FAFSA/EFC ?

[BakersDozen]

I just got a frantic call from dd23 who has been on her own at college for the last 3 years. She is not considered a dependent and so far her FAFSA has had an EFC of zero. Dd18 is headed to college this fall and when dd23 updated her FAFSA to indicate that 2 members of our family will be in college, her EFC went up to 2K, her Pell Grant went down by 2K. She says getting hold of anyone in the financial aid department is impossible and she's in a tizzy.

Any advice/thoughts?? I've not been involved with dd22 since getting her started back when she was 18 with FAFSA, PG and all that.

 

[RootAnn]

Well, I would think that dd23 doesn't have a member of her household going to college if she's independent. Can she remove that info that dd18 is in her household?

[Lori D.]

Yes, adding a second student who is also under 24yo will increase the family's overall EFC, which means older student's EFC number will change, which will in turn change the amount of federal aid. The 2 students are considered as part of the family unit ("pot of cash") as far as EFC -- so EFC # goes up with adding a sibling to going to college.

Parent info is required on the student's FAFSA until the student is 24yo -- OR unless the student matches the FAFSA definition of independent. Filing status for taxes is NOT what FAFSA looks at for determining dependent/independent. Below is FAFSA's list -- you need to be ONE of the following to be considered independent, regardless of tax-filing status:

"An independent student is one of the following: at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, or someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless..." -- https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency

When does your 23yo turn 24? Perhaps that might influence an appeal, if turning 24yo in the next month or so...???

She might try calling the FAFSA hotline: 1-800-433-3243.

Edited August 8, 2021 by Lori D.

[8filltheheart]

You said she is not dependent.  I'm assuming she is married or has a child she provides more than 50% of its support??  If she is independent, why did she include her sibling's info?  

[BakersDozen]

Dd has filled out a "dependent" form each year (I have not seen it) for the FAFSA which I guess shows that she is not considered a dependent in regard to us, provides 100% of her own funds/needs, etc. Again, I've not seen this form yet there has been no issue until now. I sent her the definition of "independent" which I think is so frustrating that her situation is not included in that definition. It's been a long time since I read the definition of independent for the FAFSA (she is not married, does not have dc, etc.) but she is most definitely not a dependent IRL, either.

Thanks for the insights/help - I shared the information with her.

[8filltheheart]

45 minutes ago, BakersDozen said:

Dd has filled out a "dependent" form each year (I have not seen it) for the FAFSA which I guess shows that she is not considered a dependent in regard to us, provides 100% of her own funds/needs, etc. Again, I've not seen this form yet there has been no issue until now. I sent her the definition of "independent" which I think is so frustrating that her situation is not included in that definition. It's been a long time since I read the definition of independent for the FAFSA (she is not married, does not have dc, etc.) but she is most definitely not a dependent IRL, either.

Thanks for the insights/help - I shared the information with her.

By all FAFSA definitions she is dependent regardless of who pays her bills, where she lives, etc.  No, FAFSA never considered her not dependent unless she has been filling out the form incorrectly.  How has she been filling out the forms without parental assistance? They require parental tax returns.

[BakersDozen]

3 hours ago, 8filltheheart said:

By all FAFSA definitions she is dependent regardless of who pays her bills, where she lives, etc.  No, FAFSA never considered her not dependent unless she has been filling out the form incorrectly.  How has she been filling out the forms without parental assistance? They require parental tax returns.

This is what had me confused - she's been using our tax information but says there was another "dependent" form she's filled out as well. I've asked her to show it to me. She has an appt. Monday with a financial aid advisor.

[Frances]

29 minutes ago, BakersDozen said:

This is what had me confused - she's been using our tax information but says there was another "dependent" form she's filled out as well. I've asked her to show it to me. She has an appt. Monday with a financial aid advisor.

Maybe she’s confusing dependent for tax purposes and dependent for the FAFSA? Many students are independent for tax purposes long before they are for the FAFSA. In fact, the two are almost the opposite in that the IRS does not want parents claiming students who meet the independence test, and universities do not want students declaring financial aid independence in order for their parents assets to not count, unless they truly qualify.

[mom2scouts]

In your original post you said she's not considered dependent, but it sounds like she is a dependent for FAFSA purposes. Unless you are a very low income family, her EFC is unlikely to have been zero. My one son graduated high school at 16 and left home at 17. He was complely self supporting from that point on with absolutely no financial help from us, but when he went to college at age 23 he still had to fill out FAFSA as a dependent and use our income! I think it's stupid to consider self supporting legal adults as dependents, but that's how it works.