FAFSA question. My parents were previously separated, lived separately (different cities for that matter), and filed taxes separately. On my FAFSA application, I previously marked that my parents are “divorced/separated” and put the date when they became separated. Well, last year they reconciled and now live together. They were never officially divorced, only separated. Now that they are back together, how do I mark them on FAFSA? Would that be married/re-married? Then it asks me to provide marriage date. Well, the only “marriage date” that they have is back when they married in 1998, prior to separation. Under “marriage date” do I put that date or the date when they physically moved in back together last year (when their separation ended)?
Put the date they were married. That’s the information asked for.
previously I put 2012 for their divorce/separation date (FAFSA bulks divorce and separation into one category)
you mean originally married, right?.. as in 1998?.. Just want to make sure it wouldn’t raise a flag with IRS, since previously I put 2012 for their divorce/separation date (FAFSA bulks divorce and separation into one category)
They are married. They never divorced…so their original date of marriage is the date you use.
It is possible your school will ask for some verification of all of this. Your FAFSA last year would ONLY have had your custodial parent income from 2015. The one for 2017-2018 will have income from BOTH parents.
Don’t be surprised if the school also asks for proof that your parents were actually separated when you filed that fafsa last year. They might ask for his documentation.
That was kind of my whole question - I want to make sure I submit the correct date so that they don’t hold my application or require additional verification. Do schools physically look at every application? I thought they get a FAFSA report of some sort, and if any data does not look correct, it has a Flag next to it?.. I just want to make sure I avoid those flags. Do school compare your FAFSA from previous year to this year and how do they do it?
You will put the date your parents got married. They only did that ONE time.
My point…your 2016-2017 fafsa is going to be different than your 2017-2018 fafsa. Both use the 2015 tax year…but NOW you need to include BOTH parents. When they were separated, you only included the one parent with whom you resided…right?
So your 2017-2018 fafsa is going to be different than the 2016-2017 one. By a lot. In most cases, the income on these forms will,be the SAME for these two years.
Just be prepared to provide documentation that your parents really WERE separated when you filed that 2016/2017 FAFSA. The school might ask for,that documentation.
yes, I am aware that FAFSA will be different, and yes - they were separated before so I only put my custodial parent (I would actually be better off putting both as my dad didn’t have any income). The question is solely what to put as “marriage date” as per FAFSA divorce and separation is the same thing, and usually they don’t assume that people can be back together. I feel like I need to put the date when they were no longer separated
No. Put the date they were actually married. You’re overthinking this. It asks for the date that they were married. If any questions arise because of the time they were separated and the way you previously filed FAFSA, you can provide an easy explanation.
It doesn’t matter what you “feel” like putting…your parents have an actual legal marriage date and THAT is why needs to be put.
Put the actual marriage date. The people in financial aid are not aliens from another planet. They are people and they know life can get messy like this sometimes. You are worried about nothing.
If they are wondering about married, then separated, then living together as married again, they can ask for proof that your parents had separate residencies last year.
thank you, mommdc, your response clears the mud 