1. My parents no longer claim me on their taxes, can I claim myself as independent on the FAFSA?
2. How should I complete the FAFSA if my parents are divorced?
3. How do I answer the tax question if I am (or my parents are) separated, divorced, or widowed?
4. I am adopted, where do I put my Adoptive parent's information?
5. Do my parents have to sign for corrections I make on my FAFSA if I am a dependent student?
6. How do I report on my FAFSA the financial aid I received last year?

1. My parents no longer claim me on their taxes, can I claim myself as independent on the FAFSA? 

The Federal Government determines the dependency status of the student according to the questions answered on the FAFSA.  Filing your own taxes separate from their parents, does not make you independent for Federal financial aid purposes.  The criteria for meeting independent status can be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/fftoc01k.htm.

If you do not meet any of this criteria, and you can document special circumstances about independence, you should review and complete a Petition for Dependency Override if you feel you meet the criteria listed on the form. This form can be downloaded from http://financialaid.arizona.edu/forms/ (top)

2. How should I complete the FAFSA if my parents are divorced?
In the case of divorce or separation, you are instructed to answer in terms of the parent who provided the most financial support during the last 12 months or during the most recent calendar year that you were actually supported by a parent. (Support includes money, housing, food, clothes, car, medical and dental care, payment of college costs, etc.) Additionally, if the parent you counted above is married or remarried as of the date they completed the form, you must include the financial information about their step-parent (even if they were not married in the previous calendar year). (top)

3. How do I answer the tax question if I am (or my parents are) separated, divorced, or widowed?

• You: Separate your tax information from your spouse's as if you filed a single return.
• Your parent: Separate your parent's information from his/her spouse's as if he/she filed a single return.

More information: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/ffdef07.htm  (top)

4. I am adopted, where do I put my Adoptive parent's information?
You may list your adoptive parents' information in the biological parent boxes. (top)

5. Do my parents have to sign for corrections I make on my FAFSA if I am a dependant student?
Regardless of how you make your corrections, via a paper Student Aid Report (SAR) or online through FAFSA on the Web a parental signature is required.  Your parents can sign electronically on the web using their Department of Education PIN. Parents can also print, sign and mail a paper signature page from FAFSA on the Web.  (top)

6. How do I report on my FAFSA the financial aid I received last year?
Money you or your parents received from loans, grants, scholarships and Work-Study should not be listed on the FAFSA, unless these funds were included on the previous year's income tax return. If this is the case, that information will be reported on the FAFSA as well.  (top)