Dear Financial Aid King,
I am 18 years old. I live at home with my parents, but I am very independent. Why do I have to involve my parents in filling out the FAFSA form?
Signed,
Independent
Dear Independent,
Ah, sweet freedom.
But you are only considered an independent student if you are 24 years old or older, you’re a grad student, you’re married, you have legal dependents, you’re an orphan or a ward of the court, at risk of being homeless, or you’re a veteran.
You can always fill out the FAFSA form without your parents’ information, but it won’t process properly. So why try?
And if you are confused about the process because your parents are divorced and don’t want to bother, don’t throw away free money!
If you want to file without your parents, you will need the proper paperwork to back it up.
Talk to a financial aid counselor for help with the process.
Sincerely,
Financial Aid King
