I am going to community college right now. I haven't signed up for any financial aid yet but I will need it when I transfer to a university so I plan on looking into it soon. I know that I can get financial aid based on my mothers income because she has been disabled due to brain cancer since I was five and has very low income. But the thing is I am going to be moving into my grandmother's old house with my aunt in a few months and she wants to start claiming me on her taxes as a dependent. Will that mess up my getting financial aid? Since she will be claiming me would my info for financial aid then be based on her instead of my mom? My aunt isn't rich so she can't afford to send me to school either so I want to make sure I can get as much financial aid as possible. Thank you in advance for your help.
2007-03-08 07:38:47 · 4 answers · asked by aly 5 in Education & Reference ➔ Financial Aid
Unless your aunt actually *adopts* you, you cannot and should not include her information on the FAFSA.
When you file a FAFSA, the government is not looking for "guardian" or "custodian" information. They are looking only for "parent" information. In various FAFSA-related FAQs, it has been clarified that "parent" refers to your biological parent, step-parent, or adoptive parent (foster parents don't count). Your aunt is neither of those things, but your mother still qualifies as a parent even though she is unable to fully support you.
Simply file your FAFSA with your mother's income/asset information. If your school requests copies of your mother's tax return, you can go ahead and submit it without worry. Your "FAFSA parent" is by no means required to claim you as a dependent and you don't have to actually live with that parent. Moreover, it doesn't matter that someone else claims you as a dependent on their taxes -- tax laws and Federal Student Aid regulations are often not "in sync."
2007-03-08 07:59:34 · answer #1 · answered by FinAidGrrl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can only list your parents, biological or adoptive, on your FAFSA for income regardless of who you live with or who claims you on their tax return. So go ahead and move in with another relative, and if they are allowed to claim you on their taxes based on IRS regulations that is fine as your FAFSA will still look at your parents information.
2007-03-08 08:05:56 · answer #2 · answered by appylover 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Financial aid application asks for who ever is your Legal Guardian. You have to put it if it's your aunt.
2007-03-08 07:41:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It might. Talk to your FA councilor.
2007-03-08 07:43:01 · answer #4 · answered by tain 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