What should I do about tuition?

Paying for College
1

(Sorry it’s long but…) Hi, I’m currently going to a public in-state college in my state. My financial aid and permanent residence are with my mom right now. I qualify for my state aid based on income (its not high) and being a state resident, which has allowed me the chance to possibly get through this school year debt-free (I’m currently a commuter & a freshman).

The issue is that my mom wants to move out of state (to somewhere in the southeastern US). If she leaves, I lose most of my aid that has made college even possible will not be available. I actually made this choice of where I’m currently attending school, and I actually like it. I used my mom’s income info on FAFSA cause I live with her. But if she leaves, I’m not planning on going with her. I’m not sure what to do. On my school’s website, it says that they won’t accept me putting an address that’s in-state if it’s not my permanent address.

I’ve suggested to mom if she can please wait until I graduate college. She was fine with that plan. But now was the pandemic worsens and money is kind of tight, she wants to leave our expensive state as quickly as possible.

What should I do? Do I get over it and pay the double price of tuition (as in out of state)? Should I just deal with my rocky relationship with my dad and live with him (he also lives in my current state)? If I were to live with him, does that mean I have to use his income info on FAFSA even if he wasn’t my custodial parent? Do I talk to a financial advisor at my school?

Any and all helpful comments are welcomed,
thanks!

2

If you reside with your dad for the majority of days for the year prior to the date you file your FAFSA, your dad IS your custodial parent for financial aid purposes. And yes, you would then use his income on your FAFSA.

3

Are you sure you’ll lose the instate rate immediately? I moved when my daughter was a sophomore and her school allowed her to keep all her state aid. She was still my dependent on income taxes because I supplied more than 50% of her support (excluding tuition, because she had a scholarship) but she always stayed in Florida (DL, lived there 9-10 months per year, etc. )

I know there are several states that keep your instate status, mostly based on your state of hs graduation. Colorado allows instate rates even if it is the non-custodial, non-FAFSA claiming parent. My nephew lived in Florida and he got instate rates based just on my brother being his father; other states do require the ‘instate’ parent claim the student on the taxes to get the rate, but even then the student doesn’t have to use that parent for FAFSA. Different definitions for taxes, instate residency, and FAFSA.

I think Texas puts a lot of weight to the hs graduation state.