FAFSA confusion - divorced parents w/ alternating tax claims - who reports income?

The FAFSA only requires information from the parent you lived with MORE during the past 12 months - regardless of who claims you on taxes. If you split time exactly 50/50, then it's the parent who provided more financial support. The tax claiming schedule doesn't matter for FAFSA purposes at all. So if you lived with your mom more than 50% of the time, she's right - you only report her income and assets. Your dad's information isn't needed, even if he claimed you on taxes last year.

ur mom is right, my parents r divorced 2 and i only had to put my moms info cause i live w her most of the time. the tax thing doesnt matter for fafsa

Here's the actual FAFSA rule for divorced parents: 1. If one parent has MORE than 50% physical custody, that parent's info goes on FAFSA (regardless of tax claiming status) 2. If custody is EXACTLY 50/50, then whoever provides more financial support is the parent whose info goes on FAFSA 3. If that parent is remarried, the step-parent's information must also be included Who claims you on taxes is completely irrelevant for FAFSA. It's all about physical custody first, then financial support as a tiebreaker.

When my kids applied, we went through this nightmare with my ex. Even though we had exactly 50/50 custody, I paid all the medical bills, bought all clothes, paid for activities, etc. Ex only covered food/housing during his time. FAO said I was the support parent for FAFSA. BUT they still asked for documentation - I had to bring receipts showing I paid more! Just be prepared to prove it if questioned.

I work in a college financial aid office and see this confusion ALL THE TIME with divorced parents. The biggest mistake students make is letting the tax-filing parent dictate who goes on FAFSA. It's custody first, then financial support - never tax filing status. If your situation is truly 50/50 physical custody, you need to determine which parent provides more TOTAL financial support - add up everything: medical, clothing, school expenses, etc. That parent goes on FAFSA. And yes, if you're asked to verify dependency, you may need documentation, so start tracking this now.

I was in your EXACT situation when applying 2 years ago. Calling the Federal Student Aid hotline was IMPOSSIBLE - waited 3+ hours multiple times and got disconnected! I finally used Claimyr.com to reach an actual FAFSA representative in 10 minutes who confirmed that 50/50 custody means the parent providing more financial support. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ - totally worth it because they straightened out my whole situation and saved me thousands in aid!

also if ur mom remarried u gotta put stepdad info too btw... my stepdad had to be on mine even tho he doesnt pay for anything for me and it messed up my SAI score big time

One more important thing: If your 50/50 custody situation means your mom provides more support, you ONLY report her info. Don't make the mistake of reporting both parents' info - this is a common error that can significantly reduce your aid eligibility. The FAFSA doesn't have a way to indicate divorced parents with 50/50 custody, so the support test is really the determining factor. Once you establish the "FAFSA parent," only that parent's income and assets count for your Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation.

If your dad tries to insist both incomes should be reported, he's wrong. My dad did the same thing because he was confusing FAFSA with CSS Profile. Some private schools use CSS Profile which sometimes DOES want both divorced parents' info. But FAFSA is federal aid and only wants the custodial parent (or in 50/50 cases, the one providing more support).

Since you mentioned applying to private schools, here's what you need to know: 1. FAFSA (federal aid): Only requires info from custodial parent or higher-support parent in 50/50 situations 2. CSS Profile (many private schools): Often requires BOTH divorced parents' financial information 3. Individual institutional forms: Some schools have their own separate forms with different requirements So your dad is partially right - for some schools you might need both parents' info, but not for FAFSA itself.

Just want to add one more tip from someone who went through this exact situation - make sure you and your parents are all on the same page about who the "FAFSA parent" is BEFORE you submit. I made the mistake of filing with my dad's info first, then realizing my mom provided more support. Had to contact the school's financial aid office to make corrections and it delayed my aid package by weeks. Also, keep a simple spreadsheet or list of who pays for what (medical insurance, clothes, school supplies, etc.) throughout the year. It'll make this decision much easier for future FAFSA renewals and if you ever need to provide verification documentation. Good luck with your applications!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation with divorced parents but thankfully not 50/50 custody - I live with my mom about 70% of the time, so it's clear she's the FAFSA parent. One thing I learned from my school counselor that might help others: if you're unsure about who provides more financial support in a true 50/50 situation, try adding up the dollar amounts for a few months. Include things like health insurance premiums, copays, clothes, school supplies, extracurriculars, car insurance if applicable, etc. Sometimes it's not as obvious as you think which parent actually spends more. Also, don't stress too much about getting it "perfect" - as long as you make a good faith effort to determine the correct parent based on the rules, you should be fine. The financial aid offices understand these situations are complicated!