Federal Grants and Tax Returns

[Sw3tflower]

What is the name of your state? California
Is there a way for a dependent child who does not live at home and who supports herself (recieves no financial help from her parents) to recieve a Federal Grant and a Cal Grant she qualified for if her father does not pay his income taxes on time? Even with an Octuber extension he does not file until December or later.( His 2005 taxes were filed in 2007)
Also, she has been notified she must repay the Federal Grant she recieved last year ($4000) because her father did not file on time. Why is she being forced to repay instead of her father since she is a dependent?

 

[CdwJava]

Because she IS a dependent.

Unless she is emancipated or are an adult (18+) living on her own and unable to be claimed by another, you are out of luck.

- Carl

 

[Sw3tflower]

Dependent/Independent

Who can decide, when there is a 'special situation' involved, to change her from a dependent to an independent?
She is 22 (over 18), lives on her own, supports herself entirely (no parental help financially).
Because of the two 12 hour shifts/week at the firehouse plus taking 13 units at college (paramedic), she simply cannot work enough shifts to support herself. She qualified for the Calgrant and Pell grant but her father is a jerk and has not even started on the taxes yet (he has a defiant 'make me' attitude).
Currently she is on a week long backpacking/wilderness trip learning emergency first aid and rescue. That's another week out of work.....
It does not seem fair to punish her (she has a 3.87 GPA and works hard) for her father's irresponsibility

 

[CdwJava]

The college's financial aid office should be able to provide some direction on this. I am sure they have had to deal with this before, and chances are they have some idea of what to do to allow her to qualify when dad is delinquent on filing his return.

- Carl

 

[Sw3tflower]

Financial aid people

The financial aid people have been less then helpfull.
She finally talked to a supervisor who told her to not to come back unless she has a signed tax return. The college is refusing to discuss her options with her or even process her grant without a signed return. They have a point....last year they gave her aid based on a tax extension submitted and a promise from her father to file the taxes. He filed them in 2007 (the 2005 taxes). I guess the college now has to give the government back the money they gave her. They told her forget the grant and get a loan....and if she continues to follow through with her grant she will be "opening a can of worms that will result in her having to repay last year's grant money".
When she first met with the supervisor, she was told her file was the biggest mess ever seen and she should have been referred to the supervisor last year....not her fault.... They messed up....and sounds like they are trying to cover it up.
OK, they are mad because they are out money, but they are taking their anger out on her instead of her father. She is caught in the middle and being victimized by both sides. She needs their help.

 

[fairisfair]

Because she IS a dependent.

Unless she is emancipated or are an adult (18+) living on her own and unable to be claimed by another, you are out of luck.

- Carl

Carl, the grant qualifications don't have anything to do with her being claimed on someone else's taxes. If she is under 24 years of age and is not considered emancipated by the Federal grant program, her father's income and/or his lack of filing a tax return, regardless of whether he helps her with support OR college costs, will count against her. a very UNFAIR part of the grant process.

http://www.fafsa.us/faq.htm

 

[Sw3tflower]

grant system not fair

Carl
She has been forced to drop out due to lack of funds.
She works as a waitress and simply cannot make ends meet. One book cost $200 this semester!
She is looking for an EMT job since she has an Associates of Science and is on the National Registry...but her firefighter/paramedic (and even just a paramedic) internship is on hold.
The Federal/State Educational Grant system is not fair. It does not determine need on an individual bases. Punishing her for her father's failure when she is an adult is not right.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

she has been notified she must repay the Federal Grant she recieved last year ($4000) because her father did not file on time.

This dad is just like my ex. Carl, the daughter cannot even GET a STUDENT LOAN without that tax return. That is the boat we are currently in.

Question for the forum: can daughter take the dad to court and file suit over the $4K she has to repay because he failed to file a timely return?

 

[CdwJava]

This dad is just like my ex. Carl, the daughter cannot even GET a STUDENT LOAN without that tax return. That is the boat we are currently in.

Question for the forum: can daughter take the dad to court and file suit over the $4K she has to repay because he failed to file a timely return?

One can sue anyone for anything .... whether she would win or not is hard to say. Since it would be a small claims action, it would require her appearing in court on her own behalf. And if dad cannot pay the $4,000 judgment if the daughter wins, there may be little point in the effort and expense.

- Carl

 

[CdwJava]

Carl
She has been forced to drop out due to lack of funds.
She works as a waitress and simply cannot make ends meet. One book cost $200 this semester!
She is looking for an EMT job since she has an Associates of Science and is on the National Registry...but her firefighter/paramedic (and even just a paramedic) internship is on hold.
The Federal/State Educational Grant system is not fair. It does not determine need on an individual bases. Punishing her for her father's failure when she is an adult is not right.

No system is "fair". I know of many people in similar circumstances, and I was once in that same boat so I know the problem.

However, many of the rules have been made to try and eliminate fraud from the system by preventing children from parents who ARE capable of paying their child's way from getting a free ride. In the old days I recall children of Silicon Valley Execs attending college on the public dime ... the old adage that wealthy people didn't get that way by spending (their own) money sometimes held true.

There are also scholarship programs out there, as well. And in rural areas there may be more opportunities for firefighter/paramedic training as qualified personnel are harder to come by. It may be a question of her moving to find a program.

So far I have not heard back from anyone I asked about fire or internship programs, and I am woefully unfamiliar with that system to point you in any direction. I will try our fire chief again, but I believe he is out of town this week.

- Carl

 

[Sw3tflower]

Thankyou

I appreciate everyone's help.
She wants to live in a more rural area anyway, so we are going to check into internship programs in Northern Calif.
We found 1 near where we live...it cost $30,000.
I told her not to give up....you never know.
The college has decided not to pursue last year's grant money since she has dropped out.
Thanks

 

[CdwJava]

I may have some info for you ... PM me with what she has completed so far - a fire academy? Medical? What?

I may have found some internships in the north state, but she would have to be a graduate of a fire academy or whatever appropriate medical training program. PM while I have my Fire Chief's ear.

- Carl

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Is there a way for a dependent child who does not live at home and who supports herself (recieves no financial help from her parents) to recieve a Federal Grant and a Cal Grant she qualified for if her father does not pay his income taxes on time?

As for a non-tax-filing parent and FASFA, I'm going thru that problem at the moment. What we have discovered is that if the parents are divorced, they only need one of the parents (and their spouse if remarried) to be used for the FASFA. My daughter was a dependent of their dad; he won't file a tax return. What we discovered in the past week was that she can be switched to me. I'm in the process of putting in my tax return info and we will be good to go!

 

[Sw3tflower]

congradulations!

Genny
I am glad you were able to get the grant.
My husband and I are not 'officially' seperated or she would have been able to get the grant. We live in the same house but have seperate bedrooms, bathroom etc. If I had a different address instead of simply different bedrooms she would have gotten the grant.