<p>I have been a single parent since my two children were tiny. My ex-husband has a serious drinking problem which has persisted despite numerous lengthy and expensive rehabs, psychotherapy, and AA. He is unable to hold down a job and has not paid child support for years. As we look toward college, I find myself worrying about our financial aid application. I dont have a current child support or visitation agreement because honestly he is such a mess that there is no point. Funds are very limited and I just cant justify spending them on a court battle which will solve nothing, and the acrimony and exposure would be incredibly difficult on all of us. The children do see their father occasionally and they and I are resigned to the situation. They are great kids, good students, and nondrinkers, and both want a chance at college.</p>
<p>My sister claims that FAFSA and the various grant/financial aid organizations will have a problem with the fact that I havent brought him to court for not paying child support. Is this true? I know I will have to get him to complete a noncustodial parent form / CSS but how much will they need to know about the reason for his inability to hold down a job? The years of abuse have resulted in some medical and physical problems but nothing that would qualify him for disability. I have also heard that they “impute” income, i.e. calculate an income that he could theoretically make. If they do that, do they impute a minimum-wage situation or something that his education would normally qualify him for even if he is incapable of doing it now?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, yes, it is a possibility, and a distinct one that schools will want documentation of his past earnings and his assets during the key period of time on the CSS PROFILE. If he has little or no income, no problem. But if he has income that the school feels means he can pay for some of the costs, that he blows his money doesn’t come into consideratio most of the time. That he is in the chlldren’s lives is going to likely mean that he has to fill out the PROFILE forms and if he is earning money, then yes, it is expected that he pay.</p>
<p>One of the biggest problems I see with financial aid around here, are parents who flat out won’t fill out the forms. Even if the forms would qualify the kdis for aid, they just won’t do it. They don’t want to share the information or face up to it or go thorugh the trouble. They just won’t do it. When that happens, those colleges requiring the form are not likely to just waive it. </p>
<p>My friend’s husband refused to fill out any forms because he said he knew the kids would not get aid with his income. He also refused to pay and PA law supported him. So the older one did not get any money from PROFILE schools and went to a local state school and the younger one did not even bother applying to PROFILE schools after his sister’s expereince. Hate to say this, but the ex was right in that even if he did fill them out, the kids were not going to get any aid since he made well into 6 figures. </p>
<p>FAFSA schools are not likely to have any problems with this. You are the custodial parent and your info is all that counts. If he did not give you child support, then there is no support money there and that’s it. There isn’t any judgement about these things. Some organizations may have an issue with this. NY state requiress infor from both parents, for example for TAP money and if one parent won’t give the info, the money is not forth coming and some effort has to be made to locate the parent and get his info Most PROFILE schools , as said before, are not going to excuse the lack of info. But if he has little or no income, that won’t be an issue. IF he has what is considered enough income where he shoudl be contributing but hasn’t and won;t, you may have to ask for professional judement to have his income/assets not taken into account via NCP waiver, and that can get hairy depending upon the school. </p>
<p>I have not hear of any schools imputing any income for a person except in cases where little or no money is being reported and yet the person is clearly not just living off of vapors. How far that goes, I don’t even know, but.yes, schools are not going to accept that a person makes or has no money without some explanation as to how he is living day to day.</p>
<p>If this student is applying to schools that are FAFSA only (meaning they require ONLY the FAFSA for financial aid consideration) then only YOUR income and assets will be on the FAFSA,as it only requires info from the custodial parent.</p>
<p>For schools requiring non-custodial parent information, your former husband will be required to complete a non-custodial parent form (either a NCP Profile or a school form for NCP). However, even with Profile schools, not all require the non-custodial parent info.</p>
<p>Is your concern that he simply won’t complete the forms? It sounds like his income is negligible. That being the case, it won’t have much effect on your child’s eligibility for need based aid. </p>
<p>Schools do NOT input potential income. Where did you hear that? They ONLY require actual income you and your former spouse have actually earned…not what he could have earned. Also, no one will ask why he hasn’t worked. There is NO PLACE on the forms for this information. If he really hasn’t worked, and is not required to file taxes, he will need to complete a non-filers statement.</p>
<p>If he won’t complete a required form, that’s another issue. If it is required, he will need to complete it. </p>
<p>Re: unpaid child support. I honestly don’t know of families who are penalized because a former spouse doesn’t pay this. Actually any child support paid would need to be reported on YOUR FAFSA, so it might actually be better for you if he doesn’t pay.</p>
<p>Things to remember…most schools do not meet full financial need. Your FAFSA EFC would need to be less than $5000 to qualify for a Pell Grant (the federally funded grant). For that, your income would need to be low income. </p>
<p>Anyway…free advice here…look for schools where the non-custodial parent info is not required if it is a huge worry for you. Second, look for schools where your kiddo would qualify for merit aid (see stickie for guaranteed merit aid awards and see if any will work).</p>
