FAFSA vs Excelsior Scholarship - Whose income counts for remarried parents?

The Excelsior Scholarship follows TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) guidelines for income reporting, not FAFSA guidelines. For TAP/Excelsior, you report: - If your parents are divorced/separated, you report the income of the parent who provides more financial support (plus their spouse if remarried) - Unlike FAFSA, you DON'T automatically use the custodial parent - The parent who claims you as a tax dependent is typically considered your supporting parent So if your mom provides more support AND claims you on taxes, you'd report her income + your stepdad's income, just like FAFSA. But if your biological dad provides more support or claims you on taxes, you'd report his income (plus stepparent if applicable). The 2025-2026 income cap for Excelsior is $135,000 for adjusted gross income.

not sure but i had a friend whos parents were divorced and i think she said excelsior only counted the parent she lived with??? but idk if thats still true anymore they change everything all the time lol

The Excelsior Scholarship is super strict about income verification. When I applied, they made me submit ALL kinds of documentation - tax returns from both parents, affidavits about living situations, everything. Even though FAFSA only needed one parent's info. What nobody tells you is that even if your income is below the threshold, Excelsior is a "last dollar" scholarship - meaning they only cover what's left AFTER your TAP award, Pell Grant, and other scholarships. So don't count on getting the full tuition amount regardless. Also, remember the Excelsior requires you to: - Complete 30 credits per year (fall+spring+summer if needed) - Maintain a specific GPA (varies by school but usually 2.0) - Live and work in NY after graduation for as many years as you received the award If you break any of these rules, your scholarship converts to a LOAN you have to repay.

I went through this exact situation 2 years ago with my parents divorced and remarried. For Excelsior, they ONLY counted my mom's income (plus stepdad) because she was listed as the parent who provided more than 50% of my support on the TAP application. The tricky part is that the support question on TAP isn't automatically the same as who claims you as a dependent for taxes! My dad claimed me on taxes but my mom provided more day-to-day support, so I used her info. Honestly though, you NEED to talk to someone at HESC (Higher Education Services Corporation) to confirm for your specific situation. But good luck getting through to anyone there...

I've been dealing with Excelsior issues for months and finally got answers after using Claimyr to reach an actual human at Federal Student Aid. It connects you directly to an agent without the endless hold times. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) and was connected to someone in minutes who clarified that for Excelsior: 1. The income reporting follows who provides more financial support (like TAP) 2. If custody is split 50/50, then they use the parent with higher income 3. Remarried parents DO include the step-parent's income Check out claimyr.com - saved me hours of frustration and I finally got my aid sorted out.

Why is this so COMPLICATED??!! Every financial aid program has different rules! FAFSA uses the custodial parent, TAP uses the supporting parent, some scholarships want BOTH parents regardless of marital status! It's like they WANT students to fail and give up. I nearly lost my entire aid package last year because of these confusing parent income rules. The financial aid system is BROKEN. And don't even get me started on how they expect divorced parents who haven't spoken in years to somehow coordinate on financial aid forms...

Just to clarify a few things about Excelsior that might help: 1. For the 2025-2026 application, they'll look at your 2023 federal tax returns to determine income eligibility 2. The parent who provided more support is determined on the TAP application, which then carries over to Excelsior 3. If your parents have 50/50 custody and alternate tax claims, Excelsior will generally go with whoever claimed you on the 2023 tax return 4. Yes, the residency requirement is real - you must live in NY after graduation for the same number of years you received the scholarship, or it converts to a loan 5. Remember Excelsior only covers TUITION, not fees, room, board, or books I recommend checking your eligibility on the HESC website and applying even if you're not sure. Worst case, they'll deny you.

I don't think anyone mentioned this, but the income limit for Excelsior changes every year. It was $125k for 2023-2024, and now it's $135k for 2025-2026. So if your family was close to the cutoff before, you might qualify now even if nothing else changed. Also, they use FEDERAL AGI (Adjusted Gross Income), not state taxable income or total income, which can make a big difference if your parents have certain deductions.

One big caveat that tripped me up: If you're claimed as a dependent on ANYONE'S tax return (even a non-custodial parent who doesn't support you financially), Excelsior will count that person's income. My dad claimed me even though I hadn't seen him in years, and I got denied because his income pushed us over the limit. Also - double check ALL your application materials. Excelsior is notorious for denying applications over tiny mistakes or missing documents. And appeals take FOREVER to process.

Hey everyone! I'm new to this community but dealing with similar issues. Just wanted to share what I learned from my financial aid counselor at my school - they said that for complicated family situations like divorced/remarried parents, it's really important to keep detailed records of who provides what support. My counselor suggested creating a simple spreadsheet tracking things like: - Who pays for housing, food, medical expenses, etc. - Who claims you on taxes each year - Any court orders about financial support This helped me figure out which parent to use for TAP/Excelsior vs FAFSA. Also, she mentioned that some schools have emergency aid funds that can help bridge gaps if you don't qualify for Excelsior but still need help with costs. @Sasha - sounds like you need to dig up that 2023 tax info ASAP! And honestly, even if the NY residency requirement seems scary now, a lot can change in 4 years. Don't let that stop you from applying if you might qualify. Good luck everyone! This stuff is so confusing but at least we're all figuring it out together.

