NumberTwoPencils

Our income is including all the money that my dad makes but it has not yet accounted the expenses of his business..what should i do?
the number is inflating what our efc should be...

NumberTwoPencils

please please please

NumberTwoPencils

blah
bump
will they personally read it?

teachandmom

Well, be prepared because a lot of schools look at listed business expenses and add some of that back into the family income when calculating EFC. It's just what it is. Some people who own businesses find that to be the toughest part of getting financial aid.

somemom

On a Saturday, or any day, give people more than an hour to respond before having a mini fit

What finaid form are you talking about FAFSA or CSS? When you say personal business do you mean your Dad owns a small business?

If your family has a small business with less than 100 employees, then no business value is included on the form.

If you are talking about the business income then, depending how the business is held- sole proprietor, partnership, corporation- yes, the income on your tax return will be reduced by business expenses.

When are you applying for school? If for next fall, the you would not yet be doing the forms. More details will help people give you better advice.

NumberTwoPencils

It is for the CSS Profile and basically it is just my father with no other employees. And teachandmom, what do you mean by adding some back? We already had it as part of our income and then we broke it down into expenses and such...
but when you have to pay for the css profile being sent...I don't think its affordable when I don't qualify for the fee waiver...

Erin's Dad

Then don't apply to schools that require the CSS Profile.

teachandmom

Pencils, what I meant is that some schools will take the information about business expenses, and then decide if any of that information should instead not be counted as expenses. That amount may then be added back on as family income. I agree with Erin's Dad. The schools that require the Profile tend to be the most generous when it comes to having institutional funds to give grants to students who need the financial aid. If you can't pay the Profile fee, don't apply to those schools. You can be lots of other expenses will crop up at those types of schools that would make things very tight for you financially. There are many excellent schools out there that do not require the Profile, and give very good financial aid. Hunt for those.