FAFSA

teen has one legal parent. That parent refuses to provide the financial info required to complete FAFSA. What are his options?

Emancipate to be declared independent? I'm just guessing but I've heard it's a thing.

There's also a Nj statute that allows for a child to sue his/her divorced parents to pay for tuition. There's currently a huge case in NJ courts about it. But I digress, to others familiar with FAFSA ins and outs.

yes, I see that a divorced/single parent can be compelled by a court to pay for education but I'm guessing that's a long messy road and expensive (legal fees). As far as I understand, emancipation is a long road also. Plus the kid is sweet and gentle and wouldn't want theconfrontation.

We have the father's 2014 tax info and his SS#. I was hoping a way around it wouldve been to enter the basic info for the father- SS#, address, name and use the direct link to IRS to let it pull automatically but, as is this kid's luck, that tool is down indefinitely.

is it more feasible for an 18 year old to 'divorce' a parent..even if that means delaying college 1 or 2 semesters? I would think the guidance counselor would know how to work it out with an absentee parent.

great. Now the a$&holes are going to further screw with his life by forcing to defer college. God, I hate them.

In reading further, even emancipated requires parental financial info until 24 or older

On another note, how much does Community College cost? Wouldn't a full time job in the summer cover what he can't get in financial aid? Plus potential merit scholarships for good grades down the line? It's not ideal I know, but it's not the end if his parents won't contribute. My cousin put herself through CC then got a full scholarship to William Paterson 2 years later for keeping good grades. Her parents gave her exactly $0.

of course it can be done but now the kid can't even get a student loan -not even that- to get started.

it's not about what the parents are giving. The expectation is they will GIVE zero $ ( but boy, am I going to have fun if they can be taken to court and compelled to pay!). It's about not helping the kid fill out the FAFSA so he can't get or borrow ANYTHING now. Not even a loan. Likely not until he's 24.

Can the matter be brought up in a family court motion where the divorce was finalized, demanding he complete the form?

oy, this poor kid again! If it was me, I would start with his school: counselor, social worker, whoever they have available, may well have seen this before. Also, the phone line to FAFSA itself was very helpful back in the day (2003-09), but I don't have current experience. There too, surely they see this situation pretty regularly.

It may turn out that in fact there's no immediate workaround, but at least you'll know. And as noted above, community college is a godsend for a lot of people. iirc, he hasn't been a high achiever in school so far, and CC could give him a chance to turn it around.

good luck!

ElizMcCord said:

There's also a Nj statute that allows for a child to sue his/her divorced parents to pay for tuition. There's currently a huge case in NJ courts about it. But I digress, to others familiar with FAFSA ins and outs.

If you, or somebody else, would provide more information on this statute, it would be greatly appreciated.

A citation to the statute would be best, but I'll happily take any information someone has.

Thanks,

TomR

Sounds like he'd benefit from taking a year off and finding work. Many employers offer tuition assistance for employees. It won't be pretty but off the top of my head. Hess, JP Morgan Chase, Community Options, UPS... once he's in he could qualify for loans on his own merit. I put myself thru college working and going full time. It was ugly, but it can be done. I got private loans and paid as I went. There are always options, the question is what is one willing to do to get it. To be clear my parents didn't have money to offer me and FAFSA was a nonissue as an international student. I wish him well. He has a tough time ahead.

not looking good, but at least it's info: http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/parentsrefuse.phtml

there is some provision for independent adults under 24....after all what do foster kids who don't have parents at all do? It may require living fully independently and prove being self supporting.

if nothing else, community college in his current living arrangement should be feasible to start if he works.

there is a provision for extreme cases- like you cannot locate your parents or they are deceased. There's one for proven child abuse resulting in leaving the home. But he does not meet those extreme circumstances. You can live independently but without a special circumstance, still need parental information until age 24.

I respectfully disagree that a year off is good for him- it is my expert opinion that if he doesn't start school quickly, he will never go (that's not a general statement, it's my opinion for HIM specifically)

Poor kid indeeed.

community college is fine. Staying in his home is not He wants to live on his own but, sadly, because of this another dream of his may be crushed

I'll try to find where I read this. If in cases of divorce or never married to other parent, research has shown these kids have a much lower college completion rate so a law/statute/rule put in place in some states that, for these kids, the non-custodial parent can be compelled to pay 1/2 or more

Tom_R said:

ElizMcCord said:

There's also a Nj statute that allows for a child to sue his/her divorced parents to pay for tuition. There's currently a huge case in NJ courts about it. But I digress, to others familiar with FAFSA ins and outs.

If you, or somebody else, would provide more information on this statute, it would be greatly appreciated.

A citation to the statute would be best, but I'll happily take any information someone has.

Thanks,

TomR

I'll start with this and work to get more in form of a link. Nj is weird in many ways. 1982 NJ Supreme Court decision, Newburgh v. Arrigo.

https://njfamilylaw.foxrothschild.com/2014/06/articles/child-support/nj-court-finally-recognizes-the-economic-realities-of-parental-college-contributions/

And in a reversal of sorts

https://njfamilylaw.foxrothschild.com/2014/06/articles/child-support/nj-court-finally-recognizes-the-economic-realities-of-parental-college-contributions/

At the end of the day (granted my minion is only 3 years old what do I know) what does it say about parents who's children would put them through this?

All I ever wanted for this kid was for him to NOT "have a tough time ahead" but he gets the short end of the stick every single time.

Not entirely the short end - he has you - so in that way he is quite fortunate

Thank you, Sarah. very kind.

In preparation of the fafsa it is the custodial parent the parent that the student lives with the majority of the time that completes the fafsa with that parents 2015 tax return and other info. So you are saying that parent now refuses to share the info ie a copy of the return and answer a few questions or do the work?

there is one legal parent.

And the legal parent refuses to share his financial information. He won't let kid input it and he refuses to go into tool and enter it himself.

This kid has a different biological mother (now deceased) and the mother parent that raised him never legally adopted him so he essentially has one person who can complete the FAFSA and input the info.

(And, yes, the whole backstory is f-ed up)

Eliz,

Thanks for the link. I'm familiar with the Newburg case and its progeny; but thanks for the reminder.

You posted the same link twice. Did you mean to post a second link, or have I overlooked something obvious.

Thanks again.

TomR

conandrob,

Wherever the nephew goes to college, he should seek employment with the financial aid office. There is (was) a wealth of information to be learned in such a position; even in a work-study position.

Of course, my suggestion is based upon the experience of one who has been out of the financial aid thing for four+ decades. Things may have changed. However, in the worst case scenario (they've closed all the loopholes); he'll pick up some extra money in a job which is very accommodating to his schedule.

With regard to your post of 19:46; woose da the costodial parent?

TomR

there is one parent. From a legal perspective, he essentially lives with a family friend. He does not live with the one legal parent. The person he lives with cannot file for him- she has no legal connection to him.

many college students live at home with their parents (parent figure in this case)....so as long as he can stay there and go to community college to start, its not the end of the world...and hopefully only for 1 year at most. I have heard of adults putting themselves up for adoption. I don't know if that is legal in NJ, but it is a big commitment even to adopt an adult and all the ramifications would need to be thoroughly explored.

yes, staying in his home for another year quite literally could be "the end of the world" for him. And the issue is this doesn't improve Year 2,3 or 4. If he won't do the FAFSA, this goes on for years (inability to secure even a loan)