Confused about FAFSA dependency status for 18-year-old with deceased mother and absent father

First, I'm sorry for your cousin's loss. For FAFSA purposes, your cousin would qualify as independent simply because both parents are deceased/absent. On that specific question, she should select 'None of the above' because she is not technically an orphan in the FAFSA definition (which is for people under 18), not a ward of the court, and not under legal guardianship. Her independent status is established separately. She'll need to gather documentation of her mother's death (death certificate) and possibly an official statement regarding her father's absence. The financial aid office will likely require a 'dependency override' form and supporting documentation. This process varies by school, but is fairly standard for cases like hers.

My son had kinda the same situation last yr except his dad died when he was 12 and mom isnt involved. we checked 'none of the above' on that question to and it worked fine. they did make him get a letter from his HS counselor saying he wasnt in touch w/ his mom tho

Financial aid advisor here. Your cousin is indeed considered independent for FAFSA purposes based on having both parents deceased/absent. The question about orphan/ward of court/legal guardianship is actually designed for students under 18, which is why it feels confusing in her situation. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, she should: 1. Select 'None of the above' for that specific question 2. Later in the application, she'll indicate that she's unable to provide parental information 3. The FAFSA will calculate her SAI (Student Aid Index) based solely on her information Documentation she should prepare: - Mother's death certificate - A statement explaining father's absence (signed by someone who knows the situation - counselor, social worker, etc.) - Any legal documents showing attempts to locate father (if they exist) Once the FAFSA is submitted, she should contact each school's financial aid office to confirm they have everything they need. Some may request additional documentation for a dependency override, though with a deceased parent and absent parent, the process is usually straightforward.

OMG the FAFSA is RIDICULOUS with these questions!! I've been trying to help my sister with her application and we spent HOURS going back and forth with similar issues. The whole system seems designed to catch people in weird technicalities that make no sense in real life. Your cousin clearly doesn't have parents who can contribute, yet they make you jump through all these hoops to prove it. Makes me so angry how they treat students who are already dealing with difficult situations. Seriously, who created these questions??

Hey, I went through this exact situation 2 years ago. The key is to check 'none of the above' for that specific question, but then later in the application, there's a place to indicate you can't provide parent info. BTW, when I tried calling the Federal Student Aid helpline to confirm this, I was on hold for literally 3+ hours and got disconnected twice. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to someone. They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is ready. Saved me hours of frustration - check out their demo video: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FSA agent confirmed everything the others here are saying - your cousin is definitely independent, but that specific question is looking for something else. Make sure she has her mom's death certificate and a statement about her dad's absence!

I was in almost this exact situation last year! I'm 20 now, but when I was filling out my first FAFSA after my mom passed, I got super confused too. Select 'None of the above' and you'll be fine. But here's what happened to me: after I submitted the application, I got an email requesting verification. It was super stressful! I had to send in my mom's death certificate and write a statement about my dad (haven't seen him since I was 8). Oh and important - make sure your cousin knows her financial aid package might be delayed while they process everything. Mine took an extra 3 weeks compared to my friends. Have her talk to her school's financial aid office ASAP so they know the situation and can help her through it.

will she have to do all this paperwork every year or just once?

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss. This is such a difficult situation to navigate while dealing with grief. Everyone here has given excellent advice about selecting 'None of the above' for that specific question - that's definitely the right approach. One thing I'd add is to make sure your cousin keeps copies of ALL documentation she submits. I helped my nephew through a similar process and having backup copies saved us when one school's financial aid office lost his paperwork. Also, if she's applying to multiple schools, each one might have slightly different requirements for the dependency override documentation, so don't be surprised if she needs to provide additional statements or forms for different colleges. The most important thing is to stay organized and communicate proactively with each school's financial aid office. They're usually very understanding about these situations and want to help students get the aid they need. Your cousin is lucky to have you advocating for her during this tough time!

I'm really sorry for your cousin's loss. Going through this process while grieving must be incredibly difficult. Everyone here has given you solid advice about selecting 'None of the above' for that question - that's exactly what she should do. I wanted to add that if your cousin is concerned about her independent status, she can always call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID to confirm her situation. They can walk through her specific circumstances and provide official guidance. Also, make sure she keeps detailed records of any communication with schools' financial aid offices - emails, notes from phone calls, etc. This can be really helpful if any questions come up later. One more tip: if she's planning to attend a community college or state school, they often have experience with these types of situations and can be particularly helpful in guiding students through the dependency override process. The financial aid staff at these schools are usually very accessible and understanding. Your cousin is fortunate to have someone like you helping her navigate this complex process during such a challenging time. Best of luck with the application!

