Financial Aid and Single Mom

[Anonymous]

Hello. I am new to this board so I'm sorry if this question as been asked. My two kids are in elementary school and I have started to research all things college, especially in light of my divorce and paying for college. I know that for many schools, a form (I think it's called CSS, right?) is required in addition to the FAFSA and must include the non-custodial parent's information.

My issue is that my ex moved away, does not regularly see the kids, but does send child support checks (he has no choice legally). I am afraid that demonstrates him as "supporting" the children, but that he will cut off everything at 18. I actually don't mind him not paying for college. (I hope he steps up but I am not counting on it.) I AM concerned that my kids' EFC will skyrocket due to his 200K job. If it was just my low salary considered, they'd qualify for a lot more, I would think.

So my question is, if he has to be on these forms but refuses to pay, do I have the burden of paying an amount that implies a way bigger EFC? Thank you so much for any advice or resources you can provide!! I am very, very appreciative.

[Anonymous]

The view of the department of education is that it is his responsibility to help pay for college.

If he really is irrelevant by that point, there are ways to handle this. You really should have this in the divorce agreement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello. I am new to this board so I'm sorry if this question as been asked. My two kids are in elementary school and I have started to research all things college, especially in light of my divorce and paying for college. I know that for many schools, a form (I think it's called CSS, right?) is required in addition to the FAFSA and must include the non-custodial parent's information.

My issue is that my ex moved away, does not regularly see the kids, but does send child support checks (he has no choice legally). I am afraid that demonstrates him as "supporting" the children, but that he will cut off everything at 18. I actually don't mind him not paying for college. (I hope he steps up but I am not counting on it.) I AM concerned that my kids' EFC will skyrocket due to his 200K job. If it was just my low salary considered, they'd qualify for a lot more, I would think.

So my question is, if he has to be on these forms but refuses to pay, do I have the burden of paying an amount that implies a way bigger EFC? Thank you so much for any advice or resources you can provide!! I am very, very appreciative.

you don't seem like you'll qualify for a waiver

https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/pdf/css-profile-waiver-request-non-custodial-parent.pdf

Types of waiver requests that may be considered:

Documented abuse situations involving you and your noncustodial parent.
Legal orders that limit the noncustodial parent's contact with you.
No contact or support ever received from the noncustodial parent.

...

Types of waiver requests that will not be considered:

Noncustodial parent refuses to complete the CSS Profile.
Divorce decree states that the noncustodial parent is not responsible for the student's educational expenses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The view of the department of education is that it is his responsibility to help pay for college.

If he really is irrelevant by that point, there are ways to handle this. You really should have this in the divorce agreement.

OP here and I agree. Unfortunately that didn't happen. I don't know what my lawyer was thinking. However, it was a bad situation and we needed to extricate ourselves, so it is what it is. Thank you very much for posting.

[Anonymous]

OP, most financial aid is just loans anyway.

If you want to get out in front of this, start saving in a 529 or have a conversation with your ex to discuss mutually contributing to one.

Sitting around hoping to get loans is a bad strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello. I am new to this board so I'm sorry if this question as been asked. My two kids are in elementary school and I have started to research all things college, especially in light of my divorce and paying for college. I know that for many schools, a form (I think it's called CSS, right?) is required in addition to the FAFSA and must include the non-custodial parent's information.

My issue is that my ex moved away, does not regularly see the kids, but does send child support checks (he has no choice legally). I am afraid that demonstrates him as "supporting" the children, but that he will cut off everything at 18. I actually don't mind him not paying for college. (I hope he steps up but I am not counting on it.) I AM concerned that my kids' EFC will skyrocket due to his 200K job. If it was just my low salary considered, they'd qualify for a lot more, I would think.

So my question is, if he has to be on these forms but refuses to pay, do I have the burden of paying an amount that implies a way bigger EFC? Thank you so much for any advice or resources you can provide!! I am very, very appreciative.

you don't seem like you'll qualify for a waiver

https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/pdf/css-profile-waiver-request-non-custodial-parent.pdf

Types of waiver requests that may be considered:

Documented abuse situations involving you and your noncustodial parent.
Legal orders that limit the noncustodial parent's contact with you.
No contact or support ever received from the noncustodial parent.

...

