dt123

telephone?

'rentof2

Apply to Stanford and just see how it shakes out. You can't really know until you see it. (It will probably be quite high, but you really need to see it in order to know whether it's at all do-able.)

Apply to other schools that award aid based on merit rather than need. There is a thread at the top of this forum that identifies a lot of them. If a student has the academic strength to get into Stanford, they'll be a good candidate for receiving money from colleges that have merit awards. (These can be FAFSA-only or Profile schools -- doesn't matter because the awards are based on merit.)

Also apply to some FAFSA-only schools. This way you'll have a range of options and you can see what will work best.

NewEnglandMother

I am a divoced Mom who had the same concerns (daughter is a freshman in college this year) and my ex is planning on getting married soon. There are no accurate calculators for divorced/remarried situations and the Non-custodial CSS. I have found this explanation by the college board very enlightening. Of course each school will calculate their own EFC but this is a guidance for how to treat the non-custodial and spouses' income.

https://finaidonline.collegeboard.co...cp_imtreat.pdf

mom2collegekids

^^^

Wow...I never thought about the scenario of when an ex remarries while a child is in college. If the new spouse's income is included (and they won't contribute), that can really throw a monkey wrench into a current student's financial situation and ruin everything.

dt123

^^^
Yes, indeed, it reflects a societal value that says the "village" that it takes to educate a child include's both bio-parents and their new spouses, regardless of when the new spouses were acquired.

mom2collegekids

^^^

But, then you have the other silly extreme with FAFSA that doesn't even look at the non-custodial parent's income - even if that parent has been involved and has a super high income!!!

I think it's odd that with FAFSA, the custodial parent (the one who gives and gives) is the one who's given the EFC! FAFSA is nuts!

mom2collegekids

^^^
Just wanted to add to the above...

At least in situations where parents have had "joint or shared custody," both parents' income should be on FAFSA - regardless of whether the child spent more time at one residence or the other.

And, the whole issue of FAFSA and support for college should be included in divorce decrees that involve children.

dt123

Your use of "should" is confusing. Are saying under the rules now in place, both parents should report under FAFSA, or that as a matter of policy the rules should be changed so that happens?

As I understand it, now only the parent with majority custody reports under FAFSA.

lje62

ono1, my older daughter's school required both CSS and non-custodial forms, which yielded nothing in terms of FA. The next daughter applied to schools that didn't require NCP forms, which helped quite a bit, but also may have done okay because of having two in college at the same time. Next year will be a true test.
Try to lean away to schools that require NCP financial info..it was a hard lesson for us to learn , not to mention father's wife not wanting to help in any way shape or form

applicannot

The George Washington University requires the CSS/PROFILE but not the Non-Custodial Parent Profile. It's a start.

mom2collegekids

Re...my posts 21 & 23

I think that if both parents shared custody or if the non-custodial paid child support, that BOTH parents' incomes should be required to be on FAFSA.

I think a change to the current rules is necessary.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I know that presently only one parent is required; I think that is very wrong.