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FAFSA Dependency
Though many families believe that parents should not be financially responsible for a child once they graduate high school, tax and financial aid dependency are different. Almost all student aid programs are based on both students and parents paying for the student's college education.
Dependency, According to the FAFSA
The following checklist is based off of the "Dependency Status Worksheet" found at the FAFSA website and is valid for the 2009-2010 school year.
If the student answers "yes" to any of the following questions, he/she is considered to be independent.
- Were you born before January 1, 1986?
- As of today, are you married? (Also answer "Yes" if you are separated but not divorced.)
- At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, graduate certificate, etc.)?
- Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
- Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
- Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010?
- Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2010?
- At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents* deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
- Are you or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
- Are you or were you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
- At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
- At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
- At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
* Parents:
For Federal Student Aid (FSA), a biological or adoptive parent, or someone married to a biological or adoptive parent.
The following may not be considered as parents:
- Legal Guardians
- Foster Parents
- Grandparents
- Other Relatives
Appeals
The US Department of Education does not consider appeals to change in dependency status. However, the ISU Director of Student Financial Aid
may change the student's status if the circumstances justify doing so.
Typically, neither a student's decision to deny financial assistance
from their parents nor the parent's decision to deny financial assistance to the student are considered valid reasons
to change dependency status.
If the student feels that their status should be independent for financial aid purposes,
they may complete the Independent Appeals Form (PDF).
