Dilemma

Paying for College
101

<p>I believe if D1 applies for need based aid with FAFSA that it is based on her household of record, regardless of what support she gets and from whom.
I also believe there is no restriction on which parent can claim her as dependant on tax returns, but that her mother must waive the right to claim her if I do. That should not be an issue if I continue providing the clear majority of total support; in addition, if she attends one of our state schools, she gets IS status and tuition only for so long as I provide the majority of her support OR claim her on my taxes. I will not continue to provide the majority of her support unless I can claim her; her mother is free to claim her and I will not object so long as she is clearly providing D1 more support than I do.</p>

<p>I expect ex will use this as a final chance to make trouble, of course.</p>

102

<p>I believe you are wrong about In state residency. Your daughter is a resident of the state where she lives most of the year. Tax dependency is irrelevant.</p>

103

<p>^^
Well, I think you may misunderstand how FA works.</p>

<p>If your D applies for aid at a FAFSA-only school, then she won’t get any aid. FAFSA-only schools don’t meet need and don’t give much. And, yes, she would have to report if someone else is providing money for college. There is a question about that. But, either way, the point is moot because she won’t qualify for aid based on FAFSA.</p>

<p>Her FAFSA EFC is going to be about $50k using just mom’s household. So, at a FAFSA-only school (such as OOS public), she’d get no need-based aid. If she qualifies for merit and is awarded merit, then that will reduce costs, but the remaining costs would have to be paid for by parents. </p>

<p>At a CSS school, FAFSA quickly becomes rather meaningless beyond Pell and student loans. Her FAFSA EFC would still be about $50k, and then when they look at the NCP info, they’ll see that she doesn’t qualify for any free money. </p>

<br>

<br>

<p>? what do you mean “email ex a URL without comment” ? Do you mean that you could email her this CC forum URL? or what URL? What do you mean. </p>

<p>Well, can you email your D a civil and full explanation of your situation ( I would use bullet points)? You may not know the details of your ex’s household, but you know enough that they can’t full pay (or even do half) of a pricey school. </p>

<p>Wow…are you saying that with your D turning 18 rather soon, your ex bothered to try to get full physical custody? That is so weird and such a waste since within a year no one would have custody. </p>

<p>Sounds like your Ex is still very bitter about the divorce. Another reason not to get involved with D’s selection of a pricey college. I suspect that more games could be played then. You don’t want a situation where you become the “bad guy” because you won’t bail out a situation and D has to leave the school. </p>

104

<p>juniebug -</p>

<p>Each state (and often each public institution within a state) sets its own policy about residency. This means that in some cases college applicants (especially those who have parents living in different states) are in the lucky position of qualifying for in-state status in more than one state.</p>

105

<p>Yes, ex already had primary physical custody and joint legal custody, collecting CS, and brought new custody litigation for the final year and a half of her childhood.</p>

<p>I am correct about IS status in Virginia. It is defined by state law here. Search schev dot edu for details. There is nothing wrong with having IS status in both parents’ states.</p>

<p>Email a URL such as to the new Chicago FA program, no comment means no basis of argument. Here is raw information, signed me.</p>

106

<p>

</p>

<p>In the case of divorced parents…some states grant I state residency status for tuition purposes to students whose parents reside in a state…even if the student does not do so. </p>

<p>It is very possible that this student could have instate status BOTH where her custodial parent and she reside…and where her non-custodial parent resides…two different states.</p>

107

<p>I am pretty ignorant about divorce laws.But I thought once teens got to a certain age (15? 16?) they have some say in where they live and can choose to leave the parent who has primary custody to live with the other parent if the other parent agrees to have them. Have no clue what happens with child support in that case. But isn’t that true, that kids can do that? I don’t understand the point of a legal action like you are describing. What does it accomplish?</p>

<p>I bet you are thinking of all the college tuition that could have been paid with the money that has gone and will go to legal fees. That’s really a shame, whatever lies behind it. </p>

108

<p>A while back, there was a similar story. Dad remarried…was a lawyer. He had quite a messy divorce. Not much money available for much of anything. He also had significant divorce lawyer debt. He also had remarried, and his wife and he had children, and quite an expensive lifestyle. He also had very little money for college for the children from his first marriage. He was just beginning to make ends meet with his lawyer earnings.</p>

<p>I wish I could remember that poster and find that thread…it had some good advice in it! Anyone else remember this who could help?</p>

109

<p>I don’t remember if this point has been noted, but it’s important to mention in case it hasn’t been…</p>

<p>Do you (and your D) realize that these large merit awards are for incoming freshman ONLY? If your D chooses to go to a pricey school, and then you realize that it’s not affordable, you may get stuck. She can’t transfer and grab a big merit award. That ship will have sailed. Transfer scholarships are typically LOW…or for a small portion of tuition…still leaving a high balance for families to pay.</p>

<p>We’ve seen that happen here on CC…a family agrees to send strong-stats Susie or Johnny to a school that they really can’t afford. Then they quickly realize that they can’t pay the bills…BUT…there’s no place to transfer to except maybe a CC or a commutable univ. It’s painful to see this happen because that same student could have enrolled as an incoming frosh with large merit elsewhere. </p>

