Financial Aid for when two kids in college and one ages into "independent" status

[tleibman]

I have two kids in college. One just turned 24 yrs old and that has put her into “independent” status for next year her Senior year. My other kid is 20 and will be a Junior next year. Does anyone have experience with the effect the older D’s status will have on the younger D’s financial aid offer?

[Erin_s_Dad]

No direct experience, but what should happen is your D2’s EFC should just about double. That may not make a difference in aid if your school does not meet need. You can call the FA office and ask for an early read for the coming year.

[mom2collegekids]

Your older D filed independently for FAFSA. She’s a household of 1.

You need to contact your younger D’s school.

[thumper1]

Wait. Your older daughter is still a college student…undergrad?

I would call the younger kid’s college…especially if you are still providing more than half of her support. Are you still going to be paying her college costs, and are you declaring her as a dependent on your taxes? Does she have any income herself?

It is very possible your younger kiddo’s college MIGHT still consider her as a sibling in college. Ask.

[sybbie719]

I don’t think that you can count D1 (independent student) twice. If you are providing more than half of your daughter 1’s support (paying more than one half of her cost of attendance, then she would probably be part of your household.

I also think while your independent daughter may be part of your household (if you are providing more than half of her support), she not be part of the number in college,because she is already counting herself. Is your 24 year old daughter still in undergrad?

from

ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/

@page 32

Purpose: Questions 59–79 collect information about the student’s parents
and their household. Questions 80–94 collect tax and financial data for
the parents, and because these questions are answered in the same way as for
the student, they were discussed earlier.

Household size (73). This determines the standard living allowance
that offsets family income in the EFC calculation. The following
persons count in the household size of a dependent student’s parents:

➔ The student and parents, even if the student is not living with them.
Exclude a parent who has died or is not living in the household
because of separation or divorce, but include a parent who is on active
duty in the U.S. Armed Forces apart from the family.

➔ The student’s siblings and children, if they will receive more than
half their support from the student’s parent(s) from July 1, 2014,
through June 30, 2015. Siblings need not live in the home. This
includes unborn children and siblings of the student who will receive
more than half support from the student’s parent(s) from birth to
the end of the award year. It also includes siblings who would be
considered dependent based on the FAFSA dependency questions
(i.e., they need not be students nor apply for aid).

For children in the household size, the “support test” is used rather
than residency because there may be situations in which a parent
supports a child who does not live with her, such as when the parent
is divorced or separated

Number in college (74). The applicant is always included in the
number in college, but parents are not included. Others who count in
the household size are in the number in college if they are or will be
enrolled at least half time during the award year in an eligible degree
or certificate program at a school eligible for any of the FSA programs.
The definition of half-time enrollment for this question must meet the
federal requirements even if the school defines half time differently.

@page 37

**independent students **

STEP FIVE: INDEPENDENT STUDENT DATA
Purpose: Questions 95–102 collect information about independent
students. Only students who answered “Yes” to one or more questions in
Step Three complete this step.
■ Student’s household size (95). The following persons are included in
the household size of an independent student:

The student and his or her spouse, unless the spouse has died or is
not living in the household due to separation or divorce.
➔ The student’s children, regardless of where they live, if they will
receive more than half of their support from the student from July

1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. This includes the student’s unborn
children who will be born during the award year and will receive more
than half their support from the student from birth to the end of the
award year. Foster children do not count in household size.

** Other persons who live with and receive more than half their support
from the student and will receive more than half support for the entire
award year. For FAFSAs submitted after the start of the year, see the
relevant paragraph and example about legal dependents on page 25.**

Number in college (96). The student is always included in the number
in college. Also included are those in the household size who are or
will be enrolled at least half time during the award year in a degree or
certificate program at a Title IV-eligible school and who can reasonably
be expected to receive aid from the family for their education. The
definition of half-time enrollment for this question must meet the
federal requirements even if the school defines half time differently.

[thumper1]

You need to contact your DD2’s college and ask them.

When my older kiddo graduated from undergrad, and was a grad student (and therefore independent for financial,aid purposes), younger kiddo’s college still considered him as another student for financial aid purposes.

Clearly YMMV depending on the college.

When our second kiddo went to college, we specifically asked this question of all four schools where she got accepted. Of the four, two said her brother would count while in grad school. The other two said no.

[tleibman]

Thanks all. Yes my older D is still an undergrad (taking her time after a year off and a couple years of community college) and will be a Senior next year. We are still paying her costs as she has no income yet. She will probably get a Pell grant, but we will still be on the hook for about $25k I think. My younger D goes to a small private liberal arts school so of course they can do as they please with FA. She has a decent scholarship, but it will still be expensive if I get no credit for my older D in college. I am expecting the FA letter soon from the college, so I will appeal if it is really crazy. Guess I should have asked earlier.

[sybbie719]

Your daughter will also be eligible for increased student loans