FAFSA dependent question - does my son need to be on my specific 2022 tax return for 2024-2025 aid?

The FAFSA for 2024-2025 does look at 2022 tax information, but the dependent status on tax returns isn't what determines dependency for FAFSA purposes. For FAFSA, your son's dependency status is determined by a series of questions about his age, marital status, degree level, military service, etc. - not by who claimed him on taxes. What matters is which parent provides more financial support (over 50%). If that's you, then you're the parent who should be listed on the FAFSA as the contributor parent, regardless of who claimed him on their tax return. The stepmom's information wouldn't be included unless you're currently married to her.

I went thru this EXACT situation last yr!!! My daughter was claimed on her dads taxes but i filled out the FAFSA as the parent. They DID flag us for verification and we had to submit extra documentation to prove I provided more than 50% support. It was a NIGHTMARE trying to prove this!!!! Had to send in utility bills, rent receipts, grocery reciepts for a whole year... took FOREVER to get approved.

Anyone know if ure even allowed to put someone else's kid as your dependent on taxes? My brother's gf tried to claim my nephew and got in big trouble with the IRS...

To give you a precise answer: For FAFSA 2024-2025, who claimed your son on 2022 taxes is not the determining factor for FAFSA dependency status. The FAFSA has specific questions that determine if a student is dependent or independent for financial aid purposes. For dependent students, the parent who provides more financial support completes the FAFSA. This can be different from who claimed the student on their taxes. However, there is a higher chance of being selected for verification when there's a mismatch between who claims the student on taxes and who reports them on FAFSA. If verified, you'll need to document that you provide more than 50% support. My suggestion: Continue with your application listing yourself as the contributor parent. If selected for verification, be prepared to provide documentation showing your financial support.

The schools financial aid office can help with this! My daughter had a similar situation and the financial aid counselor walked us through everything. Just call the school!!

When I was trying to reach the FSA helpline about a similar verification issue last month, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent in about 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ - it basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me a ton of time dealing with my son's verification issues.

One important clarification: For the 2024-2025 FAFSA, they're using the term "contributor" instead of "parent" because of the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. The contributor is the person (parent for dependent students) who provides the most financial support. Also, with the new FAFSA, there's direct consent for IRS data transfer, so they can see all tax information. This means it's more important than ever that your information is consistent. If there's a legitimate reason for the discrepancy (like in your case), you should be fine, but be prepared to explain during verification if it comes to that.

Here's my advice based on my experience as a college financial aid counselor: Go ahead and complete the FAFSA with you as the contributor since you provide the majority of support. Then proactively contact your son's school's financial aid office (email might be better than phone right now) and explain the situation. Let them know you're aware there might be a discrepancy between your tax information and your contribution status, but you can provide documentation if needed. Many schools appreciate this proactive approach and might even note it in your file. Having the conversation before verification happens can sometimes make the process smoother.

Just completed my son's verification process last week for this exact issue! Here's what worked for us: I created a simple document showing my financial contributions (housing, food, medical expenses, etc.) with approximate values and percentages. I included copies of my custody agreement, medical insurance card showing my son as a beneficiary, and text messages with his other parent discussing financial matters (with sensitive info blacked out). The financial aid office accepted this as proof I provide more than 50% support even though his stepmom claimed him on taxes. The whole process took about 3 weeks.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My daughter is a freshman and we went through this last year. The key thing to remember is that FAFSA dependency and tax dependency are completely separate systems with different rules. What helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet throughout the year tracking major expenses - things like health insurance premiums, school supplies, clothing, food when she's home, etc. I didn't need exact receipts for everything, but having a general breakdown made the verification process much smoother when it came up. Also, don't stress too much about the verification if it happens. The schools understand that divorced families often have complex financial arrangements, and they're used to working through these situations. Just be honest and provide what they ask for.