If I have a half-sister that didn’t go to college and is in the national guard, should I count her as a sibling on the fafsa and on net price calculators?
If the National Guard pays all her living expenses, then she won’t be counted as your parents’ dependent nor toward the FAFSA and NPCs.
This web site lists some good guidelines:
http://www.finaid.org/educators/pj/householdsize.phtml
Your sister is employed by the NG. You don’t count her. Your parents would have to spending more than whatever she’s earning on her in order to include her.
So, if she’s earning $25k per year, your parents would have to be spending at least $25k+ per year on her…and that’s not likely. If she’s just living in your home, that’s not $25k of support.
Even if she works & supports herself, if the half-sister would be considered dependent for financial aid, she is included in the household size. The FSA Handbook uses the example of a student with a sibling who works: Her sister Susan is not attending college but is working and supporting herself. However, if Susan were to apply for student aid, she would be considered a dependent student, so she is included.
@kelsmom The sister is in the military. Would she be considered dependent for student aid or independent?
@mom2collegekids does it change anything if she will be married with a kid by the time I go to college?
Can you tell us more:
How old is your step sister?
Is she living in your household?
How long has she been in the national guard?
Does she have a child now?
When is she getting married?
@mom2collegekids she’s about 26-27, will be married in less than a year, has her own house, been in NG for about 5 years, didn’t go to go college
No, you will not include her in the household size. She would not be dependent for financial aid purposes and she is self-supporting.
@mom2collegekids, if a person in the National Guard was called to active duty for other than state or training purposes, that person is independent for aid purposes … but if he/she was not called to active duty for other than state or training purposes, they are not independent. The dependency questions do specify everything for military - that is, what counts for independent & what does not - so a student could refer to that to determine if a sibling would be considered dependent for aid purposes. Of course, in OP’s case, the sister is independent due to age & is self-supporting, so the military question is moot for her.
<<<<< she’s about 26-27… has her own house <<<<<
@1zogden1 The above alone indicates that she’s not counted in your household. She doesn’t live in your household and her age obviously indicates that she’s a grown adult living independently.