FAFSA & tax filing

NewHope33
Sat, 22 Jan 2011 14:25:35 +0000

She can absolutely file her own taxes. Doing this should have no effect on her FAFSA … unless of course the initial FAFSA misrepresented your family’s situation.

As for claiming her as a dependent, the IRS has a set of criteria. I couldn’t locate it … here’s a summary: [Qualifying Children - What Qualifies a Child to be a Dependent?](Claiming Dependents on Your Federal Tax Return)

Your final question … “how to best maximize her FA” … depends on information you haven’t provided. Is the girl emancipated? Did she provide more than half her support last year? Etcetera. That said, it’s likely your best option is to submit this year’s FAFSA using your family’s updated income and account information. Good luck.