FAFSA with divorced parents - Can I file independently after paying most of my college expenses?

Unfortunately, paying for your own education doesn't qualify you as an independent student for FAFSA purposes. The federal guidelines are pretty strict about this. You'll be considered a dependent student until you're 24 years old UNLESS you meet one of these specific criteria: - You're married - You have dependents who receive more than half their support from you - You're a veteran or active duty military - You're an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship - You're homeless or at risk of homelessness - You're in graduate school Just paying for your own education, even if it's 100% from your own funds, doesn't change your dependency status for FAFSA. It's frustrating, but that's how the system works.

im in almost SAME situation!! my parents r divorced too & my mom does the fafsa but she doesnt help pay AT ALL. ive been working 30hrs a week plus full time student and still gotta use her info. its BS honestly

While the previous commenter is correct about the general FAFSA rules, there is something called a "Dependency Override" that you might be able to use in future years. It's not automatic and is handled on a case-by-case basis by your school's financial aid office. A dependency override WON'T be granted just because: - Your parents refuse to contribute - Your parents don't claim you on taxes - You're financially self-sufficient However, if you can document unusual circumstances like: - Abusive family environment - Parental abandonment - Other extreme situations Then the financial aid office might approve an override. You'd need to provide documentation and it needs to be renewed each year. But just paying your own way isn't enough for this exception.

The FAFSA system is COMPLETELY BROKEN when it comes to divorced parents and students who support themselves! I've been dealing with this garbage for 3 years now. My dad who I see maybe once a year has to fill it out, he always does it late, and I get penalized with less aid because of HIS income even though he doesn't give me a DIME!!! The whole system assumes parents are financially supporting their kids which is LAUGHABLE for so many of us. I've written to my congressperson about this - seriously, you should too. The more they hear about it, maybe someday they'll fix this broken system.

One practical workaround you might consider is having a conversation with your dad about how much he can realistically contribute, then plan accordingly. If he's willing to complete the FAFSA each year but can't contribute much financially, at least you'll have a clear picture. Also, don't forget to check if your school has a supplemental financial aid form (many use the CSS Profile) where you can explain your specific family situation. Some schools have discretionary funds they can allocate in cases like yours where the FAFSA doesn't tell the whole story. Finally, make an appointment to talk with your financial aid office specifically about a "professional judgment" review. This is different from a dependency override - it's where they can adjust your financial aid package based on special circumstances.

hey just wondering did your mom ever try to fill out the fafsa instead of your dad? i know with divorced parents whoever you lived with more gets to do it, or whoever provides more financial support. maybe next year try to have your mom do it if her income is lower?

Have you tried calling the Federal Student Aid office directly? I was having MAJOR problems with my FAFSA last year (also child of divorce, dad refused to provide info), and after weeks of getting nowhere I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual FSA agent in about 10 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The FSA agent was able to document my situation and guide me through some special circumstance options. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to try it. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.

soooo frustrating how they expect parental info but dont care if parents actually HELP or not lol. im gonna be 24 next yr and CANNOT WAIT to file as independent finally!!

One more thing to consider - since your parents are divorced, FAFSA only requires information from the parent who provided more financial support during the past 12 months. So if your situation changes and you start living more with your other parent or they provide more support, you could switch which parent you use for FAFSA in future years. Also, if the parent completing your FAFSA remarries, you'll need to include your step-parent's information too, which could either help or hurt your aid eligibility depending on their financial situation. Document everything related to which parent provides support - this might be important if there's ever a question about which parent should be completing the FAFSA.

When I was in school I had a similar issue with divorced parents. Ended up having to take out more loans than I wanted, but I also applied for like 50 scholarships each year and that helped a lot. Don't forget to look for scholarships specifically for students from divorced families - they exist!