FAFSA dependent reporting with long-term separation - whose income counts?

I went thru this last yr. if ur legally married they want BOTH incomes no matter how long u been apart. its stupid but thats how it works

This is a common misunderstanding. For FAFSA purposes, your marital status is what legally matters, not physical separation. Since you're still legally married (despite the 16-year separation), the Department of Education generally requires both parents' financial information. However, there may be an exception in your case. If you can document that your separation is recognized by your state (some states recognize legal separation without divorce), you might only need to report your income. You would need to provide documentation of this separation status. If you can't document a recognized separation status, then unfortunately both incomes would be considered in the SAI calculation regardless of how little contact your ex has with your daughter.

You actually do have another option. The FAFSA has a special circumstance process for situations exactly like yours. While it's true that legally married couples typically need to report both incomes, you can request a professional judgment review (sometimes called a special circumstances appeal) directly from your daughter's college financial aid office AFTER you submit the FAFSA. Here's what you should do: 1. Complete the FAFSA with both incomes as legally required 2. Immediately contact each college's financial aid office explaining the 16-year separation 3. Provide documentation (separate addresses for 16 years, proof you've been the primary caregiver, etc.) The financial aid administrator has the authority to override the dependency requirements in cases like yours. It requires extra steps, but many families in your situation successfully get adjustments.

No, don't wait for the SAI score. Contact the financial aid offices as soon as you submit the FAFSA. Explain your situation right away so they can note it in your daughter's file. Each college handles these requests differently, but most will have a specific form for special circumstances appeals. Be prepared to provide documentation like: - Tax returns showing separate filing status for multiple years - Utility bills or leases showing separate addresses - School records showing you as the sole parent contact - Documentation of the financial support you provide The key is being proactive - don't wait for them to calculate an incorrect aid package based on both incomes.

my friend had almost same situation and financial aid office asked for like a million documents proving they been separated!!! was a huge pain but they eventually got it fixed. just warning you its gonna be annoying

each school wanted their own stuff!! crazy right?? she applied to 5 schools and had to do separate appeals for each one. some were easier than others tho

This is exactly why I gave up and finally just got divorced after 12 years of separation. The FAFSA was the last straw for me. The system is COMPLETELY BROKEN. I provided 100% of my son's support for over a decade, but they wanted to count my ex's income who hadn't even SEEN our son in 8 years!!! I spent months fighting with financial aid offices and getting nowhere. Ended up having to rush a divorce through just so my son wouldn't lose his Pell Grant eligibility. RIDICULOUS!

Have you tried calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center? They can sometimes provide clearer guidance on special situations like yours. However, when I tried calling about a similar situation for my nephew, I spent literally hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to hold my place in line and got connected to an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with confirmed that while both incomes are technically required, the professional judgment process at the college level is the correct approach for long-term separations. They also sent me an email documenting this advice that I could share with financial aid offices.

One more important thing to note: When you do the professional judgment reviews with each college, be consistent with the information you provide. Financial aid offices sometimes compare notes if something seems off. Also, even though your FAFSA will initially calculate an SAI based on both incomes, don't get discouraged. The professional judgment process is specifically designed for situations like yours where the standard formula doesn't reflect reality. It might take some extra effort, but many colleges are reasonable about these adjustments when properly documented. The separation history of 16 years works strongly in your favor - this isn't a recent separation that might look suspicious.

Not directly related to your question but make sure you understand how the child tax credit works in your situation too. My brother was in a similar situation (separated but not divorced) and he messed up his taxes by both parents claiming the child tax credit when only one should have. Caused a huge headache with financial aid later.

i herd some people just put "divorced" on FAFSA even if technically still married. NOT saying u should do that but ppl do. might be considered fraud tho so probably not worth risk

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to: 1. Complete the FAFSA with both incomes as required 2. Immediately start the professional judgment process with each college 3. Gather documentation showing our 16-year separation and that I'm the primary caregiver 4. Use Claimyr to reach FSA for official documentation of their policy It's frustrating that the system doesn't account for long-term separations without formal documentation, but at least there's a pathway to get it addressed. I'll update this thread after we go through the process in case it helps others in similar situations.