If your parents were still together when you filed your FAFSA, you should have included your mother and step-father’s information. If they are no longer together now, you need to ask the school for a special circumstance appeal form and provide proof of the separation and your mother’s last check stub from work, 2006 W2 etc. This way they know how much income to count.

If your mother and step-father were not together when you filed, you could have filed without your step-father’s income…but it’s tricky.

The federal processor is correct. Financial aid people are not IRS reps. I see all kinds of iffy tax returns…nothing I can do about it. We don’t share information with the IRS and they don’t share information with us. But since I also do taxes I can tell you that your mom could have filed with or without your step-dad if they were separated for more than 6 months out of the year. It would be a decision for the two of them to make…just saying.

If the advisor will not grant a special circ because of…whatever…take it all the way to the director, if necessary.

Call the school back…tell them that you spoke to FAFSA and you were legal and tell them the points — your parents were married over half of the year. If they don’t listen, ask them write you an email stating that so you can communicate with FAFSA immediately to get this all straightened out.

Chances are you spoke with someone who a) reacted before finding out the details b) didn’t know that there was a loop hole with being married more than half of the year

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I hope they get this all straigthened out on Monday. Perhaps their something on the IRS website about the divorce and filing thing. Glad to hear that your EFC is zero. Best wishes this semester…

If you are considered a Dependent student, who (if anyone) claims you on their taxes…maybe your mother, grandparents, or other family member. If someone claims you, use their’s. If you can answer Yes to any of thefollowing questions, then you can be considered an Independent student & you don’t need his tax info AT ALL: Was the student born before January 1, 1982? During the school year 2005-2006, will the student be working on a master’s or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, Ph.D., Ed.D., graduate certificate, etc.)? Is the student married? Does the student have children who receive more than half of their support from the student? Does the student have dependents other than the student’s children or spouse who live with the student and who received more than half of their support from the student, now and through June 30, 2006? Are both of the student’s parents deceased, or is he/she (or was he/she until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court? Is the student a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? If the student claims to be independent, the student’s school may ask that the student verify his or her answers to these questions before he or she can receive any federal student aid. If the student thinks he or she has unusual circumstances that might make him or her independent, the student should contact the school’s financial aid office. If the student is a graduate health profession student, the student may be required to provide information about his or her parents even if the student is independent. If the student is unsure whether his or her course of study is considered a graduate health profession program, the student should contact the school’s financial aid office. If you cannot answer yes to any of those questions & no one else claims you on their taxes, then most schools will allow you to apply for a dependency override. They can only grant a certain number of these (if any), but it wouldn’t hurt to ask your school’s FA office.