wtf fafsa question about my dad ditching my mom and I

[zixxer]

I haven't seen my dad since I was 10. Is my mom considered widowed? They got divorced when I was like 5, and when I was 10 he left state and never returned.



I have no idea of his AGI or anything like that..


do I say my parents were divorced ? Won't they ask for my dad's AGI?

 

[Pepsei]

pics??

Just say they were divorced.

 

[zixxer]

okay I did and it's asking for my father's AGI. I just entered $0.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
pics??

Just say they were divorced.

If he says that, then he will need to provide his father's financial information. A friend of mine went through this years ago, unfortunately, she never got anything because of it.

 

[Pepsei]

Divorce of the student's parents
If the student's parents are divorced, he should report the information of the parent with whom he lived longer during the 12 months prior to the date he completes the application, regardless of which parent claimed him as an exemption for tax purposes. If the student lived equally with each parent or didn't live with either one, then he should provide the information for the parent from whom he received more financial support or the one from whom he received more support the last time it was given.

 

[zixxer]

WTF this is retarded. I think i'm going to get in trouble or something over this.


I mean define widowed? Does the father have to be DEAD for the mother to be widowed? Or, is it considered providing NO support?

 

[zixxer]

Your estimated Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is: 0



Does that mean I get no federal aid, or what?






I think I shoudl have stated my mom as widowed. This will suck if it comes back to bite me in the arse.

 

[iamwiz82]

No, that means that your Mom is expected to contribute 0 to your education. You will get more money because of that.

 

[djNickb]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
No, that means that your Mom is expected to contribute 0 to your education. You will get more money because of that.

Correct - the higher your 'estimated family contribution' the less if any money they will offer your for financial aid.

 

[iliopsoas]

Can't you just presume that your biological father is dead since you haven't known of his whereabouts for over 10 years? Especially if the guy has left the US!

 

Im pretty sure you will be getting tons of money. My dad claimed unemployment for 8 months my freshmen year...overall, they were paying me 800 dollars a semester to attend school. Yes, thats 800 dollars EXTRA...just spending cash really.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Originally posted by: FallenHero
Im pretty sure you will be getting tons of money. My dad claimed unemployment for 8 months my freshmen year...overall, they were paying me 800 dollars a semester to attend school. Yes, thats 800 dollars EXTRA...just spending cash really.

nice... must be nice to get paid to go to school.

 

[cHeeZeFacTory]

if your efc is 0 then you will get plenty of financial aid. I worked at a financial aid office for 4 years while I was in college.

 

[alkemyst]

Widowed = Death of Spouse

It has nothing to do with boyfriends, a guy leaving, someone cheating, etc.

I don't know why so many have problems with the widow definition.

Bottom line with fafsa is both your parents regardless of marital status are expected to contribute first. If they decide against it you will be penalized. The only way around it is 1) they grant you your 'independence' (you need to go to court and they basically sign off on you, you will have to be 18 I believe) 2) you get married and have a child or dependent (wives are not dependents).

They also look at last year's situation which could be a very different picture than today's situation. If you are independant they figure you can save no less than 1/3 of you income for your education...but realistically if most of us could do that why go back to school.

It's Delux247 son, it's not that hard.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
It's Delux247 son, it's not that hard.

It's Delux son. Delux. It's not that hard.

link

 

[DT4K]

The amount of your financial aid package will be equal to:
Estimated Expenses - Expected Family Contribution.

Estimated expenses is a number each school determines. It is their estimate of what you total cost of attending school will be for the 9 month school year. It includes tuition, fees, books, food, housing, and misc expenses. The school's financial aid office can tell you exactly what this number is.

Here is an example from my former school, the University of Oregon:

Resident Tuition and Fees - 4875
Housing and food - 6570
Books and Supplies - 900
Personal Expenses - 2350

Total: 14,695

So if your EFC was zero, you should get a financial aid package of grants and loans totalling 14,695.
However, you have to be in a certain income group to receive certain grants and the availability and type of grants may vary from school to school. Normally, you would be offered federal loans(Stafford/Direct Loans and Perkins Loans) on top of any grants to get your package to 14695. But there are limits on the amounts these loans can be, so you may not always get the full amount of aid you are supposedly eligible for.

The yearly maximum for Perkins loans is 3,000

Yearly maximums for Federal Stafford Loans are:

Undergraduate - Dependent - Independent
First year
(1-44 credits) - 2,625 - 6,625
Second year
(45-89 credits) - 3,500 - 7,500
Beyond 89 credits
(total per year) - 5,500 - 10,500

Maximum allowed - 23,000 - 46,000

 

[DT4K]

To answer your original question:

"Is the non-custodial parent required to help pay for college?

The Federal government does not consider the income and assets of the non-custodial parent in determining a student's financial need. However, it does consider child support received by the custodial parent.

Many private colleges do consider the non-custodial parent as a potential source of support, and require a supplemental financial aid form from the non-custodial parent. This affects the awarding of the school's own aid, but not Federal and state aid."

This is from
FinAid.org.

So it sounds to me like you can just list them as divorced on the FAFSA and you do not need to provide any information on his income.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: se7enty7
WTF this is retarded. I think i'm going to get in trouble or something over this.


I mean define widowed? Does the father have to be DEAD for the mother to be widowed? Or, is it considered providing NO support?

If I were you and he showed up on my doorstep oneday I would kick his ass.


Sysadmin

 

[zixxer]

I was awarded a pell grant for $4000 (I think per semester?) and everything else I'm supposed to get an email on when it's confirmed

 

[zixxer]

http://www.floyd.edu/students/currentstudents/accounting/feeinfo.htm

This is the school I have to attend for 30 hours.. until I can transfer to a better school.

 

[GroundZero]

Originally posted by: se7enty7
WTF this is retarded. I think i'm going to get in trouble or something over this.


I mean define widowed? Does the father have to be DEAD for the mother to be widowed? Or, is it considered providing NO support?

the father has to be dead for the title widow to be used...

 

[Mandos]

Originally posted by: se7enty7
I haven't seen my dad since I was 10. Is my mom considered widowed? They got divorced when I was like 5, and when I was 10 he left state and never returned.



I have no idea of his AGI or anything like that..


do I say my parents were divorced ? Won't they ask for my dad's AGI?

Dude... Its called a divorce. People do this regularly. And after a divorce, if the man or woman dies, he's dead. If before a divorce, while still married, the man or woman dies, the one left is a widow. A look into the divtionary meaning of widow comes up with the following...

wid·ow
n.
A woman whose husband has died and who has not remarried.

Here is a divorcee

divorcee

n : a divorced woman or a woman who is separated from her husband

 

[Mandos]

Originally posted by: iliopsoas
Can't you just presume that your biological father is dead since you haven't known of his whereabouts for over 10 years? Especially if the guy has left the US!

No, you cant presume that, thats just ignorant to say. I don't know the wherabouts of my aunt right now but I dont assume she's dead. Dont be so silly

 

[imported_yovonbishop]

when I filled out my fafsa I didn't have to fill out any information for my dad because my parents were divorced and I'd been living with my mom

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Mandos

Originally posted by: iliopsoas
Can't you just presume that your biological father is dead since you haven't known of his whereabouts for over 10 years? Especially if the guy has left the US!

No, you cant presume that, thats just ignorant to say. I don't know the wherabouts of my aunt right now but I dont assume she's dead. Dont be so silly

Talking about "not presuming things.."

Not to be technical; but it's not silly. In all reaily my father could JUST as likely be dead as alive. My mom has two or three different social security for him.



Don't be so silly.