110

<p>@thumper1 Was that the SF attorney? I probably can remember his screenname if I think a bit. It’s something like XXsDad (the X’s are name initials). Is that the case where the maternal grandparents ended up paying for the D’s college? something like DGSdad??? </p>

<br>

<br>

<p>The only thing it accomplishes is annoyance and money-draining to the NCP. Likely done because the exW is still angry about the divorce. Since the proceedings started a year ago, when OP’s wife was still employed, sounds like it stemmed from anger that the OP and his wife having more babies and were enjoying a much higher income. And, now the OP’s wife has lost her job, the ex is probably pleased as punch that she added to their misery. (this is just my musings and reading between the lines…lol )</p>

111

<p>I understand that merit awards are for freshman, but are renewable with satisfactory progress. Don’t know whether D1 understand that.</p>

112

<p>One thing important to point out. If she wants to apply ED anywhere, financial aid reasons are the only valid reason to turn down an ED acceptance. I feel that this family would be a candidate for that, turning down a ED offer if the money does not work out.</p>

<p>And maybe this might be a shock, but what if she waits a year - or more - to go to college? What if she gets a job that will pay for college courses?</p>

<p>Most of the people I know who are children of divorced parents had NO SAY in where they lived - and even at 15, 16 were forced to visit NCP’s more than three hours away every other weekend. One in particular had to insist to stay home to play school sports, not in the least because the stepmother treated him and his brother like dirt (visitation = clean her house).</p>

<p>Things seem so up in the air, maybe a unique solution is better than weighing colleges against each other and worrying about finances. I went to school in Philly, and Temple is NOT in a nice area. If you don’t live in a city now, it might be a rude awakening for her.</p>

113

<p>@amarylandmom: A gift is NOT taxable income to anyone. It may be subject to gift tax but is never taxable income.</p>

114

<p>Who gets to claim the child as a dependent for tax purposes, who has the primary custody of the child and many gradations of custody, who the custodial parent for FAFSA purposes is, which parent(s) can get state residency for tuition purpose are all determined by different rules and are not related. The thing that is important here is for the set of parents who makes the lesser income should have the student for at least a day more at their home than the other, to complete the FAFSA optimally. It appears this is the case from what OP has said. So the FAFSA EFC will be based on the mother and stepfather’s finanicals and not involve OP and wife at all, other than the fact that the child support OP sends has to be included as income on the FAFSA. For many PROFILE schools, OP and wife will have to complete a NCP PROFILE and their financials will, in most such cases, have to be included in consideration for financial aid. Some schools, like Vanderbilt, USC, UChicago and Duke, may exclude some part of the parents and steps financials, at least once upon a time they did. Each school has to be checked for current rules on this matter. </p>

115

<p>Here is an example of Duke’s policy for fin aid so that not all 4 parents, step and bio are hit up: “If your parents are divorced or separated, both parents need to submit financial information. We will calculate a separate contribution for each parent and add them together to determine an Expected Family Contribution. If one or both of your parents are remarried, we will remove consideration of income earned by your stepparent.”</p>

<p>UChicago has sent emails regarding their new policy for fin aid, which removes consideration of NCP financials in determination of fin aid.</p>

<p>For those schools with price tags up in the $60K level, it is possible for OP’s dd to get some financial aid. Whether she gets enough of aid, will be the issue. </p>

116

<p>Again I note: the noncustodial parent and his spouse can jointly give $28k to the daughter every year with no gift-tax consequence.</p>

117

<p>@Madison85‌ You are right.</p>

<p>Sorry FCCDAD if I caused you any confusion with my posts. I wish you all the best with your D. She sounds very talented, and I hope you find a solution that works for both you and your child and the rest of your family.</p>

118

<br>

<br>

<p>well, make sure that your D fully understands that. One reason why this is often so misunderstood is because folks don’t realize why these awards are only given to frosh. Having the best possible incoming frosh class helps a school’s ranking. Having those same high stats student enroll later does nothing for the school - rankings-wise. So, these schools aren’t just being generous for the sake of being generous. They give those awards to help their schools’ profile. </p>

119

<p>“Again I note: the noncustodial parent and his spouse can jointly give $28k to the daughter every year with no gift-tax consequence.”</p>

<p>Just because there are no TAX consequences to the GIVER (there are not tax consequences to the receiver of a gift) doesn’t mean there are no reporting consequences to the receiver (student) on FAFSA. If the ex-wife receives $$ as child support, it is reported on the FAFSA. If it is paid on behalf of the child as tuition or rent or other support from someone filling out the FAFSA, there is a place on FAFSA to report that - from grandparents, from friends, from the money fairy. FAFSA requires reporting of all money coming into the household or paid on behalf of the student. </p>

<p>It doesn’t matter as this kid is not going to qualify for anything off FAFSA anyway, not even subsidized loans.</p>

120

<p>Minors never decide their own custody once the case has been filed. Final say always goes to a Judge. He is supposed to take the child’s wishes into consideration when making a ruling.</p>

<p>I once heard an admissions officer say that the only reason any school offers merit money is to persuade the student to choose them over another (more desirable?) school.</p>

<p>And I filled out the NCP Profile. That was the original topic.</p>