Hi community
I have a question about FAFSA. I am divorced (and remarried) and share parenting time and financial support 50/50 with the ex. Communication is minimal. They are refusing to share ANY financial information. For example, I have read that in situations like mine (50/50 everything), the parent with the lower salary/assets should fill out the FAFSA. But they are refusing to share (even verbally) information that would enable me to make this determination. I do not expect them to refuse to help pay for college. But they will not provide any information. Likewise, I feel very uncomfortable about providing them with any of my own financial information (which is why I want to be the FAFSA parent). What should I do?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
I believe it’s the reverse - *“If your parents are divorced, separated, or never married, and don’t live together, the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months is the contributor and must provide their information. If both parents provided an equal amount of financial support or if they don’t support you financially, the parent with the greater income and assets is the contributor and must provide their information.”
Source: Federal Student Aid
Adding to the above, just to verbalize it based on the chart that momofboiler linked to…if you are the parent who provided the most financial support, you will be the FAFSA contributor AND you have to include the financials of your new spouse on FAFSA. Of course you don’t have to fill out FAFSA if you don’t want/need financial aid.
For most schools that use CSS Profile both parents (and any new spouses) will have to report their finances to the school. Here’s a list of schools that use CSS Profile. The 4th column in the table shows which schools might not need the parent who contributes less financially. Again, this applies to families who want institutional financial aid.
Completing the forms does not mean one is committed to paying what the school calculates the parent(s) can pay.
@kelsmom can confirm…but the parent who provides the majority of the support is the one who files the FAFSA as the custodial parent. If the financial split is really even Steven….then the parent with the HIGHER income completes the FAFSA, I believe.
Yes, this is correct. The one who earns more would be the FAFSA contributor in this case. From this Federal Student Aid link: Federal Student Aid.
Divorced or separated
Provide information about the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months. If both parents provided an exact equal amount of financial support or if they don’t support you financially, provide information for the parent with the greater income and assets.