Need info about Pell Grants and other aid...?

Question

My son is a Junior this year and I'm trying to make plans for his college education. My husband and I probably make too much money to qualify for much financial aid, but we don't have any money to just write a check to a college or university. If my husband and I "divorced" - just for the sake of financial aid - would we qualify for more aide then?

I'd like to hear some ideas from people who know about this subject...

P.S. We plan on applying for scholarships. His best ACT score so far has been a 22 but he's going to keep trying. That's not enough for much of a scholarship...

Answer 1

You will still have to include both parents info on the fafsa regardless of the marital status.  (Unless, you can show that you have had no contact with the other parent etc etc....but your income tax returns would prove otherwise.)

He will probably qualify for an on campus job and parent-plus loans.  Don't be discouraged, most kids have some student loan debt when they get out of college.  It is still early so if possible, have him take a Princeton Review course to get his ACT score up a little.  The university or your state may have a program that awards aid based on high school GPA and ACT scores.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I dont know about getting more money because youre divorced but what the other person said about not claiming him as a dependent, doesnt work either.  My parents dont claim me on their taxes and it doesnt make a difference.  The only way that he can be independent on the FAFSA is if he is over 25 or is married.  Good Luck!

Answer 3

Your son will qualify for federal student loans regardless of your income.  You will also qualify for PLUS (parent) loans.  It is true emancipation deems him independent and as a result he does not have to report parents income.  

But the downside is the... lawyers fees would prob be more than any amount of Pell grant he gets as a result. Plus, if he is emancipated, he might think he can do what he wants and move out and drop out of high school and and do whatever in the heck he wants.... and you can't do anything about it.  Oh, wait, you can't do anything about it.  

Plus making him independent would make him eligible for MORE loan money.. Not a good idea for any 18 year old to have with no job and no guarantee of graduation. (esp with ACT of 22).  

If you do "divorce" would the lawyer fees again be more than the Pell?   Also, you have no guarantee he would qualify even with you divorced.  Many folks don't qualify for the Pell.

I have even seen single moms not qualify... they ask me "What happened, I thought I was suppose to get a free ride because I was a single mom?" And I say, "Well, that is not exactly the criteria the Dept of Ed uses for need based aid.

This is a good book.  Read it, tell the truth and eat your vegetables.

Answer 4

I don't know about that- I doubt a divorce will help that much and it seems rather drastic. I think what would help him the most would be to not claim him as a dependent when you do your taxes. This will hurt you, but will help him. If he can "legitimately" prove he did not have any financial support from his parents, this might help him get more financial aid.

Answer 5

If you mean putting marital status as divorced down to attemp to get more aid, I would really avoid that. FAFSA results can get audited just as easily taxes. When Divorced, Both Parents' info wouldn't be needed to file the FAFSA, just the parent with custody (which actually has nothing to do with legal custody, but the parent who supports the child the most). So, a parent pretending to be divorced really wouldn't have the same tax return numbers as a parent who really is living on a single income. Overall, divorced parents won't necessarily qualify for more money, it would all depend on the situation. Don't alter you FAFSA, like I said you could get audited and getting caught could result in no funding. I would advise for your son to take try SAT and the ACT again. plus study, study, and study.

Answer 6

No, they still go based on both of your incomes. Now, HE can divorce you guys. You can go through the courts and get emancipated. That will deem him an independent student, and as long as doesn't make more than $10,000 a year, he should qualify for a full pell grant.