I live in Kansas with my mom but I want to go to University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania where my dad is currently living. I had contacted with their admissions office who informed me about applying for residency and I am able to instantly get my in state tuition if I showed them my dad’s taxes and other legal documents. So when I apply for college next year, I want to know if I’m going to apply under my mom’s name since I currently live with her and have been for a majority of my life (and I usually apply for everything under her income) or my dad’s even though he doesn’t have custody over me. He is currently paying child support so I don’t know if that factors to any of this. I am wondering because my mom’s income is much less than my dad’s because my dad remarried and his and my step mother’s income are much higher than my mom so my financial aid would increase if I used my mom’s income. My dad does plan to help support me financially and so does my mom.
I will be their first kid in college and I’m extremely worried about the financial burden that I may put on my mom because Pitt is such an expensive school (even for in-state) and my mom might not be able to help me with it and my dad has 3 other kids he must worry about so I don’t know if he can’t support me abundantly.
This member posted the same question twice, but the introductions are somewhat different. Below is the OP from the second thread that was posted 45 minutes later. Everything else has been merged. - FC
I live with my mom in Kansas but I want to attend the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania where my dad is currently living. I have contacted their admission’s office to learn about my residency for in state tuition and they have confirmed that I can be rewarded with it after I provide my dad’s taxes and his proper documents to prove of his residency. So when I apply for my financial aid next year, who’s income will I use? My dad does pay for child support but my mom had full custody over me and my brother. I usually use my mom’s income but since I do want to go to school in a different state, will I use his? My mom and dad have agreed to help support me but my mom doesn’t make as much since she is a single mom and my dad had remarried and his and my step mom’s income is much higher than ours. So if I do file under his, will I ONLY use his or their total income and household number because they do have 2 other kids under them. My dad has 3 under his name (me, my brother, and my half brother). So would I count my half brother as a household member even though he lives with my step-mom and isn’t really afflicted with me.
I’m sorry, I don’t know how this works, I just want to prepare on what I should expect when I start applying for college during my senior year. If I use my mom’s income, the financial aid is going to be much higher with her income and with my dad’s, I’m not so sure since I don’t know exactly how much he makes by himself.
Under these circumstances who’s income will I use to file my financial aid? Pitt is so expensive even for an in-stater and I really need as much help I an get because even though both my parents agree to help me, they have other kids to think about too. I am the first in my family to go to college but the tuition is so high and even though my dad does make a comfortable amount, with all his kids, he may not be able to help me as abundantly as the numbers say.
You will file the FAFSA under your mother’s name and information, because that is who you live with. Many states grant instate status to children of their residents, and it sounds like PA has agreed to do that for you.
If that is the case though, and they are fully aware you live with him fewer days per year than you do with your mom and still you got in-state rates, FAFSA should not care and you file under your custodial parent, and whatever applies only to her.
That is, the residency requirement should be independent of what FAFSA requires.
Do not worry about “who agreed to support me”. That is immaterial. Fill out FAFSA per the instructions, which is for the custodial parent.
Also - it would be very wise if your dad wants to help you pay for college, he pays part of your tuition directly to the college. It is different than you receiving money from him, and does not count as a gift.
For FAFSA purposes, your mother is your custodial parent right now. If you were to move and live with your dad, he would be your custodial parent for the FAFSA. Some colleges and universities also require financial information from the non-custodial parent (NCP). Being a dependent for financial aid purposes is not the same as being a dependent for tax purposes, or for being a dependent for in-state tuition and fees. Each of those has different rules. So yes, you can be your mom’s dependent for the FAFSA, and her dependent for taxes, but your dad’s dependent as far as the state of PA is concerned when it comes determination of in-state status for tuition and fees.
Keep in touch with the admissions office at U Pitt. They will tell you what you need to do.
It appears Pitt only requires the FAFSA. For FAFSA the parent who’s income you include is the parent with whom you lived the most in the 12 months preceding the day you file FAFSA.
You should go to the Pitt website, find the Net Price Calculator on their financial aid web pages and enter the information asked for to see an estimate of what it may cost you to attend Pitt.
I’m worried if I do file under my mom, I won’t be eligible for the in-state tuition and it would cancel that out. I’m not planning to live with my dad for the duration because I would be either in a dorm or have my own apartment.
I don’t know how these legal issues work, but when I do move to Pennsylvania, will I automatically be under my dad’s custody now or still under my mom’s?
Also I’m not trying to cheat the system or anything to benefit me with my tuition fees. I am willing to go the extra mile to prove that I am willing to become a resident of Pennsylvania even after college and I have every single intention to live there for a long time. I just don’t want to suffer from massive loads of debt after college for chasing my dream at my dream school.
@rhandco Thank you for your input.
I would like to now if they would revoke my residency status if I did apply under my mom’s since she’s not a resident. I am very lucky that I did get in-state but I would have to make absolutely sure so I do plan to contact them again. I did mention that other blood relatives live there also such as my grandma who does pay taxes to the state.
Should I just play it safe though and under my dad’s even though they might not offer me as much financial aid?
I would love your input.
Residency and financial aid are two different things. You can’t use your dad for fafsa if your mom is the custodial parent per fafsa rules. That would be fraud. For subsequent years the custodial parent will be with whom you live most in the future. Who will you live with on breaks and during the summer once you are attending college?
Ok, for future year’s FAFSAs if you live with your dad more than your mom during the preceding year he will be your custodial parent. If you live with your Grandma and not your mom or dad at all or equally between your mom and dad, the parent who provides you the most financial support will be your custodial parent for FAFSA.
@annoyingdad
Thank you, everything you said was extremely informative. If I did decide to get my own apartment, would the parent who support me the most also applying in this case? I would like to get an apartment before my sophomore year in college.
If you never spend a night at mom or dad’s during the year or spend equal nights even if only a few nights at each place, yes, then it would the parent providing the most support. Spending 5 nights at one and 4 at the other during the year makes the first your custodial parent.
I don’t know how UPitt is going to determine residency, but you have another issue…and that is UPitt is a costly instate school, and if your parents can’t pay for it, this whole issue is moot. UPitt doesn’t give good aid.
Your mom may be pushing for UPitt, but she may not understand that you may not get the aid you need…no matter who you file with for FAFSA.
I think you are misunderstanding aid. Even if you use your mom’s income, UPitt may not give you much money.
So…do this…have your mom run the Net Price Calculator on UPitt’s website as an instate student and see what the results are. Then ask your parents if they will pay for the net price. If they realize that they can’t pay the net cost…even using mom’s info…then this whole question may be moot.
Lots of modest income instate kids cannot afford UPitt because it doesn’t give much aid. Schools do NOT have to honor the Fafsa EFC results. You could have an EFC of $6000…but get NO FREE MONEY at all.
They specify that if you are under 22 use the residence of your parents or legal guardian. You have a parent who is a Pa resident, so you should be fine. Residency in two states through parents who do not live together is not unusual, and is perfectly legal. Use your mother (and stepfather if she is remarried) for FAFSA, Pitt is a public school.