@BrownParent - This has nothing to do with FAFSA. It’s about being classified as a state resident for purposes of in-state tuition. And the OP is not state resident. Just because she attends UCD doesn’t mean she’s a California resident (and clearly, she’s not).
According to the [UC guidelines](UC Legal - Office of the General Counsel | UCOP), being deemed a resident is dependent on three factors: presence in the state, intent to remain in the state, and financial independence. As the OP noted above, marriage satisfies the financial independence requirement - and it doesn’t matter who she’s married to! See the Section 2(f) under “Exceptions" - at the bottom of page 17.
So, @BrownParent, @NorthernMom61, and @billcsho, before you call the OP “goofy” and tell her she doesn’t know what she’s talking about, look at the UC policy. She knows what it says, and you apparently do not.
@nogoofy - your reading of the policy is correct. You’d need to be married for one “tax year” prior to the term for which you want to claim in-state status. I don’t know if marriage during that tax year would qualify or not. You should contact the UCD residence deputy (through the admissions office, I believe) and request clarification. The policy is the same of all UC campuses, so if you have trouble reaching the residence deputy at UCD, you can call the residence deputy at ANY of the UC campuses, and get the same information.