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Key takeaways
- With divorced or separated parents, the one who provides you with the most financial support is typically who lists their income and tax information on the FAFSA.
- With 50-50 split custody after the divorce or separation, the parent with the greatest financial means will be the one who contributes to the form and shares their information.
- Details needed from contributors on the form include parent’s Social Security Number (SSN), income and assets, tax information, address of residence and more.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) asks for the financial and tax details of both of your parents, and note that only legal parents count. This means you don’t need to provide information on the FAFSA for grandparents, foster parents or stepparents who haven’t adopted you, though stepparents may need to, depending on their tax filing status.
But what if your parents are divorced or separated? This may seem like a tricky situation when it comes to applying for financial aid, but the Department of Education lists directions and tips that can help you get through the process.
What documents do you need to fill out the FAFSA?
If you’re a dependent, you’ll need to collect financial information from one or both of your parents, depending on their living situation. Having this information in advance will speed up the process of filling out the form.
Here’s what you need to know about your parent or parents before you apply:
- Their Social Security number(s).
- Their federal tax information.
- Their legal address of residence.
- Records of untaxed information, like child support.
- Information on their investments, cash, business income and liquid assets.
- The date of their legal separation.
How do you fill out the FAFSA with separated parents?
If your parents are married, live together and file their taxes jointly, only one parent needs to be a contributor to the FAFSA.
Additional information on filing the FAFSA and who is a contributor on the form is highlighted below:
- Parents are not married but live in the same household: You must get the necessary information from them to complete the FAFSA and they both need to be contributors. Remember, you will need information from both parents if they still live together, even if they are considered divorced or separated by law.
- Parents are divorced or separated and do not live together: The parent who contributed the most financially in the last 12 months will provide their information on the FAFSA and be the sole contributor on the form.
- Parents have 50-50 custody and split financial support equally: The U.S. Department of Education recommends that the parent with the greater income be the contributor and complete the FAFSA form.
- Parent is widowed: They will be the only parent to contribute information or share income and tax details on the FAFSA.
If a school asks for the CSS Profile, the parent who is the contributor for the FAFSA and shares their income and tax information after the divorce or separation is the same parent who should use their information on the CSS profile.
Bottom line
Determining what parental information you need to include on the FAFSA when your parents are separated can be tricky. If your parents still live together, you need financial information from both. If they are separated and do not share a household, then you will need the financial information of the parent whom you live with or provides the most financial support.
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