FAQ - Who will be a contributor on my FAFSA?

Dependent students can learn more about who their required contributor(s) should be on this guidance provided by the Department of Education. 

• In general, all dependent students, even those who do not live with their parents, must provide their parent’s information on the FAFSA.
• If your legal parents (biological or adoptive parents) are married to each other, or are not married to each other and live together, you should report information about both of them on your FAFSA form. 
• If you have no contact with your parents and don’t know where they live, or you’ve left home due to an abusive situation, select “Yes” to the “Do unusual circumstances prevent the student from contacting their parents or would contacting their parents pose a risk to the student?” question on the 2024–25 FAFSA form. You’ll be considered provisionally independent. To complete your application, you should contact the financial aid office at the college or career/trade school you plan to attend to find out what supporting documentation you’ll need to submit directly to the school.

Independent students

• The spouse of an Independent student who is married may need to be a contributor on the FAFSA, depending on how taxes were filed. If taxes were submitted as Married/Filing Jointly, the spouse does not need to be a contributor. If the tax filing status was Married/Filing Separately, the spouse will be a required contributor who must provide consent.