UPDATE: Uggg... in a real mess with the roommate and financials.

[lokiju]

As Dave Ramsey always says...

You don't lend people money, you give it to them for keeps and if they pay it back to you then that's just a bonus.

This is a very bad start to a roommate situation, as it is it's hard living with roommates you know, let alone someone you don't and then loaning them money right away.

I'd just offer my condolences for his difficult situation and not lend him the money stating I'm not able to do so.

How in the hell does he work so many hours 5 days a week with two jobs and nothing to his name and no debut but still can't come up with the money?

He should have more than enough and something is wrong that he doesn't.

Just my opinion though.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Personally, I'd be AWFULLY leery of such a person.
You state you've only known him a couple or weeks. yup, I needed a roommate on short notice
He has JUST started working at his current jobs. (why?) He normally lives in Kentucky. I'm in Ohio. He just started working at his current jobs in Ohio. So he had to find a place of residence first before starting his jobs.
He wants to move in without paying his share. He thought his fair share was $350 to start off. Didn't could on it being $1050 instead.
You've stated that he had the money, but gave a large chunk to his parents. (nice of him to help them, but will this continue?) This was a while ago, before this whole moving out of the house thing. But yes, this continuing at the expense of his ability to pay rent worries me.

Granted, if you do such a thing, and give him 2-3 months to pay you back and he doesn't, you won't be out a whole lot, but unless you REALLY can afford to piss away the $500-$1000 that he MAY burn you for, why take the chance?
Altruism all too often is like peeing your pants in a dark suit...it gives you a warm feeling, but nobody else notices...

Ah, some misunderstandings.

And for everyone saying trucking is in high demand. They are in Kentucky. Maybe geographic region affects demand? I personally don't know the industry.

OK, well...it sounds like you have yourself convinced that this is the thing you want to do, even though it's against the best advice from ATOT...

So..."loan" him the money and hope for the best...Maybe some of the tax people here can advise you on taking the loss as a write-off for your 2007 taxes should he not repay you...

 

[Crazee]

For people stating that you have to be 24 for FAFSA, you are wrong. Here are the eligibility requirements as pulled from their website:

Who is eligible to receive Federal Student Aid?
To be eligible to receive federal student aid, you must meet certain requirements. You must:

Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
Have a valid Social Security number (unless you're from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
Comply with Selective Service registration, if required (see www.sss.gov for more information)
Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate or pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test
Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at a school that participates in the federal student aid programs
Also:

You must not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal student loan
You must have financial need (except for unsubsidized Stafford Loans)
You must not have certain drug convictions

Here are the documents needed:

Your Social Security Number (can be found on Social Security card)
Your driver's license (if any)
Your 2006 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) 2006 Federal Income Tax Return - IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, foreign tax return, or tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or Palau
Your parents' 2006 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)
Your 2006 untaxed income records - Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records
Your most recent bank statements
Your most recent business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
Your alien registration number or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
To organize your information, print and complete a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet before you begin entering your information online.

So since his parents did not file taxes, they did not claim him as a dependent last year. He should see a financial aid counselor, but I would think after he filed his first return, he would be eligible since they did not claim him last year.

Since he is under 25 he will automatically be deemed dependent, he will need to get a dependency override which should be easy if he has lived from the home for a year and filed taxes while not claimed as a dependent.

 

[keird]

www.privateeye.com

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

My roommate is packing to leave as we speak. Man, I feel really bad. Update when I get the chance.

He said that even if I did offer to spot him $700 in total, he would refuse because he doesn't want to owe someone that much.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Crazee
For people stating that you have to be 24 for FAFSA, you are wrong. Here are the eligibility requirements as pulled from their website:
...

And then you post nothing related to the age 24 for independence requirement.

I of course posted the EXACT requirements pasted from their website above:

1) Be 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year;
2) Be an orphan (both parents deceased), ward of the court, or was a ward of the court until the age of 18;
3) Be a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States;
4) Be a graduate or professional student;
5) Be a married individual;
6) Have legal dependents other than a spouse;
7) Be a student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a documented determination of independence by reason of other unusual circumstances.

So, his only way in is #7. And #7 is going to be a hit or miss event. Will his administrator be lenient or not? Simply because his parents are a PITA isn't an "unusual" enough circumstance. Otherwise, all rich kids can just move out temporarilly, get full FAFSA aid, and ride the government gravy train into free or reduced school costs. Yes, he might be able to claim it, but he certainly might hit a brick wall.

