Can someone help me understand this separation verification. I have been married for 15years and me and my husband separated March 2015. In the past I was able to get financial aid with both of our incomes. Now that I’m separated they want “proof” that we are. Where I live there is no such thing as a “legal” separation and they want information such as his address or utility which he refuses to tell me. According to him he’s “homeless” and is not cooperating with the things I need for verification. I asked the financial advisor if I could just change it to say that I was married but they still want his documentation of taxes that he refuses to give me. Next year should I just tell them he moved back in? Am I eligible to get at least a federal loan since the school won’t disperse me my aid due to verification? Or do I have to wait another year? Even then I filed single/head of household so I’m sure they would want verification if I said we got back together. I am unaware if he filed for the past three years. I’m stuck and have no idea what I should do.
I feel like this post should be moved to another thread.
DO NOT state things that aren’t true. You are separated. You correctly filed your taxes as single/HOH. Do you have a house or apartment in just your name? do you have bank accounts in just your name? Perhaps your landlord could sign a statement that you live in the apartment alone. Do you have anyone who knows your situation and could provide a statement to the school, like a counselor, minister, family member? Have you done anything to advance the separation, like removing your husband from insurance or benefits at your office?
Are you going to file for divorce? If so, that can be proof of separation.
How have you been filing your taxes? If your rent, lease, utilities are all in your name, along with a letter from your landlord as to who is living in that apartment, and a separate tax returns, that would take care of establishing that your separated spouse is not living with you. Statement from clergy or an attorney is often also often needed.
We never officially talked about divorce he came back from Iraq in 2014 and ever since then he hasn’t been the same. Last year he moved back in and only lasted 2 months due to erratic behavior and gambling. I had to get a second job because we almost lost our house. According to my tax preparer I was legally allowed to claim head of household because he was not helping me financially and did not live with me. I was very truthful filling out my fafsa when they asked for more verification they wanted me to show my taxes, and list all household members “INCLUDING SPOUSE IF NOT LEGALLY SEPARATED” in my state there is no “legal separation” that’s why I listed him. Then they said that I listed “separated” on my taxes and wanted me to prove when we were separated. Or if he moved in I need to show his taxes and when he moved back in so they could tell me if I was able to claim HOH. My husband will not help with any of this and honestly he probably hasn’t even filed his taxes since 2016. I’m feeling like they are being judgmental, and it’s too late to start now. I know next year I will run into the same problem because of me claiming HOH when legally I am aloud to do so. I don’t see the harm of me just lying and saying he moved back in, but I don’t know what they would do if he never filed and I’m not sure how to prove he did move back in. Is this even a normal procedure? And since I did complete the fafsa can I at least just get a loan since more than likely they will deny my aid again? Or should I search for another school who would be more understanding?
@kelsmom - any suggestions here?
@Ams77 - Do not lie. That can get you into even bigger trouble for fraud. Go back to the financial aid office. Speak with the head of that office, not just whoever is at the front desk. Bring in what you have, and go through everything with that person so you can find out what is required of you in a state that doesn’t have legal separation. After that meeting, go get some advice about filing for a divorce in your state. Maybe you will determine that your first step is to get the divorce, and your second step is to finish your education.
Let me explain why you should be concerned about lying. Lying on the financial aid application forms and getting federally funded aid for that (which includes the Direct Loans) is considered FRAUD. Look that up in a dictionary…it’s a crime. You could lose your admitted status, all aid, and be fined. Is that what you think is OK?
You need an in person appointment with a financial aid advisor at your college. Bring with you ANY documentation that supports that you are living without this spouse, and that you have no contact.
If it were me, I would send him certified mail requesting the information…with a return receipt request.
If he has been out of the picture for 4-5 years…why are you still married?
How old are you?
FAFSA is a federal form. The penalties can be severe for lying in the form.
If you were not living together in the day you filed that FAFSA and it was not because you had agreed to live in separate quarters; that you were truly living separate lives, then you are separated for those purposes. It doesn’t matter what your income tax status was on the 2017 tax return. It’s your status current for when you file FAFSA.
However, for whatever reason, the school finnaid Officer is questioning this status. You need to prove you are not living together by showing your lease or home in YOUR name as well as utilities. You can then make a statement that he has abandoned you and left no information about his whereabouts so you do not know where he lives , other than it’s not with you.
I believe a statement from a minister, attorney, landlord is needed. There is a standard firm for this inquiry that you probably have gotten.
