There are a few ways to use divorced, separated, or unmarried parental marital status to your financial aid advantage. One is by ensuring that your custodial parent is the one who makes less money. By living with the parent who earns less, you EFC will be lower and your aid package could be higher.
Do you get more FAFSA money if your parents are divorced?
Students of divorced parents do not get more aid because their parents are divorced. However, if the lower-income parent is not remarried and is considered the custodial parent on the FAFSA then the child may be eligible for more aid than if the parents were still married and filing the FAFSA together.
Does divorce affect financial aid?
The rules are the same for separated parents as for divorced parents, so there is no need to get divorced in order to qualify for more need-based aid. Since your children live with you and you are separated, only your income and assets will be reported on the FAFSA.
Is college cheaper if your parents are divorced?
A pre-paid college plan might be an option
“Even though there is no obligation to pay college expenses, once the parties agree they have to follow through,” says King. In amicable divorces, where parents have equal access to the child, both parents are generally willing to contribute toward college expenses.
Does parents marital status affect FAFSA?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form asks for your parents’ marital status as of the day you fill it out, but it also asks for your parents’ income and tax return information from 2019. Therefore, your parents’ marital status may be different than it was when they filed their tax return(s).
How does FAFSA work for divorced parents?
If your parents are separated or divorced, the custodial parent is responsible for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). … If you have not received any support from either parent during the past 12 months, use the most recent calendar year for which you received some support from a parent.
What is the maximum parent income to qualify for FAFSA?
One of the biggest myths about financial aid is that you shouldn’t apply if your family makes too much money. But the reality is that there are no income limits with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); any eligible student can fill out the FAFSA to see if they qualify for aid.
Who pays for college if parents are divorced?
“If parents are divorced, it [is] the custodial parent that completes the FAFSA,” he said. “If the custodial parent gets remarried, the new spouse’s information goes on the FAFSA as well.” The FAFSA’s custodial parent definition is simple: it is whoever the student lived with for the majority of the past 12 months.
How do divorced parents split college costs?
California Divorces Do Not Offer Provisions for College Tuition. … Even though it only seems fair that both parents pay for the child’s tuition, there is no legal obligation to do so in California. If you included college costs in your divorce settlement, however, that plan would kick in once your child begins college.
What states require divorced parents to pay for college?
The following states have laws or case law that give courts the authority to order a non-custodial parent to pay for some form of college expenses: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, …
Does it matter who is parent 1 on FAFSA?
The FAFSA questions use gender-neutral terminology for married parents (“Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent)” and “Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent)” instead of “mother” and “father”). It does not matter which parent completes which set of questions.
Does claiming a dependent affect FAFSA?
To apply for most financial aid, including federal and state grants, loans and work-study, college students and their parents need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). … Being a dependent on a parent’s tax return does not affect dependency status for the FAFSA.
How does divorce affect college students?
Students might express anger, confusion and sometimes guilt. Sometimes they’re dealing with caretaker reversals in which they find themselves strained to provide emotional support for each parent. At other times, a student may feel relief because they have sensed the strain or been exposed to fighting for years.
Does marital status matter on FAFSA?
If a student will be married after filing the FAFSA, the marital status on the FAFSA must be reported as single, not married. … A student who is engaged to be married is not considered to be married. College financial aid administrators can ask for a copy of the marriage certificate to confirm the marriage.
What counts as separated for FAFSA?
For FAFSA purposes, “Separated” includes a married couple who is considered legally separated by a state, or if the couple is legally married but has chosen to live separate lives, including living in separate households, as though they weren’t married.
Does marital status affect financial aid?
If married, regardless of your age, you are considered independent and your parents’ income and assets will not be considered in financial aid calculations. If your parents have significant assets and your spouse does not, marriage will significantly increase your financial aid eligibility.