Emancipation in Texas

[Zigner]

I am simply recognizing that the age of 18 is not as magic a number as many states would like you to think. I am trying to give her the tools to get to college. Living away from your parents and them denying FAFSA info is part of that. It seems her option B is to join the armed forces and possibly die in a war zone to get to college. No one has all the answers. I wish we were endowed with a crystal ball where we could always give them the best guidance. To follow the process she would need to move in with a very closely related relative. You can read the statute for how close. One would think if a close relative were to open that door, they would do so because it is in her best interests, based on their first hand knowledge.

As a matter of fact, one of the family strays I picked up was from Texas. He appeared at my door in OH after being abandoned by his dad. We paid for his support the last 2 years he was in high school. Neither his mom or his dad wanted him.

This child has not ben abandoned.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Yet there is clearly a breach between her and the parents which can effect her entire future.

 

[Zigner]

Yet there is clearly a breach between her and the parents which can effect her entire future.

Right- the child and the parents don't agree. It's an age-old situation that just about every parent/child relationship experiences.

 

[Shadowbunny]

In September

Please talk to your school's guidance counselor; he or she should be able to give you some direction. Because you're not going to be emancipated, and certainly not by the time you turn 18.

I know 8 months sounds like forever to you, but it will go by quickly. Continue to do good in school and keep your eye on the "turning 18" prize. If paying for college is going to be an issue, the military may be a fantastic option for you. Good luck, briana9.

 

[LdiJ]

Right- the child and the parents don't agree. It's an age-old situation that just about every parent/child relationship experiences.

I really disagree with you on this one Zig. Unfortunately the financial aid system requires the cooperation of the parent if the potential student is under the age of 24. No parental cooperation, no financial aid. The parent does not have to agree to co-sign student loans or anything like that...the parent just has to reveal their financial information as part of the application process. Even for merit scholarships and grants, the FASFA has to include the parent's financial information. The only exception to that is if the "child" is under the custody of someone else, or an emancipating event exists. Emancipating events are marriage, military enlistment, death of the parents, or having a child of ones own.

There are many parents who don't understand that participating in the FASFA application does not obligate them for college expenses. Therefore they refuse to participate. There can be other less understandable reasons why they refuse. So, you could have a student who might actually qualify for a full ride, but cannot obtain it because the parents will not cooperate with the FASFA application. While I really don't agree with OHR's advice on the subject I sympathize with it because I have seen a lot of people who could qualify for full rides...or at least enough assistance that they could work part time, be unable to receive ANY financial aid because their parents refuse to cooperate with the application.

I have known people who have chosen to have a child just to get that emancipation. How sad is that? Some of those who do that would otherwise lose out on merit based financial aid, because the merit event would no longer be available if they had to wait 6 years until they turned 24.

 

[Zigner]

I really disagree with you on this one Zig.

What part of what I said do you disagree with? I merely stated that the child and the parents don't agree and that is the way things have been through the ages.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

That was not why I gave the suggestion I did. It was based on her desire to obtain an education and qualify for a parental exception without being forced to join the armed forces and possibly risk her life to get to college.

What part of what I said do you disagree with? I merely stated that the child and the parents don't agree and that is the way things have been through the ages.