FAFSA and being married

[relatively prime]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Do med schools ask you to put your parents' info on the FAFSA even if you're married?

 

[Aggiemaj]

I called FAFSA and asked them the same question. They said that you are considered an independent student and do NOT have to submit your parents' information. You simply leave that part blank.

For my particular medical school, they want to know your parents' information if you want to be considered for scholarships, but it's on a separate form than then FAFSA.

Hope that helps!

 

[relatively prime]

Yeah... that's what I found out too. Apparently there's a form called "Need Access" that we put our parental info on.

Thanks 🙂

 

[Pinki]

I had to fill out the needaccess site too, for the University of Cincinnati, and ended up walking my mom through it on the phone.

In the special circumstances section, she wrote (this was her idea! not mine!) "I paid for my daughter once in school. I will not give her any money for medical school whatsoever!" Ouch, but since I'm A) married and B) over 30, it only makes sense. Her tone was a little Joan Crawford, don't you think! But she said it's true, to expect ZERO from her! Mommy Dearest!

 

[paean]

Likely being over 30 and married, the schools won't be looking to your parents to support you (every school has their own age/life cutoffs) but if they don't, her statement probably won't make a difference. Few parents support their children in med school, but the schools don't have more grant money to give out as a result. You will probably get loans like most the rest of us.

As to whether to put parental info on the FAFSA if you are married, there are a few schools who will want you to, so they are the person to check with, not the FAFSA people. As far as the gov't is concerned, all of us are independant by virtue of being in grad school.

 

[Aggiemaj]

In the letter my school sent out, they said to put your parents' information on the FAFSA only if you wanted to be considered for Disadvantaged Students Scholarships or the Primary Care Loan. Since I'm not for certain what specialty I want to go into, and I'm not a disadvantaged student, there was really no reason to add my parental information on the FAFSA. UT-Houston has a medical school scholarship that you can apply for, and you are required to put your parents' information on that form.

 

[happywithlife]

Our son is a 1st year med student - age 22, will it hurt his chances for financial aid, scholarships, grants, etc. if we declare him as a dependent on our 2007 taxes? And second question, if we declare our son as a dependent on our taxes, we can reduce the amount of our income by up to $4,000, is that right? 😕

 

[gstrub]

My parents claimed me as a dependent, and it cost me over $80,000 in the long run because it made me ineligible for in-state tuition. Just so they could get a few extra thousand on their return...

 

[TMP-SMX]

Our son is a 1st year med student - age 22, will it hurt his chances for financial aid, scholarships, grants, etc. if we declare him as a dependent on our 2007 taxes? And second question, if we declare our son as a dependent on our taxes, we can reduce the amount of our income by up to $4,000, is that right? 😕

Makes no difference what you do on your taxes what he will be eligible for. Dependency for taxes is irrelevant to dependency for federal aid. He is independent for financial aid since he is in graduate school.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

And second question, if we declare our son as a dependent on our taxes, we can reduce the amount of our income by up to $4,000, is that right? 😕

Exemptions are "back-side" (referring to the form 1040, and not a part of the body) deductions, so they do not reduce your AGI. For the purposes of calculating the tax that you owe, they do effectively reduce your income, but since the FAFSA wants your AGI, claiming the extra exemption for your son will not reduce your income for financial aid purposes.

 

[gman33]

Contact your school about how to fill out the FASFA. I'm 34, married, and my school still wants the parental info on FASFA.
Without it, they don't consider you for any need based awards.