abruinwannabe

I am applying to FAFSA right now because I am transferring to a UC during the upcoming winter quarter. My parents are divorced and my mother lives in Taiwan. My mother gave me $7,000 dollars last year for CC tuition, books, and food, while my father gave me $6,600 for rent ($550 per month).

This year, my mother only gave me $3000, while my father still contributes $6,600 for rent, and this puts him as the parent who gives me more financial support for the past 12 months.

Since my father earns more than 100k and does not want to pay for my UC tuition, my mother is thinking about taking out a loan in Taiwan. She only makes around $20,000 U.S. dollars.

My question is that is it inappropriate for me to only report my mother's finance on FAFSA? I know my father was the one who contributed more in that past 12 months, but my mother contributed more in the 12 months before that, and she's the one paying for my UC tuition. Does that still make reporting only her financial situation a lie and thus an illegal action?

Also, I did not live with either of them in the past 12 months. I did visit my mother in Taiwan for two weeks during September though.

'rentof2

Does your father live in CA and did you qualify for in-state tuition at your CC and at UC because of that?

I'm not sure if that comes into play here, but where certain students have a fuzzy enough situaton they can file a FAFSA with the poorer parent's info, you seem to be in a different position.

For one thing, you have a parent who's a state resident (your father, I'm assuming) and one who lives out of the country. Does your mother even file taxes in the US? There are questions about that on the FAFSA. Hopefully Kelsmom will come by and give her perspective on this -- she's a financial aid officer.

If you're filing the FAFSA now for this academic year (2009-10) then it seems your might be justified in using your mom's info since she gave you more money in 2008. (You won't be using any 2009 figures until you file a FAFSA for the 2010-11 academic year -- but you won't be able to do until after Jan. 1st anyway.)

abruinwannabe

My father is a resident here in CA, while my mother is not. I am also a resident of CA, so I pay resident/citizen tuition.

My mother does not file taxes in the U.S., but I did ask a FAFSA rep about that and he seemed to have no problems with it. Does that raise any problems?

I am sorry that it was confusing, but my father did contribute more in the past 12 months. My mother contributed more in the 12 months before that. That is why I am concerned.

I am really not trying to be vague on the application to cheat out money. It's just that my mother is the one paying for my UC tuition and it does not make sense (at least not to me) for me to put down someone else's information who earns 5 times more money.

'rentof2

Well, if the FAFSA rep didn't think it was a problem that your mother's income was not reportable in the US for tax purposes, then I guess I don't see any problem.

I mean, remember, you are reporting 2008 figures when you are filing a FAFSA for this academic year (2009-10). So if you received more money from your mother in 2008, then that would meet the requirements for using her info on the FAFSA. At least as far as I understand it.

When you file for the following academic year (2010-11), then you might run into some issues in terms of which parent's info you'd have to use since your dad has contributed more this year. - But that doesn't apply right now as far as filing the FAFSA for the upcoming winter and spring semesters.

Anyway... check back on this board tomorrow. I bet someone with more knowledge and authority than I have on this subject will weigh in.

thumper1

FAFSA reps are not tax experts. If your mom is a U.S. citizen living abroad, and working abroad, I believe she is still required to file a U.S. tax return. My BIL is an expatriate and did so for years. Didn't live here at all but was required to file a return anyway.

I hope one of the finaid folks weighs in. I think your dad needs to be on your FAFSA.