Comments on: How to File the FAFSA Without Your Parents’ Information http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/ Money issues for college students and 20-somethings, without being boring. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:02:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephanie http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-338935 Stephanie Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:33:22 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-338935 Hi Lynette, I tried looking at the HEOA 2008 to find the exact provision, but honestly, it's just too difficult a read to pin it down. Not that it matters that much, honestly. Here's a link to the 2011-2012 Application and Verification Guide for financial aid administrators: http://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1112AVG.pdf This is just a more up-to-date version of the guide that I based this article on originally. It says, on page 28: "Students without parent support... Students whose parents refuse support are not eligible for a dependency override, but they may be able to receive unsubsidized Stafford loans only. For a student to be eligible for this provision (the text of which is in the 'Professional judgment' margin note in Chapter 5), you must get documentation (1) that his parents refuse to provide information for his FAFSA and (2) that they do not and will not provide any financial support to him. Include the date support ended. If the parents refuse to sign and date a statement to this effect, you must get documentation from a third party (the student himself is not sufficient), such as a teacher, counselor, cleric, or court." So nothing has really changed at all, the rules are all still the same as when I wrote this article in 2009. If documentation can be provided, the student can become eligible for unsubsidized Stafford loans only. Hi Lynette,

I tried looking at the HEOA 2008 to find the exact provision, but honestly, it’s just too difficult a read to pin it down. Not that it matters that much, honestly. Here’s a link to the 2011-2012
Application and Verification Guide for financial aid administrators: http://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1112AVG.pdf
This is just a more up-to-date version of the guide that I based this article on originally. It says, on page 28:
“Students without parent support…
Students whose parents refuse support are not eligible for a dependency override, but they may be able to receive unsubsidized Stafford loans only. For a student to be eligible for this provision (the text of which is in the ‘Professional judgment’ margin note in Chapter 5), you must get documentation (1) that his parents refuse to provide information for his FAFSA and (2) that they do not and will not provide any financial support to him. Include the
date support ended. If the parents refuse to sign and date a statement to this effect, you must get documentation from a third party (the student himself is not sufficient), such as a teacher, counselor, cleric, or court.”
So nothing has really changed at all, the rules are all still the same as when I wrote this article in 2009. If documentation can be provided, the student can become eligible for unsubsidized Stafford loans only.

]]> By: lynette http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-334866 lynette Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:00:44 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-334866 Can you please link to the actual HEOA 2008 revision part where it states that the college can override the 'dependent' question? I have not been able to find this document online. The Fin Director at my son's school says she knows the document backwards and forwards and that it only says he has to be 24 to get the FAFSA w/o parents info. PLEASE HELP :) ! I am so tired of dealing with unhelpful/uncooperative financial workers who seem intent on pushing their ideas. It is immoral for colleges to so exuberantly push kids into taking on debt instead of educating them on the consequences -- decades of financial burden plus in the end, they will have paid almost triple the original cost! Can you please link to the actual HEOA 2008 revision part where it states that the college can override the ‘dependent’ question? I have not been able to find this document online. The Fin Director at my son’s school says she knows the document backwards and forwards and that it only says he has to be 24 to get the FAFSA w/o parents info.

PLEASE HELP :) ! I am so tired of dealing with unhelpful/uncooperative financial workers who seem intent on pushing their ideas. It is immoral for colleges to so exuberantly push kids into taking on debt instead of educating them on the consequences — decades of financial burden plus in the end, they will have paid almost triple the original cost!

]]> By: Stephanie http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332883 Stephanie Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:43:41 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332883 Lizzie, I can't tell you if this is true. Will you qualify for more aid if you get married and are thus both independent? Considering you said that you make little-to-no money, I can pretty safely say that yes, you will qualify for a bit more aid. But that extra aid will come in the form of the tiny Pell Grant, and then mostly in subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. Someone in the financial aid department at your school(s) can run the numbers for you as a dependent vs. independent and let you know what the difference would be in your particular situation. Hope that helps. Lizzie,

I can’t tell you if this is true. Will you qualify for more aid if you get married and are thus both independent? Considering you said that you make little-to-no money, I can pretty safely say that yes, you will qualify for a bit more aid. But that extra aid will come in the form of the tiny Pell Grant, and then mostly in subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. Someone in the financial aid department at your school(s) can run the numbers for you as a dependent vs. independent and let you know what the difference would be in your particular situation. Hope that helps.

]]> By: Jessie http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332818 Jessie Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:39:17 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332818 This is the reality as not everyone comes from a 2-parent stable home. They really need to lower the independent status to 20 years of age or 21 (old enough to drink but not old enough to go to college?) Why do young, potential academic adults must be either pregnant, dirt-poor, or married to get FAFSA without parent(s) signature? Realistically how many young adults get married at the age of 18? This is b.s. and it's really damaging to the country in the whole as their shutting the doors of opportunities for young adults to make a difference in their own lives and nation-wide. I find it discerning as an American I can't receive aid in my own country but a foreign student can come over and get aid!! This is the reality as not everyone comes from a 2-parent stable home. They really need to lower the independent status to 20 years of age or 21 (old enough to drink but not old enough to go to college?)

