FAFSA dependent reporting for split custody - can I list only supportive parent as contributor?

The official FAFSA rule for split custody is that the contributor should be the parent who provided MORE than 50% of the student's financial support during the past 12 months, regardless of the custody agreement. Since you're providing most/all of the financial support, your son should list you as the contributor, not his father. The income difference doesn't matter here - what matters is who's actually supporting him financially.

Make sure you're clear about this distinction: the FAFSA contributor question is specifically about FINANCIAL support, not where the student physically lives. Even with 50/50 physical custody, if you're providing more financial support, you're the contributor. Document everything just in case - keep receipts for clothing, school supplies, medical expenses, etc. for verification if needed. The SAI calculation will be based on your income and assets, which should help your son qualify for more aid than if his father's income was used.

I had the EXACT SAME SITUATION with my daughter!! Ex made 3x what I did but wouldn't even buy her school supplies. I listed myself as the contributor and we got a really good financial aid package. But then her dad found out and tried to cause problems saying I "lied" on the FAFSA!!! We had to go thru a whole verification process with the college financial aid office. KEEP RECEIPTS FOR EVERYTHING you buy for your son!!!

So i had a simlar situasion but my daughter actaully spent more nights at her dads house (like 4 nights there, 3 with me) but i still paid for everyhing. The financial aid office said since i provided over 50% financial support i was the contributor even tho she physically spent more time at his house. They care about the money part not the physical custody part for FAFSA.

I work in a college financial aid office and see this issue ALL THE TIME. The FAFSA rule is simple: the contributor is the parent who provided more than 50% of the student's FINANCIAL support in the past 12 months, regardless of custody arrangements. And contrary to what some believe, you DON'T need a formal legal document stating this. However, be prepared for verification. Also, make sure your son doesn't accidentally list both parents' financial information - that's a common mistake with split families that can completely mess up the SAI calculation and potentially reduce aid eligibility.

u should DEFINITELY put urself as the contributor!! my friend had almost the same situation and she put her dad (who made more) even tho her mom paid for everything and she got almost no financial aid. dont make that mistake!!

The student aid system is so broken. They pretend to care about 'who provides support' but then demand endless documentation. My nephew went through this exact situation and got flagged for verification, which delayed his financial aid package by MONTHS. They kept requesting additional documentation, and we couldn't get anyone from the federal aid office on the phone. Finally we used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to skip the hold times and actually talk to a FAFSA agent who helped resolve the verification issue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Definitely worth it if you end up stuck in verification hell.

Jsut wondering if anyones knows if this will affect the child support situation? Like if I say I'm the main financial supporter on FAFSA will that mess up my child support case? My ex hasn't paid in monthsss and we finally have a court date coming up.

The BIGGEST MISTAKE I see parents make with split households is putting the wrong parent as contributor just because they THINK the rules require it. If you're the one buying his clothes, paying for sports equipment, school supplies, etc. then YOU are providing the financial support regardless of income differences or physical custody arrangements. Don't make yourself look like you have more money than you do by listing dad!

I'm going through a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My daughter splits time between me and her dad, but I handle all the actual expenses - school fees, medical appointments, clothes, everything. Her dad makes about twice what I do but never contributes financially beyond providing housing when she's there. Reading everyone's experiences gives me confidence that I should list myself as the contributor on her FAFSA. I've been keeping detailed records of all expenses for the past year, so hopefully that will help if we get selected for verification. It's frustrating how confusing the FAFSA instructions are about split custody situations - they really should make this clearer for families going through divorce/separation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially the financial aid office perspective. This community is so valuable for navigating these complicated situations!

This is such an important topic that I wish more families knew about! I went through this exact situation with my twin boys last year. Their father has them about 40% of the time and makes significantly more than me, but I pay for literally everything - clothes, sports fees, school supplies, medical expenses, you name it. I was so worried about "doing it wrong" on the FAFSA that I almost listed him as the contributor just because of his higher income. Thankfully I found information similar to what everyone has shared here and listed myself. We got a great financial aid package that we never would have qualified for with his income. The boys are now in their first year of college and doing well! One thing I'd add is to make sure you're consistent across all your financial aid applications. Some private schools have their own financial aid forms (like CSS Profile), and you want to make sure you're telling the same story everywhere. Also, don't stress too much about the verification process if it happens - as long as you're being truthful about who actually provides the support, you'll be fine. @cc198ccea12a You're doing the right thing by questioning this! Trust your instincts and list yourself as the contributor.

This thread is so reassuring! I'm a single mom dealing with a very similar situation. My ex makes about $65K while I make $38K, but he contributes absolutely nothing beyond the bare minimum court-ordered child support (which is often late). I pay for all of my daughter's school activities, clothes, medical co-pays, tutoring - everything that actually matters for her education and wellbeing. I was terrified that I'd have to use his income on the FAFSA just because it's higher, which would make it look like we don't need financial aid when we're actually living paycheck to paycheck. Reading all these responses from people who've been through verification and financial aid officers confirms what I hoped - that it really is about who provides the actual support, not who theoretically should or who makes more money. I'm definitely going to start organizing all my receipts and documentation now, just in case. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that makes all the difference!

This is such valuable information for divorced/separated parents! I'm in a similar boat - my daughter lives with me about 60% of the time and I cover all her expenses (clothes, school activities, medical bills, etc.) even though my ex makes more money. I was panicking thinking his higher income would automatically make him the contributor. One question for those who've been through verification - how far back do they typically want documentation? I've been keeping receipts for about 8 months now, but should I try to gather records going back a full year? And do things like grocery receipts count as supporting the student, or do they mainly want school-specific expenses? Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this thread is a lifesaver for navigating these confusing FAFSA rules!

As someone who went through this exact situation with my son two years ago, I can't stress enough how important it is to list yourself as the contributor! The FAFSA really does care about who provides the actual financial support, not custody arrangements or income levels. My ex made almost double what I did, but I was covering all of my son's real expenses just like you are. I was so nervous about getting it "wrong" but listing myself as the contributor was absolutely the right call - we qualified for significant aid that would have been impossible with his father's income. One practical tip: start a simple spreadsheet now tracking every expense you pay for your son (clothes, school fees, medical, etc.) with dates and amounts. If you get selected for verification, having this organized record makes the process so much smoother. Also, save receipts for major purchases - even photos of receipts on your phone work! The hardest part is overcoming that fear that you're somehow "cheating the system" by not using the higher income. But you're not - you're accurately reporting who actually supports your child. Trust yourself on this one!