Will my EFC change?

Paying for College
1

<p>So i filed my fafsa on Jan 1, 2011 with my mom's 2009 tax return (as estimates).
The basic info on my mom: single/divorced, head of household, four dependents, gross income of about $11000, free lunch program, receives child support, barely any savings/checkings, no assets</p>

<p>It was processed and i received an EFC of 0.</p>

<p>Today, my mom's tax return came in, so i took a peek at her income. Nothing has changed besides her <em>^</em>&^%#$#%$^ income! It went up to about $28000!!! And now I have to use these numbers for the fafsa corrections!</p>

<p>So now I am wondering, will my efc change? If so, do you think it will be by a lot? Should I use my dad's tax return instead if it is lower than hers?</p>

<p>Please help! I literally have no money to pay for college so i need all the "free" money i can get.</p>

2

<p>What type of return did she file? If it was a 1040a or 1040ez you will qualify for the auto 0 EFC with an AGI under $31,000.</p>

<p>You can’t just change to your Dad’s tax return. You have to report the parent with whom you lived with the most in 2010, it is fraud to do otherwise. And as you have already said this was your Mom, plus have filed with her information and her as the parent for the PIN, it would raise a whole lot of red flags to suddenly change parents.</p>

3

<p>Since you live with your mom, you HAVE to use her income.</p>

<p>Are you saying that your mom’s income jumped from 11k to 28K? Did she worked part-time in 2009? or did she not work the full year in 2009?</p>

4

<p>Actually, you’d still qualify for the Automatic 0 EFC as long as her adjusted gross income is under $31K and anyone in the household received benefits from a federal means tested program in 2009 or 2010 (school lunch, food stamps, etc.). So, it doesn’t sound as if any changes are coming for this year anyway.</p>

5

<p>The form just says 1040. It doesnt have A or EZ or anything after it.</p>

<p>Yeah, it just jumped. I really dont even know how. She works as a nail technician so its commission. </p>

<p>Oh wow, i didnt know that (about the parent thing). Thank you for telling me about that, i prob wouldve been in a lot of trouble -.- lol.</p>

6

<p>

That probably makes her ineligible for the 1040a or ez</p>

<p>Do you receive any means tested benefits? (free school lunches etc?)</p>

7

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<p>This is from the OP…seems like the family gets free lunch.</p>

<p>That being the case, wouldn’t the auto $0 EFC still apply? (has income less than $31K and one of the means tested programs).</p>

8

<p>Oh yes, I missed that, If the AGI is under $31k and she can answer yes to the means tested benefits question she will be eligible for auto 0.</p>

9

<p>Thank you so much everyone! This really made me feel a lot better lol.</p>