FAFSA Marital Standing Guidelines Defined

On the FAFSA, your marital standing (and that of your dad and mom if you’re a dependent pupil) is predicated on the state of affairs as of the date you fill out the shape. 

The classes embrace:

• Single (By no means Married)
• Single and each authorized dad and mom stay collectively
• Married (Not separated)
• Remarried
• Separated
• Divorced
• Widowed

A couple of particular guidelines to notice:

• Should you’re engaged to be married sooner or later (however not but married), you have to report “single” (or “by no means married”) on the FAFSA. 
• The shape does not routinely replace for modifications in marital standing mid-year. Adjustments can solely be made after you submit by way of skilled judgment by the monetary assist workplace. 
• Similar-sex authorized marriages are handled like marriages for FAFSA functions. 
• A wedding to a non-U.S. citizen (or undocumented partner) nonetheless counts and also you’ll report the partner’s revenue and property. 

Here is a fast information:

How Parental Marital Standing Is Dealt with For Dependent College students

For dependent college students (which incorporates most undergraduates), you’ll want to offer details about your dad and mom’ marital standing and financials beneath sure guidelines.

When dad and mom are married, residing collectively, or cohabiting

• In case your dad and mom are married to one another and stay collectively, you report each dad and mom’ monetary data. 
• In case your dad and mom are single however stay collectively, FAFSA treats them as if they’re married (so once more, each dad and mom’ funds depend). You do have to ask every father or mother individually as a contributor.

When dad and mom are divorced or separated, and stay aside

That is the place confusion typically arises, particularly in shared custody or current divorces.

• In case your dad and mom are divorced, separated, or by no means married, and they don’t stay collectively, then just one father or mother’s monetary knowledge is used (the “contributor father or mother”). 
• How do you select which father or mother to make use of? The principles say the dad and mom that present 51% of the monetary assist. In case your dad and mom cut up assist equally (which could be very uncommon), use the father or mother with the upper revenue. 
• If the father or mother whose info you report has remarried, you have to additionally embrace the stepparent’s monetary data. 

Latest Change: beneath newest FAFSA guidelines, the rule shifted away from “custodial father or mother” to “father or mother who gives extra monetary assist” when dad and mom are divorced or separated.

How To Deal with 50/50 Shared Custody

Should you cut up your time precisely evenly with each dad and mom, or almost so, then you definately fall into the “you lived the identical period of time” class. In that state of affairs:

• You examine which father or mother has offered extra monetary assist over the previous 12 months.
• You then use the the father or mother/family that offered 51% of the monetary assist for the yr.
• If assist is actually equal, use the father or mother with the upper revenue. That is uncommon – as a result of there are one year – the kid seemingly lived at somebody’s home, used their meals and utilities, for a minimum of 1 further day.

So even in a 50/50 custody association, it’s not cut up FAFSA monetary data or averaging – solely one father or mother’s knowledge is used (plus partner if remarried).

What Do You Do If You Divorced Or Separated After Your Final Tax Return?

This is without doubt one of the trickiest eventualities, and lots of households get tripped up right here. That is when, for instance, you had been married in your final tax return, however had been divorced this yr. How do you account for the change of economic circumstances?

Why It’s Difficult

• The FAFSA makes use of tax return knowledge from the prior-prior yr (so e.g. for the 2026-27 FAFSA you’re utilizing 2024 tax knowledge).
• In case your divorce or separation occurred after that tax yr, the tax return continues to be joint (or consists of each spouses). FAFSA import instruments herald mixed knowledge.
• That joint return doesn’t replicate your present, separate incomes or the brand new family construction.

What To Do

1. Use the foundations above (select the father or mother primarily based on assist, and so forth.) to determine which father or mother “owns” the FAFSA to your state of affairs.
2. When the FAFSA or IRS import pulls in mixed tax knowledge, contact the monetary assist places of work of the colleges you’re admitted to. Clarify that your marital standing modified after the tax yr. 
3. Be ready to cut up out the joint tax quantities. You might must submit:
   • A duplicate of the joint tax return or tax transcript
   • A “separate tax line objects” worksheet that reveals how a lot revenue/changes belonged to you and the way a lot to your ex (if related) 
   • A proof letter and probably documentation like a separation settlement, divorce decree, or different proof of when the cut up occurred 
4. In some circumstances, a monetary assist workplace could use skilled judgment to remodel your FAFSA (or sure fields) in the event that they choose that the joint knowledge misrepresents your present capacity to pay. 

Some colleges are very clear that they won’t replace marital standing until it addresses a transparent inequity or higher displays your capacity to pay. 

Impartial Pupil Marital Standing

Should you’re finishing the FAFSA as an unbiased pupil (e.g. you’re older, married, or in any other case not required to listing parental data), then:

• Use your personal marital standing as of the FAFSA submitting date. This consists of whether or not you’re married, separated, divorced, and so forth. 
• If you’re separated however not divorced, FAFSA nonetheless considers you “married” for dependency standing functions. 
• A change in your marital standing after FAFSA submitting could also be thought of solely by way of particular request to the monetary assist workplace, not routinely.

Key Takeaways And Motion Steps

• All the time report marital standing as of the date you full the FAFSA – not primarily based on future occasions.
• In divorce or separation contexts, just one father or mother’s knowledge is used (until they stay collectively). Use the father or mother who lived with you extra or gave extra assist; if tied, use the upper revenue father or mother.
• When divorce or separation happens after the tax yr utilized in FAFSA, be proactive: notify monetary assist places of work and be prepared to separate joint tax knowledge.
• Monetary assist places of work have discretion by way of skilled judgment to regulate your FAFSA, however you have to ask and submit supporting documentation.
• Even when your marital state of affairs modifications mid-year, don’t delay submitting your FAFSA – file by deadlines and comply with up with a college attraction if wanted.

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