<p>Hello everyone, </p>
<p>this is quite a story but will try to make it legible. I started classes back in 2007. I continued all the way up to about the end of semester in May 2010. During that time, I had relocated from one state (where my school is) to another but had switched from campus life to online classes and stayed part of the school. </p>
<p>As I was filing for the next semester, I could no longer access my school records because I dropped a class or 2 months prior that was being paid for and received a bill of $300. I was never able to pay it with the situation I was in. So I couldn’t register for classes, couldn’t see my degree audit, etc. when this happened. </p>
<p>Eventually when I went to catch up to it, I applied for FAFSA and was selected for verification. Well…I was working full-time all the way up to circa 2008. Couldn’t find stable work. Eventually I branched off to just doing gigs and work here and there and that’s what I’ve been doing to support myself since 2009 but it just hasn’t been much. </p>
<p>So now, I have gone from dependent to independent for my filing status since I turned 25. I have no tax information to give FAFSA and the last time I applied that was being requested. So that’s the main issue I have, is I can’t offer a tax return. I have considered firmly getting a regular job for a year and then filing a return for that year. </p>
<p>The other dilemma is that I’m now in a different state for 2 years now and so have gained residency, but am looking to relocate. With that, I’d have to wait another year to regain residency there? I wanted to start back school August 2013 or atleast in January 2014. Add to the fact, when I tried applying to a school in my area, I would have lost many of my credits from the other school 2,000 miles away. That’s probably another topic, but it’s all just put me off from finishing my studies!</p>
<p>What do I do? Can anyone make sense of this dilemma I’m in? What can I do to file and get into classes by that time?</p>
<p>Hi Gregory,</p>
<p>welcome to CC and the financial aid forum</p>
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<p>You have to contact the IRS for a non-filers form, since you did not file taxes.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf[/url]”>http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf</a></p>
<p>If you are 80% done, then you should try to stay where you can finish your degree. If you transfer and lose creditss, you may not have enough aid to take you to the finish line. Keep in mind that you have a lifetime eligibility limit of 6 years for federal aid, so your clock is ticking.</p>
<p>[Calculating</a> Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used | Federal Student Aid](<a href=“http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/pell/calculate-eligibility]Calculating”>http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/pell/calculate-eligibility)</p>
<p>Hi Sybie,</p>
<p>thanks for the response and apologize the LONG delay in response. I have a question though, when you say a 6 year eligibility limit, does that mean from the time I started in 2007 until now? Or from the time of my last verification in 2010?</p>
<p>Also, how can I finish my credits at my starting college when I have already moved? Would that involve having to move back or finishing it online? My goal is to get this straightened up by August, attend school full-time, and be finished so I can move on to the next level.</p>
<p>Also…if I do the non-filers form, am I sending that to the Fafsa or college or to the IRS?</p>
<p>From the time that you first started</p>
<p>The six years of eligibility are not based on the calendar start date, but rather on the credit hours that add up to six academic years of coursework.</p>
<p>If you were a full-time student in 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010, then it looks like you probably have up to three years of eligibility left.</p>
<p>I do agree that the quickest way to finish would probably be to settle any outstanding debts with your first CC, and then complete the program there by distance ed if you can. Then transfer to a 4-year institution in your current state of residence to finish up and graduate.</p>
<p>For the PELL grant, you are limited to 600% of a year’s eligibility. If you are enrolled full time for a school year, and are pell eligible, you get 100% of the Pell you are eligible for. SO that would be 1/6 of your lifetime eligibility. If you were enrolled half time for a year, you would only get 1/2 your pell eligibility for that year, so would only use 1/12 of your lifetime eligibility (50% of the 600%). So it depends on how much Pell eligibility you have used up.</p>
<p>Loans are also limited. The aggregate limit for the direct loans works out at a little over 4 years of eligibility if you take the full amount allowed each year. However, if you just changed from dependent to independent status, that increases the aggregate limit.</p>
<p>You do need to start being careful about your forward progress in order to continue be eligible for aid. </p>
<p>If you still owe your previous school money (I was not quite sure from your post), you need to get that cleared up before you attempt to attend another school.</p>