Mother's new husband?

My granddaughter is trying to extend her financial aid to this year, and her mother has remarried. The new husband has no legal financial responsibility for the support of my grandaughter, yet the school is telling her that the new husband has to submit tax returns. For several reasons, that will not be possible. I do not see how someone who has no legal responsibility for a child can be forced to submit tax returns. If there is no resolution for this, then my granddaughter will not be able to continue with her education, and that will be a shame. Any information and/or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Legal responsibility is irrelevant; stepparents are expected to contribute to their stepchild’s education costs.

You are talking about the FAFSA, correct? And maybe the Profile.

The FAFSA computes an expected FAMILY contribution. The new husband is now part of the family. He is required to provide his financial information on the financial aid application forms.

There is no “resolution” other than to have these two get divorced.

Even tho the new husband isn’t paying for college, he is contributing to the household (paying some of the rent, utilities, food, etc)…which means that the wife IS NOT paying all the home bills correct???

So…if the wife is no longer paying all the house bills, then she should have more to spend on college…correct?

If the wife was earning $40k per year, and she was the sole provider in the household, then naturally the student would qualify for more aid because likely at least $25k of her income is paying for rent, utilities, food, etc. BUT…once she marries and suddenly there is another provider in the household helping pay the bills, then she might have $12k per year or more now available to pay for college.

The problem with what you’re asking is that IF ONLY the wife’s income is shown, then the calculation would WRONGLY calculate that SHE is paying ALL of the house expenses out of her paycheck…when she’s obviously NOT.

Why should your granddaughter get MORE aid when her mom isn’t having to spend as much on household expenses?

The fact that the wife has more money to put towards college now is one of the main reason’s why the new husband’s income is considered. If he makes little, then the EFC won’t change much because there is another member in the household (him…an adult). If he makes a LOT more than the wife does, then logically he is contributing MORE to the household than the wife is. Even if they split costs 50/50, the wife is still paying less than when she was single.

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There is no “resolution” other than to have these two get divorced.
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Or separated.

Even IF the wife is paying all of the exoenses herself…and the new husband isn’t…it does NOT matter at all. The husband’s incime and assets are REQUIRED on the financial aid application forms because they are married.

No loopholes.

Since most college students are over 18, their parents don’t really have any legal responsibility to them either.

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new husband has to submit tax returns. For several reasons, that will not be possible


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Does he not file taxes? Is he behind on filing? If so, then the student won’t get aid…unless the parents separate immediately and they need to be prepared to show that the separation is real (not phony to get aid)…since it sounds like FAFSA was already filed showing mom remarried…and the school is saying the husband’s info must be included.

@1or2Musicians

Not sure what you mean here. Until age 24, most undergrad college students MUST list the income and assets of their custodial parent…and spouse (if there is one)…and it doesn’t matter if the spouse is the bio parent…or not.

The university has no legal financial responsibility to your granddaughter either. Their financial aid money, their rules.

@mom2collegekids I think you mean a legal separation - which is different from just living in separate houses.

@thumper1, that is exactly my point. A stepparent really isn’t that different from a parent. Parents must provide financial info. But they are in no way legally obligated to pay for college. Or anything else. So the argument that mom’s husband should not have to provide info because he has no obligation doesn’t hold up. If the student is an adult, nobody has an obligation to support her.

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think you mean a legal separation - which is different from just living in separate houses.
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No. FAFSA doesn’t require that there be a “legal separation”. Some states don’t even have that.

If the “marriage is over” and the couple lives in two places, then they are separated on FAFSA.

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The university has no legal financial responsibility to your granddaughter either. Their financial aid money, their rules.
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This is really a very good point. Why should the university support your granddaughter if the adult who is closer to her (the man married to her mom) won’t?? But again, no one is required to pay for your granddaughter.

Maybe you can help pay for your granddaughter’s college expenses…or the bio dad if he’s alive.

The mom can also take out a Parent Plus loan to pay for her DD’s college…and then while she’s paying those back, her hubby can pay for more home bills.

I agree with the grandparent that it would be a shame that the grandchild won’t be able to continue her education if the new step dad won’t submit his tax returns. The marriage must be a bit of a disappointment to the grandparent.

@GnocchiB
It’s federal money, federal rules, I believe.

My ex remarried, not telling me until it was a done deal (I mean he told me a few weeks before the wedding). He looked pole-axed when my first response was that he had just screwed our kids on FA. Most people have no idea, but those are the rules, especially at CSS profile schools.

That doesn’t change anything. Stepdad is still required to provide his financial information if your granddaughter wants federal aid, for the reasons well explained by mom2collegekids in post #3.

Maybe grandparents can work something out so that this grandchild (or her parent) gets some inheritance now…and that will mean that the parent/grandchild will get less later. If there are other heirs, then this would have to be spelled out legally somewhere.

That’s assuming there is an inheritance. There was none in one branch of my family.

I’ve never inherited anything, and don’t expect to except for silver flatware and maybe some china.

There may not be…I’m just thinking about possible options since this grandparent is concerned that the grandchild will not have funding for the final college year.

Possible options:

Mom takes a Plus Loan

Mom can’t qualify for a Plus Loan so dau gets another $5k per year for senior year.

Grandparents pay or lend the money

Bio dad (if alive) helps pay

Mom does the Payment Plan at the school (monthly payments, which may start in July)

Granddaughter works/saves during this summer and works during school year

Hopefully mom can do the payment plan or the Plus loan because now that she has a second income in the household, she should have more money to put towards college costs.

I think the additional direct loan when a Plus is denied is $4000