Just wanted to add something that might help with the confusion - I went through this exact situation last year and here's what I learned the hard way: The key difference is that FAFSA uses "custodial parent" (whoever you lived with most in the past 12 months) while Excelsior/TAP uses "supporting parent" (whoever provides more than 50% financial support). These can be different people! In my case, I lived with my mom (custodial) but my dad paid most of my expenses including health insurance, car payments, etc. (supporting). So for FAFSA I used mom + stepdad's income, but for Excelsior I had to use dad + stepmom's income. The tax dependency thing is usually a good indicator of who's the supporting parent, but not always. If your parents alternate years claiming you on taxes, look at who claimed you for 2023 specifically since that's what they'll use for 2025-2026 awards. Also pro tip: if you're close to the income limit, make sure you understand what counts as "income" - it's federal AGI, not gross income, so things like 401k contributions, health insurance premiums, etc. can lower the number they use. The whole system is definitely broken and confusing, but don't give up! Even if Excelsior doesn't work out, there are other state grants and scholarships that might have different eligibility rules.

As someone who just went through this nightmare last year, I feel your pain! My parents are also divorced and remarried, and figuring out the Excelsior income rules was incredibly confusing. Here's what I learned after multiple calls to HESC and my school's financial aid office: For Excelsior, you need to use the income of whichever parent provides MORE than 50% of your financial support - this includes things like housing, food, medical expenses, car payments, etc. It's NOT automatically the custodial parent like FAFSA uses. The tax dependency question is usually a good starting point - whoever claimed you on their 2023 tax return is typically considered your supporting parent. But if your parents alternate years, you need to actually calculate who provided more support during 2023. If your supporting parent is remarried, then YES you include the stepparent's income too, just like with FAFSA. One thing that helped me was making a list of all my expenses in 2023 and tracking which parent paid for what. Things like: - Rent/mortgage where you live - Food and groceries - Health insurance premiums - Car insurance/payments - School expenses - Clothing, etc. The 2025-2026 income limit is $135,000 AGI, so make sure you're looking at the right line on the tax return (not gross income). Good luck! The system is definitely confusing but don't give up - even if you don't qualify for Excelsior, there might be other state or school-specific aid available.

I'm also navigating this confusing maze right now! From what I've gathered reading everyone's responses, it sounds like the key is figuring out who claimed you as a dependent on 2023 taxes, since that's usually who Excelsior considers your "supporting parent." One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my school's financial aid workshop: if your parents have a formal custody agreement or divorce decree that specifies financial responsibilities, that documentation can actually help clarify who should be considered the supporting parent for TAP/Excelsior purposes. My parents' divorce agreement says my dad is responsible for college expenses even though I live with my mom, so that might affect which income I need to report. Also, for anyone worried about the NY residency requirement - I spoke with someone who graduated 3 years ago and she said there are actually some exceptions and deferrals available if you can't find work in NY right after graduation. It's not as rigid as it sounds, though you definitely need to stay in contact with HESC about your situation. The income limit increase to $135k for this year is definitely good news for borderline families! And remember that it's AGI (after deductions) not gross income, so things like retirement contributions and health insurance premiums can make a real difference. Hang in there everyone - this process is brutal but we'll get through it! 💪

Wow, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm also dealing with divorced/remarried parents and had no idea that Excelsior uses different rules than FAFSA. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key steps are: 1. Find out who claimed me as a dependent on 2023 tax returns 2. Calculate who actually provided more than 50% of my financial support in 2023 3. Use that parent's income (plus stepparent if remarried) for Excelsior 4. Remember it's AGI, not gross income, so deductions matter A few questions for those who've been through this: - If my parents split expenses pretty evenly, how do you prove who provided "more than 50%" support? - Does anyone know if there's an official form or worksheet for calculating this? - For those who got approved, how long did the whole process take from application to award notification? I'm feeling much more prepared to tackle this application now, but still nervous about getting all the documentation right. The last thing I want is to get denied over a technicality when I might actually qualify! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing! 🙏

As someone who just got through the Excelsior application process this year, I wanted to share a few additional tips that might help: 1. **Document everything NOW** - Don't wait to gather your paperwork. Get copies of 2023 tax returns from both parents, any divorce decrees, and start that expense tracking spreadsheet ASAP. 2. **The "supporting parent" calculation is crucial** - I actually had to submit a signed affidavit explaining why my mom was my supporting parent even though my dad claimed me on taxes (she paid 70% of my actual living expenses). HESC accepted this with proper documentation. 3. **Income verification is intense** - They wanted tax transcripts directly from the IRS, not just copies of tax returns. You can request these online but they take time to arrive. 4. **Apply anyway if you're borderline** - The income limits have been increasing, and they do consider special circumstances sometimes. I know someone who got approved even though they were slightly over the AGI limit due to a parent's job loss during 2023. 5. **Follow up religiously** - Check your application status online weekly and respond to any requests for additional info immediately. They don't send reminder emails! The NY residency requirement is definitely something to consider carefully, but remember you can work anywhere in the state - NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany all have good job markets in different fields. Good luck to everyone applying! This thread has been so helpful for understanding the confusing parent income rules. 🍀

As someone who's been lurking here for a while but finally created an account because this thread is SO helpful - thank you everyone for breaking down these confusing rules! I'm in a similar situation with divorced parents but mine never remarried, which I thought would make things simpler... turns out it doesn't! My dad claims me on taxes but my mom pays for most of my day-to-day expenses. From reading all your responses, it sounds like I need to focus on who claimed me for 2023 taxes specifically. One thing I'm still confused about - if the supporting parent determination is based on who provides more than 50% of support, but the tax dependency might not match that, which one takes priority for Excelsior? @Kolton mentioned submitting an affidavit when these don't align, but I'm wondering how often HESC actually accepts those explanations vs just going with the tax return info? Also, has anyone successfully appealed an Excelsior denial? I'm worried I might be borderline on the income limit and want to know if there's a realistic path forward if the initial application gets rejected. Thanks again to everyone who's shared their experiences - this community is literally saving my sanity during application season! 💙