Financial aid

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Lee - 06 Sep 2005 19:10 GMT

Hello, all.

I'd like to tap the great minds here who have already been through the
college / financial aid application process. I seem to recall that when
this subject has come up in the past, the consensus has been that
financial aid, whether through the college or the federal outfit, is
based on household income rather than parental income.

I ask because my 17-year-old SD is beginning the process and her mother
has asked DH for a copy of his tax return to attach to the form. This
particular form is for a college, but she has also said that she'll need
a tax form for the federal application as well.

Is my recollection accurate? Any information is appreciated...

Lee

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Melissa - 06 Sep 2005 19:23 GMT

> Hello, all.
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Lee

She won't need it for the FAFSA but many colleged will require tax
information from both households to determine their complete aid package.
M

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Vicki Robinson - 06 Sep 2005 21:02 GMT

In a previous article, Lee <leronisnospam@att.net> said:

>I ask because my 17-year-old SD is beginning the process and her mother
>has asked DH for a copy of his tax return to attach to the form. This
>particular form is for a college, but she has also said that she'll need
>a tax form for the federal application as well.
>
>Is my recollection accurate? Any information is appreciated...

The FAFSA form is for the custodial household only. (That's the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid or something like that; it's the
federal form that nearly all schools require for consideration for
FA.) However, some private colleges also require the "Profile" form,
which does require a form and a tax return from both biological
parents. When my ex and I did this, I sent my form and he sent his
separately, and the colleges did not seem to have a problem with that.
You can call the Financial Aid office of the college you're concerned
about and ask them if the forms for both parents must come together,
or if each household can send their own.

Vicki

Signature

Of all the stupid things I've done, this is certainly the most recent.
- Chris Clarke

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Lee - 06 Sep 2005 21:10 GMT

> The FAFSA form is for the custodial household only. (That's the Free
> Application for Federal Student Aid or something like that; it's the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> about and ask them if the forms for both parents must come together,
> or if each household can send their own.

Thank you, Vicki and Melissa. The above is particuarly helpful, as I
don't want my tax info to be available to the BM. I'm sure the SF would
feel the same way about his info being available to DH, so if we can
independently send in our forms to the college we can dodge that bullet.
Thanks,
Lee

> Vicki

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Vicki Robinson - 06 Sep 2005 23:25 GMT

In a previous article, Lee <leronisnospam@att.net> said:

>Thank you, Vicki and Melissa. The above is particuarly helpful, as I
>don't want my tax info to be available to the BM. I'm sure the SF would
>feel the same way about his info being available to DH, so if we can
>independently send in our forms to the college we can dodge that bullet.
>Thanks,

I've found FA offices at various colleges very cooperative and
informative. Web pages will tell you clearly what forms are required,
but people will tell you how to submit them.

And I am absolutely, 100% sure that you are not the first step-parent
to be concerned about this.

Vicki

Signature

Of all the stupid things I've done, this is certainly the most recent.
- Chris Clarke

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-Calliope- - 06 Sep 2005 23:41 GMT

>> The FAFSA form is for the custodial household only. (That's the Free
>> Application for Federal Student Aid or something like that; it's the
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> independently send in our forms to the college we can dodge that bullet.
> Thanks,

Just as one small word of warning. If the college uses the kid's mailing
address as their sole mailing address (as does the college my son goes
to).. any confirmation papers sent 'home' will be sent to that address.

What happened in my case was that my ex coerced my son into changing his
"home" address to the ex's address, even though DS has never once lived
there.

When I did my financial forms, the confirmation papers with *all* of my
personal info was sent to his house and MH took it upon herself to open
DS's mail and go through the package.

Needless to say, the address has been changed back and I've informed DS
that as long as it's my personal info that goes on those forms, it will
come to my address. Since it comes in DS's name, I let him open the mail
(hello?? isn't that the LAW?.. sigh).. and if it pertains to his father in
any way, they can deal with it.

So, confirm with the college that your info is not to be sent to the other
address.

