HOW CAN I GET FINANCIAL AID WITHOUT MY PARENTS’ TAX INFORMATION?
I have no attribute with my parents, so removing their taxation info is not an choice during all (as in, no we can’t speak to them). Specifically, my mother told me which she wouldn’t wish to see me succeed. Anyway, we need options as to how to benefit monetary assist but their assistance. I’m starting to proceed to request to colleges inside of a subsequent couple of months as well as we am unfortunate for answers since we do not have them to assistance me by any means.
Posted on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm by admin · Permalink
In: Tips · Tagged with: Financial, Information, Parents, Without
In: Tips · Tagged with: Financial, Information, Parents, Without
6 Responses
Subscribe to comments via RSS
Subscribe to comments via RSS
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Permalink
There seems to be quite a bit of disagreement between the answerers thus far, so let me try and straighten it all out.
You have to fill out a FAFSA in order to get federal aid. For this purpose, you are considered independent (regardless of your tax status) ONLY IF one or more of the following apply:
1. 24 years old
2. Entering a graduate program
3. Married
4. Have children or other dependants
5. Member of the armed forces
6. Parents are dead or you were a ward of the court until you were 18
If none of those apply then you can still get aid. You can get a professional judgement override from your university. You will definately have to jump through some hoops though. First, you cannot fill out the FAFSA online. You will have to obtain a paper copy (your college or maybe high school should have these). Every college is slightly different, so you should start by contacting them to see exactly what they want. Essentially, however, you are going to have to write a letter (and probably obtain at least one letter from someone who can vouch for your situation – like a hs counselor or another family member) which explains in great detail your situation and why your parents are not a support to you. In addition, if you have been supporting yourself in the past then you should also gather up any documentation as to bills and what not that show this to be true. Or if you were emancipated or living with other relatives, also good to document though court records or letters. Basically you will be presenting as strong as a case as possible to your school for why you really are a dependant even though you don’t meet the federal standards and asking them to override the requirements for you.
Oh, and one last thing…. the subsidized and unsubsidized student loans (along with federal grants and work-study) are all a part of the same program. They all require a FAFSA. You will have to get this sorted out before you are eligible for any of those. You can NOT take out an unsubsidized loan without a FAFSA.
Like I said, it won’t be an easy feat, so get started early!
Hope that helps!
ADDITION: Also, be aware that becoming legally emancipated does NOT automatically make you an independant for the purposes of the FAFSA. It just gives you a stronger grounds to argue why you are an exception when you ask your school for a professional judgement override.
on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Permalink
If you still live at home and they claim you, you have to put their information on there until you’re 23 (if you’re still living at home at 23). If they do not claim you and you have been filing taxes on your own for 1 tax year (and are over 18), then you do not have to put them on there. Talk to your guidance counselor, maybe he/she can help further.
NOTE**The only way I COULD get financial aid was to not be on my parents taxes (because their income was too high). Once I was considered independent, I received a pell grant AND subsidized student loans.
on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Permalink
Without your parents information, you can not get any kinds of the free or any need based aid like the federal Pell grant, work study, or subsidized student loans. The only thing you can take out is a thing you can get is an Unsubsidized Stafford loan, and you will STILL have to talk to your Mom to get her to write a letter to the schools fin aid office stating they will not support you going to college at all. You will have difficulty submitting your fafsa online, (it will ask you over and over to enter your mothers information and will then reject it.). You are going to have to make an appointment with the schools fin aid office to explain your situation.
Talk to your school for more details, but it behooves you to at least get the income info from your mom…. since you are still going to have to talk to her anyway…. so you can at least APPLY for the free stuff.
Hope it helps.
on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Permalink
Even though you may be considered an independent student, there are rarely exceptions made. Speak to your financial aid advisor at your college.
on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Permalink
Unfortunatley, unless you are age 25 or older, or have children, the government considers you a dependent of your parents due to your age. I went through similar problems when I was applying for school. I ended up waiting till I was 25 to go back to school to get around that problem, but that was what worked for me personally. The best and only way to get around your problem is to become legally emanciapted from your parents, which is a legal document stating that you are solely responsible for your own care.These are not easy to get however and could take lots of time and money. There may be other legal ways around this dilema since it will be hard to get an emanciaption declaration after the age of 18. My best advice is to speak with a financial aid counselor at your college so she can direct you on loopholes to help you around this situation. Also try speaking with a customer service worker at the 1-800 number on FAFSA’s website. They could also help point you in the right direction of action steps to take. Just tell them you are no longer in contact with your parents and don’t know how to get in contact with them, no need to get into other personal details. You may need to fill out some legal paperwork, and do some research on your own, but there are always loopholes. Good luck!!!
on February 8, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Permalink
If you’re over 21, then you are an independent student, so you don’t need their information. If you aren’t maybe you could be considered an independent student if you don’t live with or receive any type of income from your parents. To be sure, you should ask a financial aid representative at one of the colleges you’re applying to about your situation. If all else fails there is always scholarships and other grants you can look into.
Hope this helps.