<p>I hate to post this question, but I noticed that all the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) calculators operate under the presumption that the student has two parents (and thus two income-earners in a family of a least size 2).</p>
<p>However, my mother is my only family. We live in an apartment together. She and I both have jobs; mine is off the books.</p>
<p>We have no net assets.</p>
<p>Is there any chart or calculator that can provide a good guess at my EFC?</p>
<p>I’m sorry if an answer is already here, but as I said, the calculators and charts I’ve seen all presume two parents are present.</p>
<p>they do not presume that a child has 2 parent. If they ask you income from mom’s job and income from dad’s job if you only put in one income, that is all that they are working with. </p>
<p>In addition, you also include your “off the books” income on the fasfa, css profile and in the NPC.</p>
<p>When you say your mother is “your only family”, what exactly do you mean? Is your father deceased? Unknown? Just not paying child support?</p>
<p>The fact that he may not be involved in your life doesn’t mean he is non-existent for financial aid purposes. That’s one of the harsh realities of non-FAFSA financial aid.</p>
<p>It depends on the school. Most state schools use the “federal” formula, and don’t count an absent parent in the calculations. There’s a place to add in any child support that’s received, as “unearned income.”
Other colleges, especially the private schools, will factor in a parental contribution from the absent parent, and you are right - for most of them, the net calculator isn’t accurate.
But the schools do look at your individual circumstances.
I’d suggest that you contact a financial aid counselor at some of the schools you are thinking about, explain your circumstances, and ask how accurate the net price calculator is for your situation.</p>