is not nothing. No W-2s or 1099's or anything. He did note his work on his applications, and I put his income on the estimated FAFSA, so tax people, here we come. My husband rolls his eyes at me sometimes, but I think this is right.</p>
<p>momofthree-
I'm with you, do the right thing.
My husband loves to roll his eyes at me. But I was raised old fashioned by Depression parents......they instilled all these very bothersome ethics in me!!
Anyway, the schedule C thing is not so bad...for one 1099 and no expenses like my son's situation. And that one wonderful Easter Church gig paid him $700. Hope he gets it again this year!!!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies</p>
<p>"If you earned less than $5k you can get all of the hundreds of tax dollars that youve paid back - look at your W2 to see how much you will get back. If you dont care about the refund money why are you applying for aid?" </p>
<p>I didn't work a lot this year because of programs I was involved in - making my refund less than 40 dollars (which hardly offsets the cost of filing)</p>
<p>sybbie719, I tried over and over, but a popup window continuously pops up stating that if I choose "will not file" I have to change my income to 0 or change my status to "will file" or "already filed." I will just leave it blank, and fill in what I earned on the CSS - attached with a letter stating that I didn't file this year so the finaid offices know why it was left blank on the fafsa.</p>
<p>Again, thanks for the help! :)</p>