FAFSA Advice?

shelbias · Jan 29, 2009

With your fiancé's income and yours, your EFC is gonna go up which can affect your eligibility for grants.

There are other sources of education monies out there. See if your home state offers any assistance for pursuing higher education. Here in California, we have a Board of Governors Waiver which residents can qualify for a long as they show proof of finanial need (i.e., filing a FAFSA among others). Inquire if your state has a similar program.

Good luck!

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 29, 2009

lainith said:
I'm going to go talk to my school's financial aid adviser tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone had any info about this...
I am a current student and I already get a partial Pell Grant. I file my taxes and student aid forms for NEXT year this month. So would it affect my financial aid status if I get married this summer? I only make made like $14k this year but my hubby-to-be is an LPN and makes significantly more money than I do and our combined income would cause a significant change. Anyone else been through this? Just kinda curious but should be able to get answers tomorrow I think.
Thanks for any info!

If you are getting married soon and he makes good money, then why would you apply for another Pell Grant?

Maybe I'm thinking of some other grant, but I thought Pell-Grants were for low-income students? Is that correct?

tfleuter, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2009

If she qualifies for the grant, why wouldn't she apply? Nothing wrong with accepting a grant that you qualify for.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jan 30, 2009

Diane-RN Student said:
If you are getting married soon and he makes good money, then why would you apply for another Pell Grant?
Maybe I'm thinking of some other grant, but I thought Pell-Grants were for low-income students? Is that correct?

Uh-duh ? LPNS are not the richest people on earth you know, my advisors at my cc, had that same ignorant mentality. My mom's a LPN and they assumed she made soooo much money, enough to pay for my college eduacation. They could've been more wrong. They didn't care that she was a student herself ! They didn't take into consideration all the other bills she had to pay. They didn't care that I didn't even live with her. But just because I was under the age of 25 and still am, they consider me a DEPENDANT, there fore go by her LPN income( which none of it goes towards my nursing education). For some reason they thought her whole pay check would go towards my tuition. So what happened ? I had to apply for a student loan and got non-need based scholarships for my gpa. IF YOU ASK ME FAFSA IS A BIG

My mom is now a new grad RN, I'm 20 ( don't live at home) and still have to use her income to get money for school. So I guess they won't even consider me for aid this year, because once again her whole pay check every two weeks is paying for my college. Yeah, right... come on give me a break here.

shelbias · Jan 30, 2009

nursing student 19 said:
My mom is now a new grad RN, I'm 20 ( don't live at home) and still have to use her income to get money for school. So I guess they won't even consider me for aid this year, because once again her whole pay check every two weeks is paying for my college. Yeah, right... come on give me a break here.

FAFSA will require your parent/s' income tax until you're 23. This is because for other purposes (such as medical insurance), you can still be claimed as a dependent by your parents up to age 23 granted that you are going to school full time. Even if you're out of the house and living on your own, you are still subjected to this rule because of your age.

I understand the frustration, because I went through the same deal. It really depends on your home state, however. Some states offer more financial assistance for education than others. That's why I moved from Washington state to California, because the latter has more programs geared towards people pursuing degrees. Check with your school's financial aid office and see what they have.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jan 30, 2009

shelbias said:
FAFSA will require your parent/s' income tax until you're 23. This is because for other purposes (such as medical insurance), you can still be claimed as a dependent by your parents up to age 23 granted that you are going to school full time. Even if you're out of the house and living on your own, you are still subjected to this rule because of your age.
I understand the frustration, because I went through the same deal. It really depends on your home state, however. Some states offer more financial assistance for education than others. That's why I moved from Washington state to California, because the latter has more programs geared towards people pursuing degrees. Check with your school's financial aid office and see what they have.

Actually anyone under the age of 25 is considered a Dependant in my state. I still don't see why. She isn't even able to legally claim me on her taxes due to the fact that I'm over 18 and living on my own. I'm sorry I just needed to vent.

FLmomof5 · Jan 30, 2009

nursing student 19 said:
Actually anyone under the age of 25 is considered a Dependant in my state. I still don't see why. She isn't even able to legally claim me on her taxes due to the fact that I'm over 18 and living on my own. I'm sorry I just needed to vent.

