? about pell grant and whose income is included

[confusedinVA]

Here is the weird situation. I have a friend whose daughter will be attending UVA starting in August. The daughter does not live with biomom or biodad. She lives with close family friends and they have custody of her. I am not positive but think that the friends who have custody, claimed her on their taxes last year.

The daughter called my friend and asked what moms and stepdads combined income was. Daughter says that she needs this info for the Financial Aid. It just doesnt make any sense to me. If she has to have mom and stepdads income then won't she also have to have biodad and stepmoms financial info? And if so, then that is 4 people's income she has to count to qualify for a Pell Grant. She wouldn't have a very good shot of getting one then.

I was thinking she would be considered "Independent" and not have to use anyone else's income but her own. She has a pt job at Kroger. Or, the people who have custody of her should provide their income only.

Just confused I guess as to why they would need the stepparents financial info since it is not their legal obligation to support her. I know they wouldnt be supporting her, but with 4 incomes counted, How would she qualify?

Thanks for your advice and information and sorry for rambling. It's early and didnt want to leave anything out.

[JollyGG]

Ahhhh I remember this from my college days. What she needs is mom's income and dad's income. She shouldn't need any others besides her own. Yes it is messed up. When we were researching financial aid for college we discovered that even if you have been legally immancipated (sp), you still have to include their income for you application. You even have to include your parent's income for medical school financial aid. It's silly.

[pink_amulet]

Yes when I filled out my papers, it asked me for my parents info, I just estimated. But it also asks about my income and living arrangements. I'm not employed so I put in hubby's info, and it never reflected back to my parents at all. This was 5yrs ago, I was 27yrs.

[sp114]

I am an admissions rep for a college. In the governments eyes, you are a dependant student up until the age of 24. There are a few things that can change your status: Born before 1983, married, have children or anybody else that you can claim as a dependant, veteran of the armed forces, both parents deceased or a ward of the court. A lot of parents get upset when I tell them that we need their tax information when doing financial aid for their 23 year old. I am not 100% sure, but I believe since her bio parents don't have custody of her, their income is not taken into consideration. That would be only if they "legaly" don't have custody.

[HHM]

I am an admissions rep for a college. In the governments eyes, you are a dependant student up until the age of 24. There are a few things that can change your status: Born before 1983, married, have children or anybody else that you can claim as a dependant, veteran of the armed forces, both parents deceased or a ward of the court. A lot of parents get upset when I tell them that we need their tax information when doing financial aid for their 23 year old. I am not 100% sure, but I believe since her bio parents don't have custody of her, their income is not taken into consideration. That would be only if they "legaly" don't have custody.

I concur, unless she can qualify for one of the exemptions, the only question is who has "legal" custody. You would use the income of whoever has legal custody.