Types of waiver requests that will not be considered:

Noncustodial parent refuses to complete the CSS Profile.
Divorce decree states that the noncustodial parent is not responsible for the student's educational expenses.

Wow, thank you so much for looking into this for me. People are just awesome sometimes! So it also looks like divorce decrees regarding college expenses wouldn't help with the CSS anyhow. Interesting.

[Anonymous]

OP, just so you know not everyone is unkind and just wants to scold you:

You did your best. You did the right thing. You are thinking of this early, which is what you need to do. And it will work out fine for your kids. Just keep learning about college financing and working it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, most financial aid is just loans anyway.

If you want to get out in front of this, start saving in a 529 or have a conversation with your ex to discuss mutually contributing to one.

Sitting around hoping to get loans is a bad strategy.

OP here. Thank you for your comment and I agree that would be a terrible strategy. I am not sure where you got "sitting around" from. Maybe it's my mention of having a low income that provokes your derision? Anyway, it's an absolutely valid question I am posing. I am saving quite aggressively and don't want my kids to not have the benefit of whatever aid (not all of it is loans) they may be entitled to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, just so you know not everyone is unkind and just wants to scold you:

You did your best. You did the right thing. You are thinking of this early, which is what you need to do. And it will work out fine for your kids. Just keep learning about college financing and working it.

You are sweet. Thank you so much! If any of these people knew me in life they would be in awe of what I was able to overcome and do for my children! It's just how (some) people are on the internet. I so appreciate your kind words. Have a great day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, just so you know not everyone is unkind and just wants to scold you:

You did your best. You did the right thing. You are thinking of this early, which is what you need to do. And it will work out fine for your kids. Just keep learning about college financing and working it.

I think most posters were trying to be helpful, not unkind. From a financial aid standpoint, OP isn't a "Single Mom," she's a divorced mom, so knowing that can help her plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, just so you know not everyone is unkind and just wants to scold you:

You did your best. You did the right thing. You are thinking of this early, which is what you need to do. And it will work out fine for your kids. Just keep learning about college financing and working it.

I think most posters were trying to be helpful, not unkind. From a financial aid standpoint, OP isn't a "Single Mom," she's a divorced mom, so knowing that can help her plan.

This, and keep in mind a ton of schools are FAFSA only- you just need to target those schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, just so you know not everyone is unkind and just wants to scold you:

You did your best. You did the right thing. You are thinking of this early, which is what you need to do. And it will work out fine for your kids. Just keep learning about college financing and working it.

I think most posters were trying to be helpful, not unkind. From a financial aid standpoint, OP isn't a "Single Mom," she's a divorced mom, so knowing that can help her plan.

Then they failed, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, most financial aid is just loans anyway.

If you want to get out in front of this, start saving in a 529 or have a conversation with your ex to discuss mutually contributing to one.

Sitting around hoping to get loans is a bad strategy.

OP here. Thank you for your comment and I agree that would be a terrible strategy. I am not sure where you got "sitting around" from. Maybe it's my mention of having a low income that provokes your derision? Anyway, it's an absolutely valid question I am posing. I am saving quite aggressively and don't want my kids to not have the benefit of whatever aid (not all of it is loans) they may be entitled to.

They have a father who earns $200,000 a year. They're not "entitled" to anything.

What I hear is you trying to make a case that only your lower income should be counted. For most schools, it doesn't work that way. End of story. That's the answer to the question you're asking. If you reject it, yes, you're sitting around without a strategy.

Why can't you talk to your ex and come up with a plan now? You have a decade or so ahead of you.

[Anonymous]

OP you are right to be asking these types of questions. It’s similar to my situation- my parents didn’t “believe” in college so refused to pay. They weren’t low income but solidly middle class and I didn’t qualify for the type of aid I needed. I ended up looking into schools with generous merit aid packages and also took out the max in federal student loans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The view of the department of education is that it is his responsibility to help pay for college.

If he really is irrelevant by that point, there are ways to handle this. You really should have this in the divorce agreement.

OP here and I agree. Unfortunately that didn't happen. I don't know what my lawyer was thinking. However, it was a bad situation and we needed to extricate ourselves, so it is what it is. Thank you very much for posting.

Your DC will probably not qualify for financial aid other than loans at most colleges, both public and private, if your ex is making that much. Check out the calculators on college websites. They have one for planning for young kids and one for planning before you apply.