Divorced but living together - Which parent completes FAFSA when filing taxes differently?

For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you need to determine which parent provides more financial support to your daughter, regardless of who claims her on taxes. Since you live together, it's not about physical custody. Instead, look at who pays more for her expenses like food, clothing, medical care, etc. That parent should complete the FAFSA. However, because you're living together despite being divorced, you'll need to report BOTH incomes on the FAFSA if you're considered to be living together as unmarried parents. The new FAFSA specifically asks about this situation.

omg i have almost the same situation!! my parents r divorced but dad moved back in 2 yrs ago and they both claim diff kids on taxes. when we did fafsa last yr it was a NIGHTMARE!! ended up having to call the fafsa ppl like 5 times because the online instructions made no sense for our situation

This is a great question that many families with complex living arrangements face. According to the official FAFSA guidelines for 2025-2026, when divorced parents live together, both parents' information must be reported on the FAFSA - this is considered an "unmarried and both parents living together" situation, regardless of your legal divorce status. The parent who provides more financial support to the student should be the one to complete the application, but both parents' income and assets will need to be included. Tax filing status and who claims the student as a dependent for tax purposes doesn't determine who completes the FAFSA. Importantly, this situation is different from divorced parents living separately, where only one parent's information would be required (the parent providing more financial support).

Wait I'm confused about something - does this mean that divorced parents who live together actually get LESS financial aid than divorced parents who live separately? That seems really unfair! Why should kids be punished just because their parents figured out how to coparent under the same roof?

I had to deal with this EXACT situation last year! After hours on hold with FSA, I finally got someone who explained it clearly. Since you're divorced but living together, the FAFSA considers you "unmarried parents living together" - it's an official category on the form. The parent who provides more than 50% of the student's support should complete the FAFSA, but BOTH of your financial info must be reported. Trying to reach FSA was a nightmare until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an agent in about 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ That agent confirmed that who claims the kid on taxes doesn't matter for FAFSA - it's about financial support. Since your income is higher, you'll probably be considered the supporting parent, but both incomes count anyway.

The FAFSA system is SO BROKEN for modern family structures!!! I've been through this nightmare with my stepkids. Even though you're divorced, since you live together, they're going to count BOTH incomes - which means less aid than if you lived separately. It's just another way the system PUNISHES families who try to make things work! And don't get me started on how they handle stepparents' income... 🤬

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses. I just spent some time going through the FAFSA preview and now see the section about "unmarried and both parents living together." It seems clear that I should complete the form since I provide more of her financial support, but we'll need to include both our financial information. I'm a bit disappointed that our unique living arrangement might result in less aid, but at least I understand how to proceed now. I'll start gathering our financial documents and will use Claimyr if I run into issues and need to speak with FSA directly.

I just wanted to add that you should also consider reaching out to your daughter's prospective colleges' financial aid offices directly once you submit the FAFSA. Many schools have experienced financial aid counselors who have dealt with complex family situations like yours before. They might be able to provide school-specific guidance or even consider professional judgment adjustments to your aid package based on your unique circumstances. Some schools are more flexible than others when it comes to unusual living arrangements, so it's worth having that conversation early in the process. Good luck with everything!

As someone who works in college financial aid, I can confirm that this "unmarried parents living together" situation comes up more often than people realize. You're on the right track - since you provide more financial support, you should complete the FAFSA, but both incomes will be included. One thing I'd add is to be very careful about how you answer the household size questions. Since you're living together, your household size should include both parents and all children living in the home, which can actually help lower your Student Aid Index slightly. Also, keep detailed records of who pays for what expenses throughout the year - not just for potential verification, but because some schools may ask for this information during their professional judgment review process. The key is being completely transparent and consistent in how you report your family's situation across all forms and communications.

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a twist - my ex and I are divorced, living together, but we also have a child from his previous relationship living with us part-time. The FAFSA household size question becomes even more complicated when you factor in step-siblings and shared custody arrangements. From what I've learned through this process, document EVERYTHING - who pays utilities, groceries, medical expenses, school fees, etc. The financial aid offices really do want to see a clear picture of financial responsibility. Also, I'd recommend starting the FAFSA process early because these complex situations often require back-and-forth communication with both the Department of Education and individual schools. One more tip: if your daughter applies to multiple schools, be prepared to explain your living situation to each financial aid office separately, as they may interpret the guidelines differently.