Ask the Experts: FAFSA Dependency
The following question was submitted via our Ask the Experts form. If you have any questions about college financing or anything related to it, please be sure to drop us a line. Don’t be shy!
“My 18 year old son against my better judgement filed his income tax and claimed himself. He will not be listed on my income tax so do I have to hand over my taxes when he fills out the FAFSA form, or did he give up his right to this?” –Toni
Hi Toni,
Thanks for the great question! It seems like in your situation, your son still has the right to submit your tax information along with his FAFSA form. Dependency for the FAFSA and for tax reasons are two completely different entities. Students who file as independents on their tax return because they claim self-sufficiency will have to answer more questions to be considered independent on the FAFSA.
Here are some questions that students should ask themselves to determine their dependency status on the FAFSA (If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you would be considered independent):
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Were you born before January 1, 1989?
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Are you married?
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Are you or have you been a member of the US Armed Forces (for purposes other than training)?
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Do you have children/dependents that receive more than half of their support from you?
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Are you a homeless, unaccompanied youth?
For a complete list of dependency criteria, check out the FAFSA website. For more information about FAFSA in general, make sure to consult with your school’s financial aid officer. Good luck!
