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FASFA, gay parents

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mob0522

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA

We are a married lesbian couple living in Massachusetts and need to complete the FASFA form. We are not Federally recognized as being married so do we need to put both parents income on the form?
 


xylene

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA

We are a married lesbian couple living in Massachusetts and need to complete the FASFA form. We are not Federally recognized as being married so do we need to put both parents income on the form?
Don't get your all up in arms about this. Gay marriage politics don't change anything about this.

For the most part your non federally recognized marriage doesn't change how you would file the FAFSA app.

You and your wife are not the child's parents by virtue of marriage even if your marriage was fed recognized.

If child has a legal father with support obligation then he is part of the FAFSA equation. True for hetro or homo circumstances.

If you and your partner have adopted the child or he is otherwise you and your partners exclusive legal responsibility / dependent child you both go on the fafsa - just as any couple with dependent child not married.

The only real difference is that if there is no legal father to the child, than your marriage does not automatically create the ob to file your partners info on the fafsa. In reality this may be an advantage depending on your income circumstance.
 
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Ohiogal

Queen Bee
Actually if they are both not the LEGAL parents then they both do NOT have to go on the FAFSA form.
 

xylene

Senior Member
Actually if they are both not the LEGAL parents then they both do NOT have to go on the FAFSA form.
Yes, obviously.

But by virtue of biological reality at least one of them would not (could not) automatically be the legal parent.

And even if there is no legal father this marriage does not create legal parenthood for the partner. They would have has to take additional steps. (ie adoption, etc...)

This is potentially advantageous.
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
Yes, obviously.

But by virtue of biological reality at least one of them would not (could not) automatically be the legal parent.

And even if there is no legal father this marriage does not create legal parenthood for the partner. They would have has to take additional steps. (ie adoption, etc...)

This is potentially advantageous.
Agreed. :D
 

andreaa

Junior Member
FAFSA and Lesbian parents

I understand the discussion about the FAFSA. I am the birth mom and my wife adopted our 2 children. We live in California and were married just before Prop. 8 passed. BUT the FAFSA only has the opportunity to put in information for the dependent child's Mother and Father...our daughter does not have a father, just an anonymous sperm donor...so how do we list both parents?
 

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