As far as colllege, FAFSA will only look at the income and assets (not including primary home) of the household where the kid lives. Once you are divorced, that would be your income plus alimony plus child support. If you remarry, it will include your new husband's income and assets.

Private colleges that meet all or most of need (as they determine it) often ask for more information, either through the CSS Profile form or their own financial aid form. Those colleges typically will base financial aid on the income and assets of all parents-- both parents and any stepparents.

You will have to look carefully at each college. If what you have in mind is the very elite colleges in the country, it is safe to say they will look at everyone's income. If you are looking at state colleges or a more local college (even if private), they usually just look at household income but they don't meet financial need anyway, so it doesn't make a difference. In other words, the FAFSA can determine your household can only contribute X but the college is under no obligation to even come close to that. The FAFSA could award you a Pell grant and the college could say 'Here's 1,000 in scholarship' or 'Here's nothing,' and it doesn't matter that FAFSA says you should need another $20,000 in aid.

Anonymous wrote:Yes, unless you can prove other parent is totally out of the picture, private schools expect both parents to pay and look at both parents income.

Agree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here: the question is not whether or not the other parent should pay; it is what is considered income for fin aid purposes, thank you!

Your income is your salary, plus alimony plus child support. If you are still married, it would probably be both incomes.

Not when you are separated. This is only when they are divorced. When separated, despite the separation, they are still married and still have marital claims on the other's income and wealth. OP is separated by filing for divorce. Until the divorce, her STXH's income is still a part of her income.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sucks, but I don’t see why people should get financial aid just because one parent “refuses” to pay. If that works, I guess my husband and I should both just “refuse” to pay and my kid will have zero income and get a full ride at his $74/yr college that meets full need.

Husband? As in you live with and cover bills under one roof?

My ex refuses to provide any documentation of his income for schools. I'm solely financially responsible and make under 100K. Do you really think that our child should be punished for having an irresponsible parent?

Child is not entitled to an expensive school. Are you trolling?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! Dad is not going to pay anything over regular child support and maybe some spousal.

Doesn't sound like your child has a history at a particular private. Sounds like you are making a unilateral decision that you will need to pay for out of your income and support, but aid will still be based on both parents income.

You are right, child was always in public. The Dad will not pay, so yes, I will have to pay from my own income.
I will most likely have sole custody - will it help? Just seems so unfair. One of the reasons we are divorcing is that the dad doesn’t give a flying eff about the kid’s education. Refused to pay for extracurriculars etc.
But thank you.
Is college going to be the same story? Will look at both parents’ income though the other parent says they won’t contribute?

You are divorcing because he wouldn’t pay for private school? WTF.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - my friend went through this exact scenario. For private high school they considered both incomes, but gave her a scholarship based on his academics and her situation was a factor in that scholarship.

For college, she was able to rely on just her income because he was over 18, not receiving support and she was claiming him as a dependent on her taxes.

Thank you! So maybe I should still try.
For college, I thought of negotiating his support until child is out of college (if not contributing to college fees).
Don’t know what is better...

NP here but if he's not interested in paying for college as you say you can't just negotiate him into paying for college or increased support. Particularly, as you claim, in a situation where you expect to obtain all or substantially all of the custody time. Unless, perhaps, he wants more and you could use that as leverage. Otherwise, you really don't have any leverage to get him to agree to pay for college if he doesn't want to.

Anonymous wrote:Op here: the question is not whether or not the other parent should pay; it is what is considered income for fin aid purposes, thank you!

Your income is your salary, plus alimony plus child support. If you are still married, it would probably be both incomes.

Anonymous wrote:Get a good attorney. See if you can negotiate an agreement that includes paying money for college. But OP you are being extremely unrealistic about what is affordable on 250k. Private schools on this area are 30-40k a year and that is not affordable on that income.

Depends on priorities...

Anonymous wrote:OP - my friend went through this exact scenario. For private high school they considered both incomes, but gave her a scholarship based on his academics and her situation was a factor in that scholarship.

For college, she was able to rely on just her income because he was over 18, not receiving support and she was claiming him as a dependent on her taxes.

Thank you! So maybe I should still try.
For college, I thought of negotiating his support until child is out of college (if not contributing to college fees).
Don’t know what is better...

Get a good attorney. See if you can negotiate an agreement that includes paying money for college. But OP you are being extremely unrealistic about what is affordable on 250k. Private schools on this area are 30-40k a year and that is not affordable on that income.

Anonymous wrote:It sucks, but I don’t see why people should get financial aid just because one parent “refuses” to pay. If that works, I guess my husband and I should both just “refuse” to pay and my kid will have zero income and get a full ride at his $74/yr college that meets full need.

Husband? As in you live with and cover bills under one roof?

My ex refuses to provide any documentation of his income for schools. I'm solely financially responsible and make under 100K. Do you really think that our child should be punished for having an irresponsible parent?

OP - my friend went through this exact scenario. For private high school they considered both incomes, but gave her a scholarship based on his academics and her situation was a factor in that scholarship.

For college, she was able to rely on just her income because he was over 18, not receiving support and she was claiming him as a dependent on her taxes.