Why Does FAFSA Only Use Custodial Parent

<p>This makes no sense. I know most FAFSA schools don't meet need anyway, but why let the other parent off the hook?</p>

<p>I don't think that non-custodial parents are more or less "off the hook" based on whether their income/assets are reported on FAFSA or not. In many cases, not reporting non-custodial financial information on FAFSA is much more advantageous to the student than adding those $$s to the form.</p>

<p>Divorce settlement agreements and/or parenting agreements are the places to spell out the non-custodial parent's obligation towards college expenses since they're legally binding.</p>

<p>Because ... just because.</p>

<p>I have learned not to try to figure it out. I just try to learn the regulations & follow them. Applying logic only leads to frustration.</p>

<p>Part of the reason for disallowing the non-custodial parent's financial information is because the federal government has finally figured out that many non-custodial parents do not help their child, do not have communication with their child. They see that adding in the non-custodial parent's financial information actually penalizes the student and the purpose of federal aid is to give students a fair chance at a college education. Penalizing them by adding in a non-custodial parent's income would be more harmful to the student and work against the purpose of federal aid.</p>

<p>And while I understand that, it is also unfair. The expectation is that married parents will use both their incomes to pay for their kids' college - and many choose not to do so - just as many divorced parents choose not to do so. For this reason, I feel it's not quite right to let one divorced parent off the hook.</p>

<p>hmom, I agree it is not fair. Its all well and good to say college expenses should be adressed in divorce -- I think courts should REQUIRE it to be addressed. Otherwise, the rest of us have to deal with costs.</p>

<p>Sometimes ours is not to reason why....</p>

<p>Because unlike the CSS Profile, they realize that people don't want to die trying to do their FinAid application. That is the only logical reason I can think of.</p>

<p>Umm...is there something wrong with the way I filled it out. I live with my mom and she makes $30,000 a year, and my dad makes $300,000 a year, but my EFC is $48,000. Did we do something wrong (aka was my dad not supposed to put his info on there)?</p>

<p>chronicfuture if your parents are divorced or separated, you should only have the parent you live with fill out the parent portion of FAFSA.</p>

<p>Yeah, but there are questions that ask "89. How much did your father/stepfather earn from working (wages, salaries, tips, etc.) in 2008?" Should I still not include any information about my dad? Will it even matter considering all my schools also require CSS/non-custodial or a separate form that addresses my dad's income? Thanks.</p>

<p>If your mother has remarried then you must include your stepfather's financial information. If your mother has not remarried, then you only include her financial information on FAFSA, not your father's.</p>

<p>For Profile schools that require non-custodial forms, your father's income and assets must be reported.</p>

<p>How do I get my noncustodial parent to fill out the form? I sent it to his email but he says it isn't there. I can't find any way to resend it or anything.</p>

<p>Can't he download it himself? Give him the link.</p>

<p>How exactly? what is the link?</p>

<p>Isn't that just like the CSS people - no link. They do like to make things difficult. Try accessing it through your login - copy the form & send it to him if you can.</p>

<p>Here's the link:</p>

<p><a href="https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>He can create his own login and so his financial information will be completely private. He won't be able to see your mother's, and she won't be able to see his (if this is an issue).</p>

<p>It may be, I don't know.</p>

<p>Thanks for the link though. I was so frustrated last night I felt like just giving up completely on this whole thing.</p>

<p>Wait that link just shows the profile. There isn't a link to go to the NCP or anything like that. What the hell do they make this so damn confusing I pay $89 for this crap!!!</p>

<p>So I logged in and it just has "Check your status" but absolutely nothing about the NCP thing.</p>