Financial Aid Question

SE+MB

Hey everyone!

I'm just wondering how you think your financial aid situation will change when you get married? I do not get any financial aid help now, because my mother makes "too much money." I do not know who to go to to find out if I will be receiving any aid once FI and I get married. I guess our financial aid office at school.. Anyway, do you know if we get married in May, will the FASFA reflect the previous year (which would be 2010 in my case) WITHOUT being married? I'll graduate in exactly one year after FI and I get married. I think I'll actually get aid if the FASFA shows that we are married, but since it will be my last year, I don't know if the FASFA would reflect us being married for the 2011-2012 (August - May) or for the 2012 - 2013 (August - May).

I'm not sure if this makes any since at all. Please tell me if you cannot understand me. I really do not know how to explain myself more clear.
Basically I want to know if we get married in May would I be able to get aid for the following August.

LauraT25

I would talk to your financial aid office.  Aid eligibility generally changes when you get married, but I couldn't tell you if it would work in your favor.  You will file as whatever your status is at the time of filing.  I'm not sure when the FAFSA is due for the following school year, but if it's due before you are married, you will file as single.  There may be some way you can file an amendment or something after you get married, if it's within some specific time frame, but again, that's something to ask your financial aid office.

FWIW, I was in the same boat as you.  My parents' income (including my pretty much deadbeat dad) prevented me from getting aid, and it sucked.  So I feel your pain.

ledalia

When you fill out your FAFSA after you are married in May, it asks you if you are married that day, not the previous year. This counts you as an independent student and you do not need to provide parent income. It will ask you to provide your and your husband's tax information for the previous year even though you were not married. It uses this to determine your aid.

p.s. I know this because we had to do a JOP for me to qualify for aid. My parents also "made too much money" and there was no other way for the school to recognize me as an independent student unless we got married. I was able to qualify for Pell Grant and enough loans to get me through my 6th and final year as an undergrad.

LauraT25

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_students_financial-aid-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:684Discussion:d75ac007-7e13-4bde-91db-bb4b0e24fa94Post:e60cb9c0-8ad7-40d8-bde5-7055d8beae83">Re: Financial Aid Question</a>:
[QUOTE]When you fill out your FAFSA after you are married in May, it asks you if you are married that day, not the previous year. This counts you as an independent student and you do not need to provide parent income. It will ask you to provide your and your husband's tax information for the previous year even though you were not married. It uses this to determine your aid. p.s. I know this because we had to do a JOP for me to qualify for aid. My parents also "made too much money" and there was no other way for the school to recognize me as an independent student unless we got married. I was able to qualify for Pell Grant and enough loans to get me through my 6th and final year as an undergrad.
Posted by ledalia[/QUOTE]

If you had a JOP wedding, then what is the wedding in less than two months all about?

nannewmur

You want to fill out your FAFSA as soon as possible after Jan. 1 due to the large number of applicants.  You fill out your status at the time you are filing it out.  You were not married in 2010 so it will be filed as single.  Most student get their FAFSA in by April 1.  My kids have never qualified for anything because we are middle income.  It was suggested to us by a financial aid person to no longer claim child as a dependent since they are over 18, which would effect your parents tax deductions but may be worth it to you.

SE+MB

Well, I guess I need to talk to my financial aid people.

LauraT25, it's amazing that I can't get financial aid but my "dad" (he doesn't deserve that title, but he is my father) has like $18,000 in back child support from years ago. My mom was a single mom (and still is) who did her best to provide for me, yet she still lives paycheck to paycheck, and I can't get any financial aid. It's very frusterating. Although I've got enough in scholarships to pay for school, it would have sucked if my mom had to pay my tuition. She would have done it though, she does everything possible to make sure I have the best life.

Thanks for everyones advice!

whitma87

It depends when you get married. If you get married before June it should be on your FASFA. June is normally the date they want you to resubmit it. It should show up for your 2011-2012 school year.

SereJane

I called the financial aid office at my school and they told me to file it in January like I always do even though I'll be married once the school year starts. However, in my case, I WANT to remain dependent because my parent's income (or lack thereof) qualifies me for free tuition.