FAFSA dependent status confusion - sister claims sibling on taxes but mom has custody?

This is a common situation, but people get confused about it. For FAFSA purposes, who claims the student on taxes does NOT determine who completes the FAFSA. What matters is who the student LIVES WITH. Since he lives with mom, she's the parent for FAFSA purposes, regardless of who claimed him on taxes. The sister claiming him isn't relevant for FAFSA completion, though it might trigger verification later. Just have mom complete the FAFSA with her SSI information and indicate she's a non-tax-filer. There's a specific question that asks if the parent(s) filed taxes - answer no and proceed from there.

This exact situation happened with my younger brother last year!!! So frustrating! FSA flagged his application for verification and we had to submit extra documentation explaining why our older sister claimed him even though he lived with mom. It took FOREVER to get resolved. Make sure your student keeps all documentation showing his actual living situation with mom - like school records with mom's address, any medical records showing mom as guardian, etc. You might need it!

Let me clarify something important: For FAFSA purposes, the student will report the parent(s) with whom they lived for the majority of the 12 months preceding the date the FAFSA is submitted. The IRS dependency status is completely separate from FAFSA dependency determination. In this case: 1. Mom = FAFSA parent (because student lives with her) 2. Sister = NOT a FAFSA parent (despite tax claim) 3. Mom should indicate she's a non-tax-filer 4. If selected for verification, the student will need to: - Get a Verification of Non-filing Letter from the IRS for mom - Provide documentation of mom's SSI benefits - Possibly provide proof of residency with mom The sister's tax return claiming the student isn't directly relevant to FAFSA completion, though it might trigger verification.

wait so if someone else claims u on taxes that doesnt mean they fill out ur fafsa??? im confused bc my aunt claimed me but i live w my grandma and financial aid office made my aunt do my fafsa last yr

Just want to mention that when I was dealing with this exact FAFSA nightmare last year with my stepdaughter, we spent HOURS on hold trying to talk to someone at Federal Student Aid to explain our situation. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person at FSA who could help. They have a great video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Saved us so much time and frustration when we needed to explain why tax info and living situation didn't match up.

This WHOLE SYSTEM is designed to FAIL students in non-traditional family situations!!! i had a student last year whose uncle claimed them for taxes but they lived with grandparents and it was a NIGHTMARE getting it sorted. took SIX MONTHS and the student almost lost their aid package. the fact that FAFSA doesn't have clear guidance for these situations is CRIMINAL!!!! they expect everyone to be in perfect nuclear families with perfect tax situations and its RIDICULOUS!!!!!

just wondering - does the student have any contact with their biological dad? that could complicate things further if he's supposed to be providing info too

@profile4 I feel your frustration! When we submitted all our documentation explaining why our tax situation didn't match the living situation, the financial aid office just kept asking for MORE documents. Finally had to use Claimyr to get through to FSA directly and get it sorted. @profile8 they connected us to an actual FSA agent who could note our file and tell us exactly what documentation would resolve the verification. Worth every penny versus waiting on hold for hours.

To summarize for the original poster: 1. Use the mother's information on the FAFSA (SSI info and non-filing status) 2. Be prepared for verification by gathering: - Proof student lives with mom (school records, medical records) - Documentation of mom's SSI benefits - Verification of Non-filing Letter for mom from IRS 3. Use the Special Circumstances section to briefly explain why sister claimed student on taxes but isn't providing FAFSA info 4. If verification becomes complicated, consider reaching out directly to Federal Student Aid for assistance This is a common situation with established procedures for resolution.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion! I'm actually facing a similar situation with my nephew - his older brother claimed him on taxes but he lives with our grandmother. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful in understanding that living situation trumps tax filing status for FAFSA purposes. The step-by-step breakdown from @Malik Thompson is especially valuable. I'm bookmarking this thread for reference when we fill out his FAFSA next year. It's reassuring to know this is a common issue with established solutions, even if the verification process can be lengthy.