First time posting to this board...financial aid question

ecuchika

Hello!  I have been around TK for a while and I am getting married in 6 months.  I just started going back to school in the fall this year.  I already have a degree but decided to go back to get my teaching license.  There is a special program at my school for people like me who already have completed their undergrad but want a teaching license. 

My question to everyone is...after FI and I get married will I not be able to get financial aid anymore?  Currrently, in the eyes of the government I live on my own (seperate from parents) and for next year I plan on appling for F.A. before we get married so I can claim single.  We are getting married in June so I hope to have F.A. done before May for 2011-2012 school year. 

Does any one know any more info on this?  I would hate to get married and not be able to continue my license program.  With FI's income I'm afraid it would make it sounds like I have more money than we really do.  And since I live with FI and we have combined bills I know we don't have the extra for classes.  Besides if we did I wouldn't have applied for F.A. in the first place.

I never used F.A. as an undergrad b/c they said my parents made too much (which was untrue) I couldn't even qualify for a loan to pay my meal plan ($1,100) my freshman fall semester so that was really difficult for my parents.

Right now I'm having tons of trouble even getting F.A. I qualified for it in the fall but they wouldn't give it to me b/c i was taking 2 classes, however, it was only 5 credit hours (due to a intro course) so this semester F.A. is telling me I'm on F.A. suspension...they said well you are behind with number of credit hours..they didn't even pay for it in the first place-I got a loan from a really really good friend.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

mkmistretta

all i know is that for a full time student like myself financial aide is done after Jan 1 and through the spring and the marital status is at the time it is filled out.  So if you get married after you fill out the financial aid form it does not matter for that year.

ekelly83

I just called my FA advisor last week about this. She said as soon as your taxes are done (as single) complete your FAFSA. That way that whole school year is taken care of. Then the following year file taxes separately from your husband, this way on the next FAFSA they will only take your income into consideration. You will still say you are married, but they will only go off your income. I hope that made sense and helped!

bethy04

it will not be an issue for this upcoming year; you will be single when you file your taxes and, therefore, your FAFSA when you file it.  A year from now you and your husband can decide if you should file jointly or not.