Sweetie.....FAFSA and Pell Grants are federal aid and are NOT altered base on what state you reside in!

There are alot of unfair things when dealing with all this stuff. I could relate some horror stories!

Financial aid is what it is. If you will lose grants, go get loans and scholarships! I understand how frustrating all this can be....I was a single mom of 5 and 3 are in college and so am I. (The fact that I am in school does not increase aid for my children!) I don't get grants because I have a bachelors. Worse yet....until today, I had a job paying $75K. I go married in Sep and he is an E-7 in the Army. Our joint income for tax purposes was $119K.....for us and 9 children(he has 4 - 1 in college) and he still works in SC (lives there during the week and comes home on weekends...). Our marriage kills everyones aid!

How would you like this frustration.....imagine being in nursing school -> 3 kids in college in FL, 1 in SC and your pay just dropped to $225/wk(unemployment)! (His is only $40Kish) We will get no aid in the year we NEED it! Next year, we will get aid out our backside.

BTW....here is something to really think about....these aid programs are FEDERAL GOV'T run. Now think about it....do you REALLY want THEM running our healthcare?! Food for thought!

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Jan 30, 2009

FLmomof5 said:
Sweetie.....FAFSA and Pell Grants are federal aid and are NOT altered base on what state you reside in!
There are alot of unfair things when dealing with all this stuff. I could relate some horror stories!
Financial aid is what it is. If you will lose grants, go get loans and scholarships! I understand how frustrating all this can be....I was a single mom of 5 and 3 are in college and so am I. (The fact that I am in school does not increase aid for my children!) I don't get grants because I have a bachelors. Worse yet....until today, I had a job paying $75K. I go married in Sep and he is an E-7 in the Army. Our joint income for tax purposes was $119K.....for us and 9 children(he has 4 - 1 in college) and he still works in SC (lives there during the week and comes home on weekends...). Our marriage kills everyones aid!
How would you like this frustration.....imagine being in nursing school -> 3 kids in college in FL, 1 in SC and your pay just dropped to $225/wk(unemployment)! (His is only $40Kish) We will get no aid in the year we NEED it! Next year, we will get aid out our backside.
BTW....here is something to really think about....these aid programs are FEDERAL GOV'T run. Now think about it....do you REALLY want THEM running our healthcare?! Food for thought!

Wow, thanks. I guess everyone is going through heck with fafsa. Its so sad, and the worst part is that there is NOTHING we can do about it .

FLmomof5 · Jan 30, 2009

Just accept that it is what it is......kinda like being stuck in traffic: getting mad about it won't make the cars go away! LOL

tfleuter, BSN, RN · Jan 30, 2009

Yup, it is what it is. And just remember, at least it is there in the first place. How many would still be able to go to school if grants/loans were not available at all and everything had to come out of pocket. Don't get me wrong, financially, it's probably the best way to do it (loan-wise, not grants) but would make it a lot harder for those who are living very tightly as it is. I'm trying to take out as little in loans as possible, but grants I'll accept any I can get!

Cilantrophobe · Jan 30, 2009

lainith said:
I'm going to go talk to my school's financial aid adviser tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone had any info about this...
I am a current student and I already get a partial Pell Grant. I file my taxes and student aid forms for NEXT year this month. So would it affect my financial aid status if I get married this summer? I only make made like $14k this year but my hubby-to-be is an LPN and makes significantly more money than I do and our combined income would cause a significant change. Anyone else been through this? Just kinda curious but should be able to get answers tomorrow I think.
Thanks for any info!

Well from my experience, like you said, you file both your taxes and FAFSA right now. So your FAFSA is based on your taxes from last year. You were not married last year, so what makes you think you wouldn't be elligible for another grant? Just because you are getting married does not rule out the need for another grant. I also got a grant but after filling out the original FAFSA I didn't have to fill anything else out for the rest of the year. Next year when you file your taxes and FAFSA might be a totally different scenario. We had a baby halfway through the year in 2007 and that didn't change anything for us. Though they did say that we would be eligible to file a special circumstances letter.

Correct me if I am wrong but it is none of their business whether or not you get married this year. What, so they don't approve you for a grant because you have plans to get married? What if something were to happen and you didn't get married? Then you would have nothing? I don't think so!