Can I file FAFSA if my dad has wrongfully claimed me as a dependent on his taxes?

This is actually a pretty common issue. As someone who's worked with financial aid applications, I can tell you that FAFSA doesn't typically investigate living arrangements on their own - they rely on the tax information that's reported to them. Here's what you need to know: If your father incorrectly claimed you as a dependent, it affects both your taxes and potentially your financial aid. For FAFSA purposes, being claimed as a dependent means your father's income will be considered when determining aid, which could reduce the amount you're eligible for. Your options are: 1) Have a conversation with your father explaining that he legally can't claim you if you haven't lived with him for at least 6 months of the year. 2) File your own taxes correctly (claiming yourself) which will flag a discrepancy that the IRS may investigate. 3) For FAFSA specifically, you can sometimes request a dependency override from your school's financial aid office if you have an unusual family situation.

I went through something similar with my mom incorrectly claiming me. What really helped me was using https://taxr.ai to analyze my situation. They helped me understand exactly which rules applied to my case and gave me documentation I could use to prove my independent status. The tool actually walks you through all the dependent eligibility rules and shows whether they've been violated based on your situation. They even generated a custom letter I could send to my mom explaining the tax rules in a way that wasn't accusatory. Saved me from an awkward confrontation. Might be worth checking out since your situation sounds complicated with the move and college plans.

Just wanted to update after trying the taxr.ai site that was recommended. I was really surprised by how helpful it was for my situation with my grandparents incorrectly claiming me. The tool asked specific questions about my living situation and then outlined exactly which dependency tests were being violated. It generated a detailed report showing I didn't meet the residency test for being my grandparents' dependent, which is exactly what OP is dealing with. The explanation was actually simple enough that I could show it to my grandparents without them feeling accused of fraud - it just clarified the rules. We're now working on fixing previous returns. This might be exactly what you need to approach your dad without ruining your relationship.

I had major issues getting in touch with the IRS to sort out a similar dependency problem last year. After wasting hours on hold, I found https://claimyr.com and used their service to get a callback from the IRS. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with explained that if there's a conflict with someone claiming you as a dependent, you should still file your own return correctly, claiming yourself. The system will flag the discrepancy, and both parties will receive a notice. It's actually on your dad to prove you lived with him, not on you to prove you didn't. The agent told me this happens all the time and there's a standard process for resolving it.

Well I'll be damned. I just tried the Claimyr service after being super skeptical about it, and I actually got a call back from the IRS in under an hour. I asked specifically about dependency claims and incorrectly filed returns. The agent explained that this is actually really common and the process is straightforward: file your own return correctly, and let the system flag the discrepancy. They said burden of proof is on the person claiming the dependent (your dad in this case), not on you to disprove it. The agent also mentioned that for FAFSA purposes, you can request a special circumstances review from your school's financial aid office if you're in this situation. Sorry for doubting, sometimes things actually work!

Look, FAFSA is already a nightmare without these complications. I've been a college counselor for years, and one option nobody's mentioned is that you can actually file what's called a "dependency override request" directly with your college's financial aid office. You'd need to explain your situation (being incorrectly claimed as a dependent) and provide any documentation you can about your living situation. Each school handles these differently, but if approved, they'll consider you independent for FAFSA purposes regardless of how your dad filed his taxes. This doesn't solve the tax issue, but it might be the fastest way to make sure your financial aid isn't affected while you sort out the rest.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the potential consequences for your dad. If he's been falsely claiming you for years, he could potentially owe back taxes plus penalties if the IRS investigates. Not trying to scare you, but if maintaining your relationship is important, you might want to approach this carefully. Maybe have a conversation like "Hey dad, I was looking into FAFSA and learned about dependency requirements. I realized there might be an issue with how you've filed in the past since I haven't lived with you. Could we talk about fixing this going forward so it doesn't cause problems with my financial aid?" This frames it as solving a future problem rather than accusing him of past fraud.

This is such a stressful situation, but you have more options than you might think! I went through something similar when I was starting college. Here's what I learned: First, don't panic about FAFSA - they deal with dependency issues all the time. The key is being proactive. Since you're planning to move to California for college anyway, this is actually perfect timing to get everything straightened out. My recommendation: Start by gathering any documentation you have that shows where you've actually been living (leases, school records, mail, etc.). Then approach your dad with a collaborative tone - something like "I'm applying for financial aid and need to make sure we're filing everything correctly. Can we review the dependency requirements together?" The IRS dependency test is pretty clear: you need to have lived with the claiming parent for more than half the year. If you haven't, he legally can't claim you. But framing it as "let's make sure we're doing this right going forward" rather than "you've been doing this wrong" might help preserve your relationship. Also definitely reach out to your college's financial aid office early. They've seen this before and can guide you through a dependency override if needed. Getting ahead of this now will save you so much stress later!