<p>I have read of some private schools (CSS schools) willing to consider a letter from a priest, rabbi, clergy member or family physician testifying that the ex is deadbeat and does not contribute financially nor has been emotionally present for the kids. These are usually persons engaged in the kids lives who are in a respected position in the community. Sounds like you have a lot to be proud of.</p>
<p>Thank you, that is helpful. We have a cordial relationship and I don’t think he will balk at completing the profile, or at least cooperating if I or someone else pulls it together for him and he can just check it over for accuracy. He really has no income. I’m very frustrated with the situation but there is nothing more I can do. He did have some old IRAs but he used those to live so nothing is left. He filed for bankruptcy last year so it is all public. I think he has borrowed money from his girlfriend to pay his bills for now, and his dad helps him out on occasion. It’s a sad situation, but for my own mental health, I can’t get overly involved. </p>
<p>BTW, how far back does the PROFILE look at income? If you had a job three years ago that paid more than you make now, is that going to be a problem? Now we are talking about me. It wasn’t my own business or anything – they just eliminated that job and I had to take a lower paying one.</p>
<p>if your kiddo is starting college in September 2014, they will complete the 2014-2015 Profile.this uses income and assets from 2013 only.</p>
<p>Some schools do ask for tax returns from previous years (so in the above example 2012 and 2013). I’ve never heard of a college with a lookback of three years. And really…that year for the Profile is what really matters.</p>
<p>If your former husband has no or limited income, and he is willing to complete the non-custodial forms, I don’t think you have a problem. Simply put, his zero income will add zero to your calculated family contribution.</p>
<p>Basically, your husband’s tax returns are what will be the issue. Also if he is living on “air” some questions might be asked. My son’s close friend was accepted to Harvard, and his deadbeat father’s forms came under a lot of scrutiny. The IRS might have bought that he was living on nothing, but Harvard’s financial aid office did not go for it, and I do believe some info was added as imputed income. But, I think anyone who knew him knew something was up as he drove a fairly nice car, dressed well, had money for taking son and friends out to eat, wouldn’t give out his address but it was in an area of CT that is not inexpensive, had all the newest electronics devices, yet claimed he was dead broke and did not pay any child support. The mom had long given up going after him. But things did get worked out though the young man did not get as much fin aid as one would think he would if his father were truly totally broke.</p>
<p>Where numbers are imputed is when someone claims they are living on nothing. That 's when questions are asked and unless the person is living in a cardboard box or shelter, some one is providing something to the family in the way of support. How that works out on the forms, I don’t know. </p>
<p>Again, be aware that the forms are checked against the tax returns so if your ex filed returns, the info has to jive with the PROFILE info.</p>
<p>As noted, the forms are usually checked against the tax return. If there is no tax return, the person is required to complete a non-filers statement. </p>
<p>Yes, a person who says they have zero income mighty come under scrutiny…but there is no where on the Profile (or FAFSA for that matter) to out made up numbers. Only the numbers actually appearing on your tax return are listed…and those monies in your bank account.</p>
<p>There ARE people who have no income. They don’t have to be living in cardboard boxes or on the streets. They could be living with relatives or friends. </p>
<p>Where trouble comes is when someone is lying about what they have (which clearly was what Harvard suspected in the scenario above). </p>
<p>As long as your former husband is being honest about his income, or lack of income, it should not be a problem.</p>
<p>I do not think any school will “punish” you/your child for not taking the ex to court. We’ve never heard of that happening. ( I know, sometimes people assume that schools will expect this or that, but in this case, it’s not true. Schools don’t even expect/demand that a SAHM get a job to help pay for college, even tho people think that schools might expect that.)</p>
<p>FAFSA won’t use his info at all.</p>
<p>Some CSS PROFILE schools will want his info. Make sure he files his tax returns.</p>
<p>In my experience (similar situation with my ex although we split much more recently), no. They just want to know how much child support you got. Not what was promised or what the court says you are supposed to get. If you got zero from him, then you put down zero.</p>
<p>There is a place on the Profile to make comments. I write a note there that my ex is a deadbeat, is behind in child support, and gives us nothing for college. </p>
<p>They will check that the numbers that you put on the Profile and FAFSA match those on your tax return.</p>
<p>Not all CSS profile schools require a noncustodial parent filing - most but not all. And as someone noted above, his expected ‘contribution’ - use of air quotes because my ex gives us bupkiss - will depend on the numbers on his tax return.</p>
<p>Where issues can arise, is if it turns out that so broke ex is not so broke according to the IRS. Or is so broke that he is living on air, and the college wants to know who and and what’s providing it. Many an ex has been surprised after a little detective work , that there is more money in the till and income stream than has been led to believe. </p>
<p>But, if in this case, the NCP is truly broke, has not had to file returns because has little or no income, and the same for assets, the PROFILE results are not going to be an issue. I’ve yet to hear about a case where someone is made responsible for getting payments like child support. If you get it , you must report it according to the rules, but if you don’t no issues raised from what I can see.</p>