Are you a parent or step-parent of a student about to go off to college? If yes, read on ...
Here are some answers to possible questions regarding who qualifies as a “parent” in the financial aid process. You might be surprised by some of the results.
Definition of a parent for financial aid purposes
What is a dependent student for financial aid purposes?
Dependency is not based on age of the student, but on a series of questions that the student answers on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Dependent students must provide both student and parent information on the FAFSA. For the 2009-2010 academic year, a student is considered dependent on his or her parents if he or she answers "No" to all of the following questions:
o Were you born before January 1, 1986?
o As of today, are you married? (Answer “Yes” if you are separated but not divorced.)
o At the beginning of the 2009–2010 school year, will you be working on a master’s or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)?
o Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
o Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
o Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010?
o Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2010?
o When you were age 13 or older, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent/ward of the court?
o As of today, are you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
o As of today, are you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
o At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
o At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of an emergency shelter program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
o At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
Parents' marital status
The FAFSA asks about parents' marital status because your marital status directly affects the treatment of income and assets in the EFC calculation. Parents must report their marital status as of the date the application is completed.
Who is considered a Parent?
The term "parent" is not restricted to biological parents. Sometimes a person other than a biological parent is treated as a parent, and in these instances, the parental questions on the application must be answered, since they apply to such an individual (or individuals).
Parents who are both living and married to each other
Answer the questions about each parent.
Parents, who are living together and have not been formally married
Those who meet the criteria in their state for a common-law marriage, should report their status as married. If your state does not consider your situation to be a common-law marriage, then you should follow the rules for divorced parents. Check with the appropriate state agency concerning the definition of a common-law marriage.
Foster Parents, Legal Guardians, and Grandparents:
A foster parent, legal guardian, or a grandparent or other relative is not treated as a parent for purposes of filing a FAFSA unless that person has legally adopted the applicant.
Adoptive Parent:
An adoptive parent is treated in the same manner as a biological parent on the FAFSA.
Deceased Parents:
If one, but not both, parents died, answer the parental questions about the surviving parent. Do not report any financial information for the deceased parent on the FAFSA. If the surviving parent dies after the FAFSA has been filed, the student must submit a correction updating his/her dependency status to independent, and correct all other information as appropriate. If the surviving parent is remarried as of the date the FAFSA is completed, answer the questions about both that parent and the person he or she married (stepparent).
Divorced Parents:
Answer the questions about the parent the student lived with more during the 12 months preceding the date the FAFSA is completed. If the student did not live with one parent more than the other, provide information for the parent who provided more financial support during the 12 months preceding the date the FAFSA is completed, or during the most recent year that the student actually received support from a parent.
If this parent has remarried as of the date the FAFSA is completed, answer the questions on the remaining sections of the FAFSA about that parent and the person he or she married (stepparent).
Stepparents:
A stepparent is treated in the same manner as a biological parent if the stepparent is married, as of the date of application, to the biological parent whose information will be reported on the FAFSA, or if the stepparent has legally adopted the student. There are no exceptions. Prenuptial agreements do not exempt the stepparent from providing required data on the FAFSA. Note that the stepparent's income information for the entire base year, must be reported even if parent and stepparent were not married until after the start of the year, but were married prior to the date the FAFSA was completed.
Legally Separated Parents:
The same rules that apply for a divorced couple are used to determine which parent's information must be reported. A couple doesn't have to be legally separated in order to be considered separated for purposes of the FAFSA. The couple may consider themselves informally separated when one of the partners has left the household for an indefinite period of time. If the partners live together, they can't be considered informally separated. However, in some states, a couple can be considered legally separated even if they still live together. If the couple's state allows legally separated couples to live together, and they are legally separated, then they are considered separated for purposes of the FAFSA. In this case, the applicant would report the information on the parent that provided the majority of the student's financial support.
Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act
The California Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2003, which extends new rights, benefits and obligations to individuals in California Registered Domestic Partnerships, became law on January 1, 2005. If you or your parent(s) are in a Registered Domestic Partnership, this legislation may affect your eligibility for state and university financial aid. If this new law reflects your family's living situation, contact the Financial Aid Office. You will be asked to complete a Domestic Partner Information Form, and your eligibility for state and university aid will be reevaluated. Your eligibility may increase or decrease based on the new information provided. The provisions of the Act do not apply to federal aid.
Parental marital status + FAFSA = a complicated situation. Know the rules and you will be fine.
The information above was provided by
UC Davis and Lauren Kahn, M.A. Educational Consultant of
Lone Star Ed Consulting, LLC.
If you would like more information about Lone Star Ed Consulting's college planning services, please e-mail Lauren Kahn or call her at 512-294-6608.
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