FAFSA confusion: No tax return & foreign income parent - what should my son submit?

You can still complete FAFSA without filing taxes! I had this EXACT situation last year. Your son needs to select "Will not file" for your tax filing status on the application. For his father working abroad, he'll need to convert the foreign income to US dollars using the exchange rate from the day he completes the app. The father WILL need documentation from whatever the Spanish equivalent of a tax return is. Your sister CANNOT be listed instead of parents unless she's his legal guardian. It's only biological/adoptive parents or stepparents who must be listed.

The foreign tax situation can get complicated, but it's manageable. Your son will select "Will not file" for you and "Foreign tax return" for his father. He'll need the Spanish tax document converted to USD. For you, since you're below filing threshold, you should request a "Verification of Non-filing Letter" from the IRS (Form 4506-T) as backup documentation. Your son will likely be selected for verification, so having this ready will speed things up.

Ugh FAFSA is THE WORST with international parents!!!! My dad works in Canada and I had to deal with this nightmare last year. They flagged my app for verification and it took MONTHS to resolve. Make sure your son checks the foreign income box and NOT the "will not file" for his dad!!! Different things!

When I was helping my nephew with this situation (mom no taxes, dad foreign income), we had to get specific with how we reported things. For the parent who doesn't file US taxes due to low income, you need to report any income you did receive even without a tax return - things like social security, disability, child support, etc. Only certain types of income are exempt from reporting. For the foreign income parent, FAFSA will convert the amounts automatically if you enter the country's currency. The Spanish tax document is perfect - just make sure your son enters the information from the correct line items.

After struggling with FAFSA phone lines for DAYS trying to get answers about my daughter's similar situation (I'm self-employed with minimal income, her dad works in Germany), I finally got through using Claimyr. Saved me hours of hold time and the agent walked me through exactly what we needed for foreign income reporting. Check out their video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ or just go to claimyr.com - literally the only way I got actual help from a human.

This is a common misunderstanding with FAFSA. For your situation: 1. For you (non-filing parent): You'll need to report any untaxed income you received. If you received any government benefits or support, those should be included in the appropriate sections. 2. For the father (foreign income): Your son needs to report the converted USD amount and mark "Foreign tax return" as the filing status. The Spanish tax document should be kept on hand for verification. 3. Your sister: While generous, her financial information is not reported on FAFSA unless she's a legal guardian. However, her contribution can be counted as untaxed income to the student if she gives it directly to him. Finally, when your son submits the application, he should write a brief explanation in the comments section about the family's financial situation. This can help prevent unnecessary verification flags.

yall r making this way more complicated than it needs 2 be. just put 0 for income if u didnt file, and for the dad just convert his income to dollars. my mom didnt file taxes and my dad works in mexico. i put 0 for mom and converted dads pesos to dollars. got my full pell grant no problem

One more thing I forgot to mention! Since your situation is unusual, your son's FAFSA will almost certainly get selected for verification. When that happens, DON'T PANIC! It's normal and doesn't mean you did anything wrong. They'll ask for documentation proving the income situation you reported. This is where having that non-filing letter and the Spanish tax documents ready will save you tons of time. Also make sure your son regularly checks both his email AND his student aid account for notices about verification.

Ugh I had 2 deal with foreign income situation with my dad in UK. FAFSA verification was HELL. 4 months later still fighting with financial aid office. They kept saying his UK documents weren't "official" enough even tho they were literally from their government!!! Just warning u might be a long process so start early!!!

