<p>Is your mom your custodial parent? Be very careful to follow the FAFSA instructions on that so you don’t run into problems if your FAFSA is verified. We get too many posts from students who suddenly have their aid adjusted and are scrambling or, worse, left owing for a tuition when it’s too late to drop anything.</p>
<p>no i do not live with my mother. whats wrong with that? and i do not understand what you mean.could you explain?</p>
<p>If you strictly wanted an answer to the question you asked, we would all just say “I don’t know”. People are trying to help. Really.</p>
<p>moonrise: none of the suggestions were of my interest. I am comfortable at the college i am at. So its not my problem if their suggestions do not work for me just like its not their problem.</p>
<p>“no i do not live with my mother. whats wrong with that? and i do not understand what you mean.could you explain?”</p>
<p>For the purposes of FAFSA, if you have moved away from home and live year-round in your college town, and only show up at Mom’s or Dad’s house for random holiday meals, your parent of record will continue to be the one who was your custodial parent of record when you most recently were living with one of them. In order for Mom to become your custodial parent for FAFSA purposes, you need to actually spend more time with her than with Dad. If you can’t spend more time with her, then she has to pay for more of your expenses than Dad does so that there is rock-solid evidence that she is the one who is most responsible for you.</p>
<p>The parent that you list on your FAFSA is the parent who claims you as a dependent on his/her tax forms. If you suddenly change parents, you may increase your chances for being pulled for verification of your forms. And if that happens and you’ve claimed the disallowed parent, you will end up in trouble for falsifying federal documents.</p>
<p>We all wish we could magically solve your problem for you. Unfortunately, life isn’t always fair and in this economy, many students have to take leaves of absense and work a year or two. </p>
<p>Any credit-worthy adult CAN co-sign a loan. But it is a huge risk, and certainly not one that many people are willing to do for someone other than a child or grandchild. We are finally at the two-year repayment point with our daughter, and can’t wait to get my husband’s name off her loans (even though we are helping her pay one of them off and will continue to do so until she has a better job).</p>
<p>RE Post #22 – If your parents are not married (and neither parent is married to another) the parent you put on your FAFSA is the parent with whom you live most of the time or who provides the most financial support (cross posted with happymom in post #25). If that parent is married to another you would put BOTH that parent’s income and the income of their spouse on your FAFSA. If you parents are married to one another you must list both of their incomes on the FAFSA.</p>
<p>in regards to OP – generally speaking, those who know you VERY VERY well (family and VERY close family friends) might consider co-signing a loan for you. They will be responsible for paying the loan if you cannot, so it is not something that most will take on lightly. As KKmama says in post #26 “Any credit-worthy adult CAN co-sign a loan. But it is a huge risk…” (cross posted).</p>
<p>Are your parents married? Who do you live with when you are not at college? If it is you dad, you are required to use his financial info on the FAFSA. If your parents are married, you are required to use BOTH parents on your FAFSA. If you really live with your mom, and your parents are divorced Then you can use her info only. You can’t just decide to use your mom because you feel like it.</p>
<p>Re: cosigners… If you think you know someone who will cosign for you, ask them. Your issue will be if you cannot FIND a cosigner.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you can’t simply choose the lower income parent. The instructions are very clear on this:</p>
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<p>The school has your permanent address on file and can also verify your FAFSA at any time. If the FA office catches the switch and you can’t prove that she is your custodial parent then they’re required to adjust any federal aid that you may have been awarded incorrectly. That is never a good situation to be in.</p>
<p>Well fortunately for me i am stating i live with her now that i am applying to get instate tuition…so it’s not really that big of a situation if i live with her while i go to school right?</p>
<p>Kkmama the parent that you list on the FAFSA is the one you live with the most…and that isn’t always the one who declares you as a dependent on their taxes.</p>
<p>Which parent was your custodial parent during 2011? That is the parent that is used for the 2012/13 FAFSA because there’s a 12 month “lookback” period. If you’re starting to live with her now, then mom will be the custodial parent for 2013/14.</p>
<p>Ok…so in addition to saying you live with your mom for FAFSA finaid purposes, you are also going to say you live with her (when you do not) to gain instate tuition status?</p>
<p>What you are planning to do is fraud… And you not only stand to lose any financial aid , instate status, but also possibly your enrollment status at the school. </p>
<p>You are lying, plain and simple. I’m sorry but I think you very seriously need to consider what you are planning to do.</p>
<p>collegestudent43,</p>
<p>If you are living with her now in order to get in-state tuition, then she almost certainly will now also be your “FAFSA parent”.</p>
<p>thumper how is it a lie! i am always down there with my mom!</p>
<p>sk8termom: i stayed with my mom a lot for 2011. and all of the summer. but how would they know that if my dad has me as living with him on his taxes</p>
<p>Some states grant instate tuition if either parent lives there…my kids can legitimately get instate rates in the state their dad resides in although they have never lived there and he is not their custodial parent for FAFSA. </p>
<p>The FAFSA rules don’t have anything to do with state residency…that rule is very clear! Just use the parent that you lived with more during 2011. If that’s actually your mom then you’re fine.</p>
<p>Sk8rmom: well thank you for that positivity im over here balling my eyes out in stress. ive dealt with too much this year…i need at least some positivity right now.</p>
<p>i am just praying to God i can get instate tuition if they do want me to live with my mom. basically everything i have is from my the state of my school. my bank accounts, license, im going to get a voting registration, and i have a p.o box here which i am going to have my school start sending my mail to</p>
<p>Well, I don’t think I gave you any concrete info…I don’t know the rules for the state you’re in but was just saying that you may be fine. It sounds as if the school has already made their residency determination, is that right? Just research these things as you go and make sure you’re filing documents correctly so you don’t end up in trouble.</p>