financial standing...

[lsut1ger]

What is the name of your state? Louisiana

I am a college student and work full time to support myself. I claim myself on my taxes, have my own health insurance, etc. Whenever I submit my FAFSA, it requires that I submit my parent's financial information so that my aid eligability can be established. Because I am not an orphan and not yet 21, it appears that I cannot get around having to list this information. My problem is this - I depend soley on myself and receive no assistance from my parents but I cannot qualify for any financial aid because my eligibility is calculated with their financial status taken into consideration. I am struggling to make ends meet while I try to finish school and I want to know if there is any way to get ONLY my salary taken into consideration or am I just SOL until I am 21? The financial aid office is very much like any other office at the University and provides little or no help and different information every time I talk to someone. I can get a unsubsidized loan but I don't want to go this route unless it is my ONLY option.

Any advice?

 

[Kittyscorpio]

lsut1ger


I feel your pain in trying to get finacial aid. My boyfriend has the same probelm but feel lucky here in ohio you have to be 25 to not put your parents on. I'd say as a last resort get emancapated ( i have no idea if i spelled that right) that should make it so you don't need your parent money put on it. I gave up trying to get any help they make so that if your family makes just enough you can't get any help even if you need some.

 

[ellencee]

lsut1ger
It is FAFSA that requires the income of parents and it is their regulations that must be met. Your parents can prepare a statement of nonsupport, providing information as to how long you have been without financial support from them and the reasons for the same. This information is submitted with a mail-in FAFSA and is submitted to the college or university's financial aid department. Regardless of the reason for nonsupport, this will adversely affect the amount of funds you are qualified to receive; send your thanks for this limiting and narrow-minded regulation to the federal government (which created this regulation).
The Stafford Loan is the loan most easily available to students in your situation and is the loan that will most easily provide the full benefit amount to you; hopefully, your college or university participates in the Stafford Loan program.

 

[lsut1ger]

enlighten me a little more?

Thank you for your replies...

Ellencee - could you give me a little more info or direct me to a site where I could read about this statement of nonsupport? Why exactly will it affect me adversely? I actually have half a mind to send the government my "thanks" in the form of a letter regarding these lovely guidelines.....

As for student loans...my school tells me that all I qualify for is unsubidized loans (I guess due to my parent's financial standing) which accumulate interest while I'm still in school (instead of after I graduate like subsidized loans do). Will a statement of non support help me in getting a subsidized loan instead of an unsubsidized?

See my problem with parents is this - My Dad owns a small business. I'm not familiar with how this affects taxes, reporting, etc. but my parents have a TON of debt from when my Dad took over the business from his father, and money flow has been almost nonexistent for the past few years since I started college. My parents also have 4 much younger children at home. Thing is they have money to send kids to private school, daycare, etc. but they never seem to have any extra money to give me. Hurts my feelings, yes, puts me under a ton of stress, etc. but what can I do? I can't MAKE them give me money. They let me claim myself, etc. and they would prepare the statement for me probably if it would help. So what can I do?

 

[lsut1ger]

oh no....

I was wrong...the age is 24, not 21. This is so frustrating. That means another 4 years of struggling with no help. I was contemplating grad school but maybe I'll have to put that off until after I'm 24. I found a little bit of information on the statement of non-support, but the only context I could find it used in was establishing residency in a state for in-state tuition rates.

Maybe I can convince boyfriend to marry me for financial reasons...

 

[Kittyscorpio]

Yeah isn't college lovely like that. I feel your pain. There must be something that you can do to show you need help with having that amount of siblings. I guess i'm lucky my parents pay for my college. I hope you can get things worked out with finicial aid. Good luck.