FAFSA with split parents - do I report non-custodial dad's income when no child support exists?

You only need to report the income of your custodial parent (the one you lived with more during the last 12 months). Since that's your mom, you just report her information. The FAFSA doesn't require information about both biological parents when they aren't married to each other. This is different from the CSS Profile, which some private colleges require and DOES ask about the non-custodial parent.

im pretty sure u have to report your biological father too, my cousin had to include both her parents even tho they never married

For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, you only report information for your custodial parent (the one you physically lived with more in the past 12 months). If your mom has remarried, you would include your stepparent's information too, but since she's single and you live with her, you only report her information. The official guidance from Federal Student Aid confirms this: if your parents are unmarried and you don't live with both of them equally, you only provide information about the parent you lived with more. No need to include your dad if you lived primarily with your mom. Make sure to accurately answer the household questions too - just count yourself, your mom, and anyone else your mom financially supports more than 50%.

Not to confuse things but doesnt it matter if the dad is listed on birth certificate? I thought that was a factor too

I was literally in the EXACT same situation last year filling out my FAFSA! Parents never married, lived with mom, dad not in the picture financially. I only reported my mom's info and got my aid without any issues. The system is actually set up for this specific scenario - when you select that your parents aren't married and don't live together, it automatically only asks for info from the parent you lived with more. Don't stress about it, you're doing it right!

Nope! I didn't get flagged for verification. Just be honest about your household size (you + mom + anyone else she supports) and her income. The system understands single-parent households.

ok but im gonna say this - if u can get ur dads info and include it, ur SAI will proly be lower if he doesnt make much $$ which means MORE aid for u. just a thought.

I spent HOURS on the phone trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid to answer this exact question when I was helping my niece with her FAFSA. After being disconnected three times and waiting on hold forever, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual FSA agent in under 15 minutes. They confirmed exactly what others have said - unmarried parents = only include the custodial parent info. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ If you run into any other confusing questions, that service is seriously worth it rather than waiting on hold for hours.

The rules are different for FAFSA vs CSS Profile and it trips everyone up! Just remember: FAFSA (federal aid) = only custodial parent if they're not married CSS Profile (private college aid) = both parents regardless of marital status And to make it more confusing, if your mom had remarried, you WOULD have to include your stepdad on FAFSA even if he doesn't support you financially! The whole system is bizarre.

man i wish i knew this last year i spent weeks trying to get my dads tax info and he was so difficult about it for nothing apparently 🙄

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in financial aid at a state university - you're getting great advice here! The key thing to remember is that FAFSA follows a very specific definition of "parent" that's based on who you lived with, not biological relationships or financial support. Since your parents were never married and you live with your mom, she's your only "parent" for FAFSA purposes. One small tip: when you get to the parent demographics section, make sure to select "Single" as your mom's marital status rather than leaving it blank. This helps the system understand your family structure. And don't worry about verification - single-parent households with income around $38K are actually pretty common and shouldn't raise any red flags. Good luck with your application!