I went through something very similar with my stepdad working in Japan! A few tips that saved us headaches: 1) Get the IRS non-filing letter NOW - it takes 2-3 weeks to arrive and you'll definitely need it for verification. 2) For the Spanish tax document, make sure it shows the tax year that corresponds to your FAFSA year (2023 taxes for 2025-26 FAFSA). 3) Use xe.com or similar for currency conversion and screenshot the exchange rate with the date - some schools want proof of the rate you used. 4) When you hit verification, respond IMMEDIATELY with all docs. The longer you wait, the more likely you'll miss aid deadlines. The process is stressful but totally doable - you've got this!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My mom doesn't file taxes and my dad works internationally. One thing I learned that might help - make sure you keep detailed records of EVERYTHING you submit. I created a folder with copies of all documents, screenshots of the exchange rates I used, and notes about what I entered where on the FAFSA. When verification came (and it definitely will), having everything organized made the process so much smoother. Also, if your son's school has a financial aid office, consider reaching out to them directly once he's accepted - they often have experience with international income situations and can guide you through their specific requirements. The FAFSA is just the first step, but each school might want additional documentation. Good luck - it's stressful but definitely manageable!

I'm in a really similar situation! My mom doesn't file taxes because she's on disability and doesn't earn enough, and my dad lives in the Philippines and files taxes there. What really helped us was contacting the financial aid office at my top choice school BEFORE submitting the FAFSA - they walked me through exactly what documents we'd need and how to handle the foreign income conversion. They told us to use the IRS exchange rate table from the date we filed, not just any currency converter. Also, for your situation with your sister wanting to help with tuition - while she can't be listed as a parent on FAFSA, if she does contribute money directly to your son's education, that would need to be reported as untaxed income to the student on next year's FAFSA. Just wanted to give you a heads up about that since it caught us off guard! The whole process is definitely overwhelming but everyone here has given great advice. You're not alone in dealing with this complicated situation!

I've been through this exact situation with my daughter! A few additional tips that might help: 1) Make sure your son saves a PDF copy of the completed FAFSA before submitting - sometimes the system glitches and you lose your work. 2) If his father's Spanish tax document isn't in English, you might need a certified translation for verification (not all schools require this, but some do). 3) Consider having your son apply to schools with generous need-based aid since your family's income situation will likely qualify for significant assistance. 4) Document any irregular income sources you might have (odd jobs, gifts from family, etc.) - even small amounts should be reported accurately. The verification process can be lengthy, but being thorough and honest from the start will save you headaches later. Also, don't stress too much about the foreign income complexity - financial aid officers deal with this more often than you'd think, especially at schools with diverse student populations. Your son's education is worth navigating this bureaucracy!

I'm in a very similar boat - my mom doesn't file taxes due to low income and my dad lives abroad. One thing that really helped me was creating a timeline and checklist early in the process. I made a list of every document we'd need (IRS non-filing letter, foreign tax docs, currency conversion screenshots, etc.) and started gathering everything at least 2 months before the FAFSA deadline. The verification process is almost guaranteed with international income, so being over-prepared saved us from scrambling later. Also, I'd recommend having your son create accounts on multiple currency conversion sites (xe.com, oanda.com) so he can screenshot the rates from different sources on the filing date - some schools are picky about which rates they accept. The whole process feels overwhelming at first, but once you get organized and understand what's needed, it's totally manageable. Your son is lucky to have family support - that makes all the difference in navigating this bureaucracy!

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! My mom works part-time and doesn't earn enough to file taxes, and my dad lives in Mexico and files there. After reading through all these responses, I'm feeling much more prepared. One thing I wanted to add that helped me - I called my top choice school's financial aid office directly and they were SO much more helpful than the general FAFSA hotline. They even sent me a checklist specific to international parent situations. Also, I learned that some schools have special application processes for students with non-traditional family income situations, so it's worth asking about that too. For anyone else in this boat - start early, stay organized, and don't let the complexity scare you away from applying for aid. The verification process is intimidating but it's just paperwork, and financial aid officers have seen it all before. Good luck to everyone dealing with this!

