What is the best way a relative can make a gift to a student's college cost...?

[sk8rmom]

<p>Money given to the student is reported on the student portion of FAFSA. There is no reporting that I can see for gifts given to the parents. This clause appears in the student section of the FAFSA instructions…but it does NOT appear to be under the parent instructions:</p>

<p>

j. Money received. Enter the amount of any cash support you received from a friend or relative (other than your parents, if you are a dependent student). Cash support includes payments made on your behalf. For instance, if your aunt pays your rent or utility bill that you would otherwise be obligated to pay yourself, you must report those payments here.

</p>

<p>So it seems that relative can gift the money to the parents, who then use it to pay junior’s tuition with no FAFSA implication. I would call the FAFSA help desk (800-4-FEDAID) just to make sure that parents aren’t required to report the cash gifts they receive.</p>