Signature

Cal~

calliope 123 at gmail dot com

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Lee - 07 Sep 2005 01:06 GMT

> Just as one small word of warning. If the college uses the kid's mailing
> address as their sole mailing address (as does the college my son goes
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> So, confirm with the college that your info is not to be sent to the other
> address.

Cal,
Are you saying that the college will copy the other parent's/household's
tax info in a confirmation letter? I do want to say that in this case
the home address will definitely be my SD's mother's home. And I don't
have any confidence that she would respect the fact that the mail has
SD's name on it, or that SD would see any reason not to share the
contents with her mother, even if we asked her not to.

Do you know if it's possible to ask the college not to send our info to
the other household?

Lee

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-Calliope- - 07 Sep 2005 01:28 GMT

> Are you saying that the college will copy the other parent's/household's
> tax info in a confirmation letter? I do want to say that in this case
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Do you know if it's possible to ask the college not to send our info to
> the other household?

Lee, it wasn't a letter.

After I sent in the financial aid forms (which were done online).. the
FinAid office sent back a printed-out form. We were to go over the
information, make sure we were satisfied it was filled out properly and
then we had to sign the forms, then send them back to the office.

Included in this form was *everything* I had given them.... social
security info (which the ex is aware of anyway, but still)... as well as
all my financial information, what I had earned in my job as well as what
I had claimed for deductions, EVERYTHING I put in my aid form was there.

The school sent that to the ex's address and MH opened it. Seems they got
quite the jolly out of my pitiful income.

The reason for my offering my experience is so you can contact the school
before you give out your info to confirm they do not do this. I recently
contacted the school to confirm that all mailings come here.

Signature

Cal~

calliope 123 at gmail dot com

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Melissa - 07 Sep 2005 02:15 GMT

Wow that's odd. SD's college has always sent stuff to both SO and BM.
As far as I've known they've never seen each other's info. We've been
quite impressed with how used to divorced parents they are.

SD just started her senior year. She and her friends have a house just
off campus. I can't believe she'll be graduating in May. Wow.
M

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-Calliope- - 07 Sep 2005 03:02 GMT

>> So, confirm with the college that your info is not to be sent to the
>> other address.
>
> Wow that's odd. SD's college has always sent stuff to both SO and BM.

This school absolutely has refused to deal with the fact that we're
divorced. (it was the same for their HS as well.. annoying!)

> As far as I've known they've never seen each other's info. We've been
> quite impressed with how used to divorced parents they are.

I was surprised at how UNwilling they were to accomodate the needs of
divorced parents. Basically, it was a 'it's not our problem, this is how
our computer system works, period.'

> SD just started her senior year. She and her friends have a house
> just off campus. I can't believe she'll be graduating in May. Wow.

Time flies! lol. I can't believe DD will be graduating HS in May.. Wow,
is right!

Signature

Cal~

calliope 123 at gmail dot com

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Vicki Robinson - 07 Sep 2005 13:03 GMT

In a previous article, "-Calliope-" <calliope123remove@removegmail.com> said:

>Time flies! lol. I can't believe DD will be graduating HS in May.. Wow,
>is right!

Isn't it something? My older daughter goes to the same college as
Melissa's SD. She's also starting her senior year. (She stayed there
over the summer, too; got a job and an apartment and not only
supported herself, but saved some money as well.) I also dropped the
younger one for her freshman year at college two weeks ago. Since I
haven't heard from her, I assume she's having fun! And older SD
starts classes at her college soon, if not this week!

We've got three in college and one more coming up. I remember when
they were all little girls. Time does more than fly, it just
disappears.

Vicki

Signature

Of all the stupid things I've done, this is certainly the most recent.
- Chris Clarke

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Wendy T - 08 Sep 2005 06:17 GMT

> We've got three in college and one more coming up. I remember when
> they were all little girls. Time does more than fly, it just
> disappears.

My oldest daughter starts University in a little over a week. It's going to
be very different around here without her.

Wendy

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Family Forum / Parenting / Step Parents / September 2005

Financial aid