You can bring tax transcripts for 2017 and 2018 showing you have been filing as HOH as further evidence that your estranged husband is not living with you and that you are indeed separated for FAFSA purposes.
That your state does not recognize legal separation does not come into the picture for FAFSA. It can for tax purposes, but for now HOH status covers your situation.
This is a tough situation, and hopefully you can find a financial aid adviser who will listen to your situation and help you to provide documentation that will support your claim that you are separated. Please contact the school & ask to speak with someone who can help you figure out what you need, given your circumstances. Different schools will have different policies. I would probably first ask you to sign a statement that you are separated and are not living in the same home. Then I would request signed statements from one or two people who know your situation - preferably from a professional (such as clergy, therapist, lawyer). However … every school has its own policies, and they are within guidelines to request whatever they think is best. They may or may not budge from requesting things you can’t provide. I would not just assume they won’t work with you, though, and I encourage you to contact them & try to find a way to verify your situation.
Thank you all for the advice. My husband is a good guy that is now facing issues due to servicing two tours. He needs help. The reason I said I “would lie” is because the only person who would get screwed was me for being honest. Adding additional income I would think would lessen the aid not give more. When I went to school in 2013 I was able to get aid with both of our incomes and the only thing that has changed was two more children. I am no longer going to try at that school, and classes already have started. There are several other schools i listed on the fafsa, I would rather just get a loan and not deal with all the paperwork because I’m going to run into the same problem next semester. I could possibly get a letter from his Sargent, but I don’t even know if I want to get them involved. Someone asked my age, I am 40 yrs old. We are still married because I believe he can get better with treatment. We Have been together since high school and got married in 2004. We have 6 children ages 21, 18, 15, 12, and a set of twins who will be 8 Thanks again!
And I do hope you understand that the one who will be screwed if you lie is your student.
If this is for you…you could get significantly screwed by lying.
Listen to the advice Kelsmom gave. Try.
I think the OP is the student.
Op. Call the school and have a one on one meeting. You can also google about help for veterans and their families. Perhaps directing you to a legal aid service. But I think starting with the call to the fin aid department and talking it over.
Where on FAFSA does it say “legally” separated?
More likely it says something that one must include a spouse even if you’re separated but living in the same house. Because in those cases, the separated spouse’s finances are included.
Not only would it be lying, but it would open other problems. At least while separated, you don’t need to include any of his info.
First of all, can you get all of his information? It doesn’t matter whether he moved back in or not at the time you filled out the FAFSA if you can’t get any of his information. That’s the crux of this whole thing; you need his info and you can’t get it—not that you two were separated in terms of not living together when you filed FAFSA.
You were selected for verification for whatever reason. I got selected for verification one year just randomly just filling out FAFSA for access to loans. It happens. When it happens, they ask for proof of stuff, not necessarily because they suspect fraud but because they do spot checks at times.
Understand that you can’t just go to another school and fill out a whole new FAFSA for the same time period. That form is THE application for access to GOVERNMENT funds including certain GOVERNMENT loans. The other school will use that same FAFSA. I do not know what happens when it comes up for verification at one school— whether that follows to another; perhaps @kelsmom can explain that part , but you cannot simply file s new one for the same time period
If you two were truly physically separated, like he was not part of your household when you filed that FAFSA, then you just need to prove that with bills with just your name on the lease, and utilities if you have them, and a sworn statement to an attorney, minister, some non family member of some authority that verified this to best of their knowledge along with separate IRS filings at that time, HOH is good that you have no access to knowledge of his whereabouts and financials then. You don’t know his address or where he lived or whether he was homeless. If he was frigging living with you, that would not be the case, and you need to come up with all his info which you say you can’t.
Don’t confuse ‘legally’ separated under state law (and your state may just allow you to be separated without filing any documentation) and single or HOH for tax purposes. Tax forms and IRS are federal forms and have their own definitions. If he is not living in your household, then you are HOH for tax purposes and for FAFSA purposes.
You are not lying by not including him as part of your household on FAFSA as he doesnt’ live there. When you fill out the FAFSA for next year (usually this Oct) do not claim him as part of the household and then your tax forms and FAFSA will match, both being HOH.
Thanks everyone for your advice. I was able to get a letter from FRG that could help explain the situation to the financial aid department. Unfortunately my two classes I needed already started. I will attend next semester and hopefully this letter will be kept on file to avoid any further confusion.