Why do young, potential academic adults must be either pregnant, dirt-poor, or married to get FAFSA without parent(s) signature? Realistically how many young adults get married at the age of 18? This is b.s. and it’s really damaging to the country in the whole as their shutting the doors of opportunities for young adults to make a difference in their own lives and nation-wide.

I find it discerning as an American I can’t receive aid in my own country but a foreign student can come over and get aid!!

]]> By: Jessie http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332801 Jessie Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:24:29 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332801 This website helped. College is not only expensive but even getting in the door to get help is ridiculous. There are parents out there that simply refuse to help with the future of their own kids at all. Unfortunately I'm in this situation as well and no matter what I say to them they refuse to fill out FAFSA because they believe they will be responsible for it. Without the FAFSA I can't even apply for financial aid such as grants or scholarships so i'm really in a bad bind. This age restriction is ridiculous since legally your consider an adult at age 18 and can go to the military at age 18! My father has been forced off his job early and the family's income has been cut down in half. It's come to the point where either I take the very little money I make and pay for groceries or we don't eat and we could have almost been homeless. The government is doing very little to nothing to help with students like me and we're simply being filtered out and not being given an equal opportunity or a chance. The only way through FAFSA is unsubsidized loans which is an financial trap. This website helped.

College is not only expensive but even getting in the door to get help is ridiculous. There are parents out there that simply refuse to help with the future of their own kids at all.

Unfortunately I’m in this situation as well and no matter what I say to them they refuse to fill out FAFSA because they believe they will be responsible for it. Without the FAFSA I can’t even apply for financial aid such as grants or scholarships so i’m really in a bad bind. This age restriction is ridiculous since legally your consider an adult at age 18 and can go to the military at age 18!

My father has been forced off his job early and the family’s income has been cut down in half. It’s come to the point where either I take the very little money I make and pay for groceries or we don’t eat and we could have almost been homeless.

The government is doing very little to nothing to help with students like me and we’re simply being filtered out and not being given an equal opportunity or a chance. The only way through FAFSA is unsubsidized loans which is an financial trap.

]]> By: Lizzie http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332655 Lizzie Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:59:23 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-332655 Hi I'm 19 years old and I'm a part time student at my university. My boyfriend and I are considering getting married because besides the fact we're in love we heard we might then be eligible for full tuition support for both of us since we make little to no money. Can you tell us if this is true? Hi I’m 19 years old and I’m a part time student at my university. My boyfriend and I are considering getting married because besides the fact we’re in love we heard we might then be eligible for full tuition support for both of us since we make little to no money. Can you tell us if this is true?

]]> By: cdb http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-327881 cdb Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:18:01 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-327881 This website may be of some assistance with trying to locate exceptions. I found this link below to be very helpful as well.... http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/2010-2011/english/completingFAFSA.htm This website may be of some assistance with trying to locate exceptions. I found this link below to be very helpful as well…. http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/2010-2011/english/completingFAFSA.htm

]]> By: Darin Warren http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-226357 Darin Warren Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:57:43 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-226357 Parents are not obligated to help their kids BORROW money and get in HUGE debt. Get a job, or 2, save your own money and pay your own way. Cash. Or better yet, land a good husband. Parents are not obligated to help their kids BORROW money and get in HUGE debt. Get a job, or 2, save your own money and pay your own way. Cash. Or better yet, land a good husband.

]]> By: Daneen http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-204312 Daneen Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:48:07 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-204312 I would love to help my daughter with college. But my husband and I haven't filed our taxes due to our account charging 3X($12,000) the amount to file our business taxes one year and he won't file our other years till we pay him for that year. We are in the mortgage business and times have been tough. My mother would co-sign for my daughter for a non-government Sallie Mae loan but the college my daughter is going to is not on the list and refuses to be put on the list. If she ever gets an unsubsidized loan will she be able to get a regular student loan once we get our situation controlled and is there any student loans that the college doesn't have to be on the list. Thanks any info would be greatly appreciateed. I would love to help my daughter with college. But my husband and I haven’t filed our taxes due to our account charging 3X($12,000) the amount to file our business taxes one year and he won’t file our other years till we pay him for that year. We are in the mortgage business and times have been tough. My mother would co-sign for my daughter for a non-government Sallie Mae loan but the college my daughter is going to is not on the list and refuses to be put on the list. If she ever gets an unsubsidized loan will she be able to get a regular student loan once we get our situation controlled and is there any student loans that the college doesn’t have to be on the list.

Thanks any info would be greatly appreciateed.

]]> By: Alexa http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-192166 Alexa Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:54:27 +0000 http://poorerthanyou.com/2009/04/13/how-to-file-the-fafsa-without-your-parents-information/#comment-192166 Hi claudia i had some questions and i was hoping you could help. My mother passed away last year and i moved in with my 26 year old sister however my dad claimed me on his tax returns and due to his income and his wife's income i did not get any financial aid even though i do not live with him and he has no intentions on helping me pay for school. He is also planning on moving to another state this year and i was wondering if there is anything i can do to claim myself independent. Hi claudia i had some questions and i was hoping you could help. My mother passed away last year and i moved in with my 26 year old sister however my dad claimed me on his tax returns and due to his income and his wife’s income i did not get any financial aid even though i do not live with him and he has no intentions on helping me pay for school. He is also planning on moving to another state this year and i was wondering if there is anything i can do to claim myself independent.

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