I just went through this exact situation with my daughter last year! Your family setup sounds almost identical to ours - I don't file taxes due to low income, and her father works internationally (in our case, Germany). Here's what worked for us: 1. Your son should definitely select "Will not file" for your tax status, not put zero income. You'll still need to report any income you did receive (benefits, part-time work, etc.) in the appropriate untaxed income sections. 2. For his father in Spain, he'll need to select "Foreign tax return" and convert the Spanish income to USD using the exchange rate from the day he files the FAFSA. That "Declaración de la Renta" document will be perfect for verification. 3. Unfortunately, your sister can't be listed as a parent on FAFSA unless she's his legal guardian, even though her offer to help is wonderful. However, if she does contribute money directly to his education, that would need to be reported as untaxed income to the student on the following year's FAFSA. 4. Get that IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter (Form 4506-T) NOW - it takes 2-3 weeks and you'll almost certainly need it for verification. Your son's application will likely be selected for verification given the international income, but don't panic! It's totally normal and just means they need to confirm the information. Having all your documents ready beforehand will make the process much smoother. You've got this!

I've been helping families navigate FAFSA applications for years, and your situation is actually more common than you might think! Here's a step-by-step approach that should help: For your non-filing status: Request Form 4506-T (Verification of Non-filing Letter) from the IRS immediately - it takes 2-3 weeks to receive. Even though you don't file taxes, you'll still need to report ANY income you received (government benefits, occasional work, family support, etc.) in the untaxed income sections. For your son's father in Spain: The "Declaración de la Renta" is exactly what you need! Your son should select "Foreign tax return" (not "Will not file") for his father's status. Convert all Spanish income to USD using the exchange rate from the exact date your son submits the FAFSA - use a reputable site like xe.com and take a screenshot with the date visible. Regarding your sister: While her generosity is wonderful, she cannot be listed as a parent unless she's your son's legal guardian. However, if she does contribute money directly to your son's education, that amount would need to be reported as untaxed income to the student on NEXT year's FAFSA application. Your application will almost certainly be selected for verification due to the international income component, but this is completely normal - not a red flag! Having all documents prepared in advance will make the process much smoother. Stay organized and don't let the complexity discourage you from applying for aid!

I went through this exact situation two years ago with my stepdad working overseas! A few key things that really helped us: 1) Create a dedicated folder (digital and physical) for ALL documentation - you'll be referring back to everything multiple times during verification. 2) When converting the Spanish income, make sure you're using the income from the correct tax year (2023 taxes for 2025-26 FAFSA). 3) If the Spanish documents aren't in English, check with your son's schools early about whether they need certified translations - some do, some don't, but it's better to know ahead of time. 4) Write a brief explanation in the FAFSA comments section describing your family's situation - this can actually help prevent some verification delays. The process feels overwhelming but you're asking all the right questions and this community has given you excellent advice. One more tip: once your son gets accepted to schools, reach out to their financial aid offices directly - they're often much more helpful than the general FAFSA helpline for complex situations like yours. You've absolutely got this!

I'm a college financial aid advisor and see these international/non-filing situations regularly! A few additional points that might help: 1) When your son completes the FAFSA, he should save copies of EVERYTHING before hitting submit - the system can be glitchy and you don't want to lose hours of work. 2) For the Spanish tax document ("Declaración de la Renta"), make sure it's from tax year 2023 for the 2025-26 FAFSA. Keep the original Spanish version AND prepare an English summary of the key income figures. 3) Don't forget about asset reporting - if either parent has foreign bank accounts, investments, or property, those need to be converted to USD and reported too. 4) Consider applying to schools that meet 100% of demonstrated need, as your family's income situation will likely qualify for substantial aid. The verification process is standard for international income cases, so don't stress when (not if) you get selected. Having everything organized beforehand makes all the difference. Your son is fortunate to have such a supportive family helping navigate this process!

I'm new to this community but going through a very similar situation with my daughter! My husband works in Canada and I don't earn enough to file US taxes. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - I had no idea about the IRS Verification of Non-filing Letter or that verification was normal for international income situations. One thing I wanted to add from our experience so far: when we called the FAFSA help line, they told us to make sure we have documentation showing the relationship between the student and the foreign-income parent (birth certificate, etc.) ready for verification. Apparently some families run into issues there. Also, our financial aid counselor at my daughter's school suggested keeping a detailed log of every phone call and interaction we have during the process - dates, names, reference numbers, what was discussed. She said it really helps if there are any discrepancies or delays later. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is going to save us so much stress and confusion!