<p>This is my third year in college. For the past two years, I have filed my taxes with my daughter as my qualifying child and her father has filed his taxes with our daughter as his dependent child for college financial aid purposes. This year my college has asked for my tax information to be awarded aid and did not request her fathers. Does anyone know the system well enough to inform me of a better process in which I benefit with financial aid? Is the way in which we have done it not good for myself financially? Any sort of information would help.</p>
<p>I am assuming you and the father are not married and that is why you file seperately. If the child is your dependent (as in you provide more than 50% of her support) then for FAFSA you are considered independent ( I don't know your age so I don't know if you would otherwise be considered independent). This can be beneficial if your income is low as an independent student with a dependent may be eligible for the automatic 0 EFC - without a dependent other than spouse an independent student is not eligible for the automatic 0 EFC. Not claiming your daughter as a dependent for tax purposes may make it harder to prove that she is your dependent.</p>
<p>For automatic 0 EFC your income for the 2008-2009 school year must be below $20k and you must file or be eligible to file a 1040a or 1040ez. Certain need based SS benefits may also make you eligible.</p>
<p>Need a bit more info to help you. That your college has requested your info and not your child's father's info is not unusual to me. It is routine to have your financial info requested for verification. People are requested for that all of the time, so I do not see why that is an issue. Don't know if your school is FAFSA only, what are you getting, what do you want, are you supporting self and child?</p>
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<blockquote> <p>For the past two years, I have filed my taxes with my daughter as my qualifying child and her father has filed his taxes with our daughter as his dependent child for college financial aid purposes. >></p> </blockquote>
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<p>I don't understand this at all. Who is claiming this child as a dependent on their taxes? I don't understand the part "father has filed his taxes with our daughter as his dependent for college financial aid purposes". What do you mean. Did the father declare her as a dependent or did you (the mother)? </p>
<p>If you have been declaring her as a dependent (and presumably providing her with more than 1/2 of her support), then your financial information would be what is reported anyway, I believe.</p>
<p>I'm not sure I understand what you've been doing or what you want to know.</p>