Complicated guardianship for financial aid?

mariah1
Tue, 24 May 2011 16:45:03 +0000

So. Here is my story. I lived with my parents for most of my life. They have always been on disability and make very little from their disability payments. As of about two years ago, I moved in with my aunt. A few months later, my father and she went to court to give her legal guardianship of me. (I’m under 18 and am not yet in college). My aunt is not wealthy, but she makes more than my parents do. (I’m not exactly sure how much; she’s on a set income because she’s retired). I’m going to be applying to college in about two years, and will then go to graduate shool to get a PhD. What I want to know is, whose information do I put when I apply for financial aid? Neither my aunt nor my parents will be able to pay for college, and if I’m considered independent, I don’t have any income, so would I get financial aid with that? In addition, is it possible to get full financial aid to an expensive college? (55,000 per year). I am also going to try to get as many outside scholarships as I can, but I know that scholarships alone won’t suffice. I’m just confused as to whose income information should go onto the financial aid form: my parents, who DO NOT have legal guardianship of me, or my aunt, who DOES have legal guardianship of me? Also, I’d rather be able to put my parents information on the form because they make substantially less money and I’d receive more financial aid. I was also contemplating moving back in with my parents (not only for financial aid purposes). Is there a certain amount of time that I’d have to legally be theirs before I’d be able to give their information for financial aid? I know barely anything about this, so an informative answer would be HUGELY appreciated. Thanks!!