Since he is under 25 he will automatically be deemed dependent, he will need to get a dependency override which should be easy if he has lived from the home for a year and filed taxes while not claimed as a dependent.

There you go, he will be deemed dependent and has to fight a battle to get it marked otherwise. It won't necessarily be easy though.

 

[Crazee]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Crazee
For people stating that you have to be 24 for FAFSA, you are wrong. Here are the eligibility requirements as pulled from their website:
...

And then you post nothing related to the age 24 for independence requirement.

I of course posted the EXACT requirements pasted from their website above:

1) Be 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year;
2) Be an orphan (both parents deceased), ward of the court, or was a ward of the court until the age of 18;
3) Be a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States;
4) Be a graduate or professional student;
5) Be a married individual;
6) Have legal dependents other than a spouse;
7) Be a student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a documented determination of independence by reason of other unusual circumstances.

So, his only way in is #7. And #7 is going to be a hit or miss event. Will his administrator be lenient or not? Simply because his parents are a PITA isn't an "unusual" enough circumstance. Otherwise, all rich kids can just move out temporarilly, get full FAFSA aid, and ride the government gravy train into free or reduced school costs. Yes, he might be able to claim it, but he certainly might hit a brick wall.

Since he is under 25 he will automatically be deemed dependent, he will need to get a dependency override which should be easy if he has lived from the home for a year and filed taxes while not claimed as a dependent.

There you go, he will be deemed dependent and has to fight a battle to get it marked otherwise. It won't necessarily be easy though.

Being that I work at a college and asked our financial aid counselors about this I think I can say again that if he lives away from his parents for a year and has filed a tax return as not being a dependent he will find an override fairly easy to get.

 

[tyler811]

Do it you might be the break this kid needs.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

update

 

[SaoFeng]

oh man...he sounds like a good guy.

i have let people with lesser character borrow more money than that....if it were me, i'd pay for him and write up a contract where he could pay you back over time (like $100 per month).

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: tyler811
Do it you might be the break this kid needs.

Thats what I was thinking, hope this works out for the kid.

 

[SsupernovaE]

Man, sound like you can become good friends with this guy. Sucks to be down on your luck but to be such a good person.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: SaoFeng
oh man...he sounds like a good guy.

i have let people with lesser character borrow more money than that....if it were me, i'd pay for him and write up a contract where he could pay you back over time (like $100 per month).

 

[George P Burdell]

It is remarkable that this guy acted like this under such conditions. If anyone deserves a break, it's him.

 

[Agentbolt]

Man, what a rough story. My first reaction is "go with your gut" but that's the attitude con artists prey on. That's why they are able to function, they prey on the good intentions of people who went with their gut.

The two things that concern me are:

#1. He moved out on his own before he was ready. Anyone should know you don't just strike out on your own with 350 bucks in your pocket. It seems like he's underestimating how much difficulty he's going to have making ends meet in the real world.

#2. The giving 1000 bucks to his parents for groceries thing. 1000 bucks is WAY more than groceries, which means he also gave them money for something else. Buying them food is one thing, paying their rent or something... I mean, maybe he'll get smart about it, but his parent are DEFINITELY going to fuck up and need money again. It sounds like he'll give them the money over being able to take care of his own finances. Or he's full of it. Either way, it just makes the giant red light go off in the back of my head.

 

[chusteczka]

All we can do is offer advice based on our own interpretation of the situation. There is enough evidence listed in this thread to create a strong argument for either possibility. It is up to you to make your decision based on your own personal involvement with the situation.

It seems he is out of the apartment now and that he moved out in an honorable fashion. It may help to give him the option to return in a couple months when he has saved more money. Let him stay on the couch or sleep on the floor somewhere. It seems he will not be sleeping standard hours anyways.

If he needs one year living apart from his parents in order to be eligible for a financial aid eligibility as an independent, then this time now is critical for him since he needs to live separately from his parents NOW.

The statement above by Crazee that "since his parents have not filed taxes in three years then they have not claimed him as a dependent" was an excellent point.

 

[richardycc]

make sure you check all your valuable, camera stuff are still there before he is gone...hey you probably won't ever see him again, so you never know...

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Updated