Financial aid help: Divorced parents.

happymomof1
Sat, 03 Aug 2013 19:40:36 +0000

It looks like your mom and step-dad bring in about $90k, and your dad brings in about $50k. If you could manage to spend one day more with your father in 2013 than with your mother, you could use him as your custodial parent for the FAFSA. The family size (dad, step-mom, you, two half-sibs) would also work a bit to your advantage.

Speak with both your mom and your dad, and ask them how much each is ready, willing, and able to pay for your college education, and if their feelings would change about that if the other parent were the one responsible for providing the numbers for the FAFSA, and being the primary parent for other aid applications.