Dependency Status for Financial Aid Purposes

OVERVIEW

Financial aid regulations assume that the student and the parents have primary responsibility for meeting the educational costs of post-secondary education. The level of contribution is based on ability to pay, not on willingness to pay.

If a student can answer YES to at least ONE question in Step Three of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the student is considered "independent" for financial aid purposes, meaning no parent information is to be reported on the FAFSA. The Step Three questions:

• Were you born before January 1, 19XX (making you 24 or older)?
• Are you working on a master's or doctorate program?
• Are you married as of day you file FAFSA?
• Have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
• Have dependents (other than your children or spouse)?
• Are you an orphan, or are you/were you (until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?
• Are you a veteran of the US Armed Forces?
• Are you currently active duty military personnel for other than training purposes?

PARENTS RELUCTANT TO HELP?

What if your parents refuse to file the FAFSA with you or help pay for college expenses? Visit www.FinAid.org for a frank discussion on the subject.

IRRECONCILABLE BREAK WITH PARENTS?

Per federal regulations, a student may be considered independent if a financial aid administrator determines and documents the student's independent status based on unusual circumstances. Unusual circumstances are those circumstances, which, in the professional judgment of a financial aid administrator, warrant the student to be considered independent. Examples would include situations in which the student's parents are physically or mentally incapacitated.

In such cases as disinheritance, parents' refusal to file any information, or other unique circumstances, the student may not meet the usual requirements for independence, but have no parents' contribution on which to rely. A financial aid administrator may treat such students as independent if institutional policy permits and judicious review merits such consideration.

If a student fails to meet the FAFSA criteria for independent student status and can document an irreconcilable break in relationship with each of their parents, they should discuss the situation with a financial aid counselor.

WHAT IF YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED?

Although married students are considered independent, those that marry after filing the FAFSA cannot update their marital status to be considered independent. You must list your current marital status on the FAFSA at the time you file the form--if you marry after you file the FAFSA, you will list a marital status of single. If you answer NO to all questions in Step Three of the FAFSA, you will be considered a dependent student and your financial aid package will be determined using your parents income information.

It may be to your advantage to file the FAFSA after you are married, although depending on your anticipated date of marriage you may have to file the FAFSA after the priority filing deadline. Thus, it may be in your best interests to file "late" as an independent student with you and your new spouse's income information (not your parents). We suggest you contact our office and a counselor may be able to help determine the best way for you to file the FAFSA for your situation.