My parents filed their taxes wrong as HOH and may have ruined my chances for aid

Paying for College Financial Aid (Need-Based, Merit Aid, Loans)
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One thing you need to be aware of…at many colleges, if you get an outside scholarship that reduces your financial need, and thus reduces your need based aid. You need to check the college policies on this. It’s very possible that you won’t be able to simply add those outside scholarships to any need based aid you receive from the colleges.

If you are a HS student still, it would be smart to look for places where you could garner very significant merit aid…which won’t require the financial aid forms, and won’t consider your family income.

ETA…if your family income is $95,000 a year, I don’t see how you would qualify for a Pell Grant. @Mwfan1921 @kelsmom

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22

They have zero assets and nearly nothing in their savings. They also have deductions from their income.

23

Everyone does, but that doesn’t reduce your income.

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My mother claimed my older sister and I, and my father claimed my youngest sibling. They did separate tax forms, but they checked off HOH and there wasn’t a checkmark next to married filed separately. They’re legally married, and are not separated nor in any divorce proceedings.

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But they have $95,000 in income which would not usually place a student in the Pell Grant category.

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I calculated my SAI with my counselor, it was around 4k

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I sent you a PM, look in the upper right corner by your avatar for a green envelope.

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28

I would suggest you use the Net Price Calculators on the college websites. You will need to include the incomes of BOTH of your parents, not just the one who declared you on their taxes. See what you get for a net cost. The SAI is for federally funded need based aid only.

@kelsmom might be able to give an opinion on whether a family with a $95,000 income would be Pell eligible.

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29

Use this SAI calculator, it’s for this year, not the year you will attend college but will give us a good idea of your SAI. Use both parents’ incomes (from 2025) and current assets as thumper said. Your 2025 income and assets too. For your parents own a business or own property that’s not a primary home?

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Hi! I just replied back to you in dm! My parents rent. They do not own business or property.

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31

Then the net price calculators will be sort of accurate. The issue is…if they both filed HOH, the taxes they paid will not be the same as the total if they filed as Married…which they should have done.

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Yeah they did that on purpose. They minimalized how much they would be paying taxes while also getting the biggest refund that they could.

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33

If their income is 95k you’d qualify for a lot of aid at some colleges. Run the NPC on colleges such as Bates, St Olaf, Brandeis, Connecticut College, Lafayette, JHU, WashU St Louis, and/or any Ivy of interest just to see.
(Please note I’m not saying you’d be admitted - just to run the NPCs at a variety of meet need colleges to see how much each would cost even with your parents’ full income factored in - do use BOTH parents’ income).
Colleges that use the FAFSA sont meet need. In other words, that amount is the MINIMUM you’d be asked to pay.
Most universities don’t meet need but will offer merit scholarships to students they want - and since you did very well in HS you’ll be offered scholarships, the issue being that whatever they offer may not be sufficient.
Finally, you’ll need to apply to several state universities, including one that’s commutable (as long as your parents let you live at home)..

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OP did share some details with me via PM and it does seem they would qualify for a small Pell grant. BUT to access that by filing FAFSA, parents will have to re-file their 2025 taxes correctly (either as married filing jointly or married filing separately, neither qualify to be HoH.)

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