<p>Hi all. With a junior son we are getting concerned about paying for college. With a healthy double income, we would not qualify for much financial aid. However, for the past five years, we have been financially supporting my in-laws including paying their mortgage. Is there a way to include this on the FAFSA form?</p>
<p>Debt is not considered in the FAFSA calculation. The only exception of which I am aware is for large medical debt.</p>
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<p>large unreimbursed medical debt. Even then, it would not be on the FAFSA, you would have to write the financial aid office at the school to ask about professional judgement.</p>
<p>No .</p>
<p>I would think not. Your inlaws do not live with you. They are not members of your household. They are not your dependents. While generous of you to pay their mortgage, this is a choice. Colleges could very well say that this same money should have been reserved to pay for college.</p>
<p>Too late for me to edit.</p>
<p>Is there some substantive reason why your inlaws must continue to live in a house they cannot pay for? Are they disabled with no income, no ability to work, no way to pay their bills? </p>
<p>If they are both permanently disabled, some school MIGHT consider this a special circumstance. But you would need to document WHY you must pay this mortgage, why there are no other options than you paying their bills. The colleges will want to know why this extra expense is essential. If you can demonstrate that it is, it is possible that some college out there might consider this a special circumstance. Otherwise, this is a choice.</p>
<p>Special circumstance consideration requests are made to the colleges. They are considered on a case by case basis, and there is never a guarantee that they will result in increased need based financial aid.</p>
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And op should disregard the implication that colleges should be able to dictate that their relations “should” be encouraged to live under local overpasses so that they can pay for their kid’s pricey tuition. Would they at least be permitted to take them their garbage to pick through for leftovers?</p>
<p>Sylvan, I’m sorry that you interpreted my post the way you did. Families should help families. I completely agree with that. However need based financial aid for college is not awarded so that families can do so.</p>
<p>You can let the college know the situation with an explanation. How much it will be taken into consideration, if at all, is up to the individual school and fin aid officer. If what happened was a sudden catastrophic situation that makes anyone gasp in horror, there is a stronger likelihood that some consideration would be taken. If it’s just because your parents are having financial problem, though, yes, it is commendable that you help out, it’s almost never that it would be given an y consideration. </p>
<p>I have my MIL and mother living with us, but neither have so little in income and assets that they are claimable as dependents on our tax return. My mother doesn’t clear $1500 a month and about 10% of that goes to medical care and prescriptions. Still she owes taxes and she’s not a dependent. I don’t expect the colleges do take into consideration that we provide a lot of her care and resources, and I don’t know a college that would.</p>
<p>OP it’s good that you are asking the questions now rather than after your son’s applications are submitted next year. As others have said, debt and expense choices are not considered by the vast majority of colleges and unis. And the question of whether or not they are technically “dependents” only you would know. You have the luxury of time to make decisions regarding your son’s college spending (as well as your in-law spending) and craft your own family strategy based on what you think you can afford.</p>