FAFSA household size confusion with twins - tax filing vs custody arrangement

Yes, you should definitely count BOTH twins in your household size on the FAFSA. The FAFSA household size is based on who you financially support and who lives with you, not who you claim on taxes. Since both twins live with you full-time, they're both part of your household for FAFSA purposes, regardless of the tax arrangement with your ex. The Department of Education understands that tax filing status and actual living arrangements don't always match perfectly in divorce situations.

Wait but doesnt it have to match ur taxes exactly? My cousin got audited last year when fafsa info didnt match her tax return. Better double check with financial aid office first

I went through this EXACT situation with my triplets (now sophomores in college). The FAFSA4caster doesn't give the full picture. When you actually fill out the real FAFSA, there's a section where you list each household member and their relationship to you. You'll list both twins, indicate they're your children, and note they'll be college students. The SAI formula counts them both. Here's what happened in my case: I got selected for verification the first year and had to submit our custody agreement showing I had physical custody despite the tax arrangement. It wasn't a huge deal, just an extra step. After that first year, we weren't selected again.

the whole fafsa system is so messed up for divorced parents!!!! i got SCREWED last year because my dad claimed me but i live with mom and they made me use his income even tho he doesnt give us a DIME!!!!!! the system is rigged to screw over kids from broken homes

To add some clarity: Under the new FAFSA rules (starting with 2024-2025 applications), your situation is actually addressed more clearly. The parent who provides more financial support and with whom the children live more of the time is the primary contributor. Since both twins live with you full-time, you would be the primary contributor regardless of tax filing status. Since you're planning ahead, know that when your twins are juniors, you'll need to create FSA IDs for yourself and each of your children. The FAFSA will ask about your household members, including both twins. You likely won't need to provide extra documentation upfront, but be prepared for verification just in case - about 30% of applicants get selected.

I've been trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid for weeks with a similar question and kept getting disconnected. Finally used Claimyr.com to get through - it let me skip the wait and actually talk to someone! They also have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent confirmed what others are saying - household size is based on who lives with you and who you support financially, not just tax dependents. They said keep documentation ready (like school records showing your address) just in case you get verification.

Professional financial aid counselor here. Let me clarify a few points for your specific situation: 1. For FAFSA purposes, your household size should include: you, both twins, and any other dependents you support financially (over 50% of their support). 2. The fact that your ex claims one child on taxes is irrelevant to the FAFSA household calculation. Tax filing status and FAFSA household definitions are separate systems with different rules. 3. Since you have 100% physical custody, you are the parent whose information goes on the FAFSA. Your ex's income is not relevant for FAFSA purposes (though it might be for CSS Profile if your children apply to private colleges). 4. Child support you receive IS counted as untaxed income on the FAFSA. 5. You likely won't need to provide documentation upfront, but if selected for verification (which happens to about 30% of applicants), be prepared to show: custody arrangement, proof of residence (utility bills, school records), and possibly a statement explaining the situation. I recommend keeping a file with these documents ready to go when your children are juniors, just in case.

fafsa is the WORST. my sister got denied aid completely bc of some stupid paperwork thing. its all just a scam to make it harder for regular families to get help

Another thing I learned from my experience - keep ALL documentation related to your custody and living situation in a folder (physical or digital). When my triplets applied, I needed: - Copy of divorce decree - Copy of custody agreement showing physical placement - School records showing my address - Utility bills showing household size - Letter explaining our tax arrangement Better to have it and not need it than scramble at the last minute! The worst part of FAFSA is the verification process when they question things, especially with divorced parents.

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! So to summarize what I've learned: 1. Count both twins in my household size for FAFSA even though I only claim one on taxes 2. My ex's income won't be considered since the twins live with me full-time 3. Child support I receive will count as untaxed income 4. I should start gathering documentation now in case of verification 5. FAFSA is primarily concerned with actual living arrangements, not tax filing status This has been so helpful in understanding how to approach this when the time comes. I'm glad I started learning about this early!