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss. This must be incredibly overwhelming to deal with while she's also grieving. Just wanted to echo what everyone else has said - definitely select "None of the above" for that dependency question. I work as a financial aid counselor and see this situation more often than you'd think. The FAFSA dependency questions can be really confusing because they don't always match real-life circumstances perfectly. One thing I'd suggest is having your cousin reach out to the financial aid offices at her prospective schools BEFORE she submits her FAFSA if possible. Many schools have staff who specialize in these complex cases and can walk her through exactly what documentation they'll need. This can save a lot of back-and-forth later. Also, make sure she applies to schools with good need-based aid programs. With her likely $0 SAI, she should qualify for maximum federal aid, but institutional aid varies widely between schools. Some private colleges have very generous aid for independent students in her situation. Your cousin is lucky to have you advocating for her. These processes are hard enough without having to navigate them alone during such a difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss. This is such a difficult situation to navigate, especially while grieving. Everyone here has given excellent advice about selecting 'None of the above' for that specific question - that's absolutely correct. I went through something similar a few years ago when I was helping my younger sibling after our dad passed away. One thing I'd add is to make sure your cousin starts this process as early as possible. Even though she qualifies as independent, the verification and documentation process can take several weeks. I'd also recommend creating a simple checklist of all the required documents so nothing gets overlooked: - Mother's death certificate (certified copy) - Written statement explaining father's absence - Third-party verification letter (from counselor, social worker, etc.) - Any court documents if they exist The financial aid offices are generally very understanding about these situations. Don't hesitate to call them directly if you have questions - they'd rather help clarify things upfront than deal with delays later. Your cousin is fortunate to have you helping her through this. The FAFSA process can be overwhelming under normal circumstances, but having advocate support makes such a difference.

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss. This is such a heartbreaking situation to navigate while dealing with grief. Everyone here has given you excellent guidance - definitely select "None of the above" for that dependency question. I wanted to add one more practical tip that helped me when I went through something similar: keep a dedicated email folder for all FAFSA-related correspondence. Forward any important emails to a backup account too, just in case. Also, when your cousin writes her personal statement about her father's absence, keep it factual and brief. Something like "My father has had no contact with our family since [year] and his whereabouts are unknown" works well. The financial aid offices have seen these situations before and don't need lengthy explanations. One last thing - make sure she knows that being independent for FAFSA purposes might actually work in her favor financially. Her aid will be calculated based solely on her income and assets, which as a student are likely very low. This could result in her qualifying for maximum federal aid. You're being such a wonderful advocate for her during this difficult time. The process might feel overwhelming now, but once you get through the initial documentation requirements, future years will be much simpler.

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss. What a difficult situation to navigate during an already overwhelming time. Everyone here has given you spot-on advice about selecting "None of the above" for that dependency question. I just wanted to add that when you're gathering documentation, it might help to get multiple copies of your cousin's mother's death certificate right away. Different schools sometimes want original or certified copies, and having extras on hand can prevent delays. Also, if your cousin hasn't already, she should consider reaching out to any colleges she's interested in to let them know about her situation early in the process. Many schools have dedicated staff who handle complex dependency cases, and they can often provide school-specific guidance about what documentation they prefer. The FAFSA questions really aren't designed for all the complicated family situations that exist in real life, which makes this process so frustrating. But your cousin's independent status is clear-cut given her circumstances, and that should actually work in her favor for financial aid eligibility. You're doing an amazing thing helping her through this. Having someone knowledgeable advocating for her is going to make such a difference in getting through all the paperwork and requirements.

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss - what a difficult situation to navigate while she's still processing her grief. Everyone has given you excellent advice about selecting "None of the above" for that specific dependency question. I just wanted to emphasize something that might provide additional peace of mind: her independent status is actually established through multiple pathways on the FAFSA, not just that one confusing question. Even if she selects "None of the above" there, the application will still recognize her as independent based on her overall circumstances. One practical tip that hasn't been mentioned yet: when you're helping her complete the FAFSA, make sure to print or save a copy of every screen before submitting. The confirmation pages can be really helpful if any questions come up later with financial aid offices. Also, write down the FAFSA submission summary number - you'll need it for any follow-up communications. Your cousin is incredibly fortunate to have someone like you advocating for her during this challenging time. The process feels overwhelming now, but once you get through the initial documentation hurdles, she should be in a much better position financially for college than many dependent students. Her $0 SAI will likely qualify her for maximum federal aid, which can make a huge difference in college affordability.

I'm so sorry for your cousin's loss. This is an incredibly difficult situation to navigate while dealing with grief, and I want to echo what everyone has said - you're being an amazing advocate for her. Just to reinforce what the financial aid professionals have shared: definitely select "None of the above" for that dependency question. Her independent status is rock solid given her circumstances (both parents deceased/absent), and that specific question is really designed for different situations. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that she might want to reach out to her high school's college counselor or social worker, even if she's already graduated. They often have experience helping students in similar situations and can provide that third-party verification letter that schools typically request. Plus, they might know about local scholarships specifically for students who have experienced family hardships. Also, when she's ready to submit her FAFSA, try to do it during off-peak hours if possible (early morning or late evening). The system can get overwhelmed during busy periods, and the last thing you want is technical issues when you're already dealing with such a complex situation. Your cousin is going to get through this, and her college education will likely be very affordable given her independent status and likely $0 SAI. You're both handling an incredibly tough situation with remarkable strength.