Do I have to be legally separated or divorced to qualify for financial aid?
597038
It doesn't have to be a legal separation (or divorce) for you to qualify for Federal Student Aid -- see the link below. The Dept of Ed recognizes that these processes take time.  When you file the FAFSA, it will ask what your marital status is; select "divorced/separated" and put the date that you became separated.  \n\nYour school may ask you for proof that you are no longer "together."  Unfortunately, there are some applicants out there who are married but claim to be divorced to "maximize" their eligibility.  As such, your school has the right to ask for proof of almost anything on your FAFSA.  Usually, to satisfy this requirement, you can submit documentation that you live separately, pay separate bills, etc. If you still live together, you will probably have to file as "married" and therefore will be required to include your spouse's income/asset information on your FAFSA. There are a few exceptions to this rule (again, it's all explained in the following link).
798786
First you have to establish recidency in Michigan.  Every state has differnet rules.  Some require that you live there for a year before granting residency and some require more or less.  After that, you can claim independence at your financial aid office.  They should have all the paperwork and stuff.
910776
YES.  As long as you are still married and not LEGALLY separated both debts and assets are divided equally between the parties.\n\nIf there are reasons you need to stay married, get a legal separation so you can LEGALLY be separate from each other's debts and obligations.\n\nHealth insurance is one reason may people do not divorce.  A legal separation can keep the benefits, but you won't be bound by the financial burdens of each other.
850721
The state, federal and college need based financial aid in grants is based on the tax return your father fills out in addition to the assets. There are also scholarships out there that does not need to be repaid. I will list some of the sources available to locate them.\n\nFirst, FAFSA.ed.gov will help you tap into need based financial assistance from both the federal government and the college itself.\n\nSecond, 35 states offer a website where you can apply for college admission and state college grants at the same time which can be located at Google.com and Yahoo.com. If your state is one of the 15 states, you need to search your state's government website.\n\nThird, your high school, if you are currently a student attending, has a list of local scholarships listed in the guidance office.\n\nFourth, search Google.com and Yahoo.com for scholarships based on your ethnicity, college major, and religion. There are scholarships out there that can be located on both Google and Yahoo.\n\nFifth, most college financial aid websites also offer a list of private scholarships from companies and organizations sometimes not affiliated with the college itself.\n\nFinally, join at least several free membership scholarship search websites. Most are updated on a regular basis. Most offer a customized search and offer e-mail updates along with valuable advice.\n\nGood luck!
193406
As long as your loans are not in default you can get federal financial aid if you're attending an accredited college or university and enrolled in a degree program. \n\nYour current loans will be deferred while you're in school.This means you dont start repaying the old loans and the new loan until 6 months after you graduate. and if there is a problem- maternity or unable to find a job etc, you can request an additional deferrment.\n\nYou should look at grants and scholarships for adult students as well as check out any educational reimbursement program your employer might offer. \n\ngo to the fafsa website www.fafsa.ed.gov and complete your application after you have filed your taxes because you will need info from your tax forms. you can apply for aid there. also check with your state financial aid office or dept of education, they will tell you about grants or scholarships. finally check with the university you are going to and see if they offer adult student scholarships\n\nFinally, decide if you are going to franklin pierce- or another university. make sure you dont owe any money and get your transcripts and take them to the new school to see if your credits will transfer and talk to the readmission office at your old university to see if it would make sense to just finish up there.\n\nAnother bit of info: check out about.com's money site to find out about rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy. As long as youre paying your bills on time, you will be able to rebuild your credit, maybe starting out with a department store credit card and then a Visa or MC from a bank that you only use once a month and pay the entire balance on each month just to build a payment history. \n\nCongratulations on deciding to continue your education and Good Luck!!
722150
It is better to let her file as independant, although, she could just use the one (family member) with the less income to show as her gardian, which will allow her to get either full financial aid or maxium aid. Your daughter should be set., if  she tries any of the above, let her know as soon as possible the faster she files the more money she gets.
910103
If you have been out on your own for 2 yrs, have you been paying income taxes? If you have, then you are independent and your dad is guilty of tax fraud. IRS will have records of that. Apply for the student grants and loans as an independent student. Look up the department of children and families in your state. You will have to apply for medical, food stamps, and cash assistance; you can do this all on the same application. Medical is the easiest to get, but also the most difficult program to understand. Food stamps depends on how much your total income it (whether from work, loans, etc. - it doesn't matter). Cash assistance is difficult to get on unless you make very little and you probably won't qualify for it. Also, list EVERYTHING on your application, if you are not honest, they will deny your claim and prevent you from getting future help. You will have to have pay stubs, copies of your driver's license and SS card, etc. e-mail me if you have any other questions- ladydavonia@yahoo.com.\n\nGood luck
563185
Your eligibility will be from the date of separation, but if the separation happened before the last payment (April 5th), it doesn't appear that they will give you that payment also. Call 1-800-959-1953 for clarification.
1187426
Yes, there is, and it all begins with the FAFSA.\n\nIn order to apply for Federal Student Aid (FSA), you will need to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov (the only official site, belonging to the Dept of Education).  This application will help your school determine yor eligibility for FSA, which includes the Pell Grant, SEO Grant, Stafford Loan, Perkins Loans, Work-Study Program, Academic Competitiveness Grant, and the SMART Grant. (Keep in mind that even *loans* are considered financial aid and they are all applied for using the same application.) Some of these awards (like Pell and SEOG) are only intended for low-income undergraduate students.  However, any applicant will, at the very least, be offered an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.\n\nThere is also *state* financial aid available for high-need students. Your school will also use the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for loans and grants offered by your *state* education department. The types of grants and loans you may receive will vary widely from state to state. Usually, there are time constraints associated with state aid (i.e. each state will set their own deadline) -- so you should check on that FAFSA website for the deadline for your state and make sure you have filed your FAFSA before then.\n\nMost schools also use this form to establish your eligibility for any financial aid that they have to offer (scholarships, etc.), which may be based on need, academics, or both. \n\nIf you find that your federal, state, and institutional aid package does not cover your costs, you can apply for a private loan or, if you are a graduate student, a PLUS loan (which, as an undergraduate, your parents would need to borrow FOR you).  For a list of popular private loan lenders, try http://www.finaid.com/loans/privatestudentloans.phtml
210153
Yes!  go to www.fafsa.ed.gov There are grants available based on need and financial income.
664497
Check with the local social security office.  I don't think divorced people can claim each others Social Security benefits.
484191
All you can do is just sign up for everything...loans, scholarships and grants.  The financial aid office should have info on everything available...just ask!
287718
Have you started by talking to the financial aid office at the college you're interested in?  They'll determine your eligibility for many different kinds of aid--both public and private, subsidized and unsubsidized.  True, you may end up having to take out a private loan (or a combination of things--loans, work-study, etc.)--but they may be able to point you in a better direction than if you try to do it on your own.  Remember: if you don't go there, they don't get the money--so it's in their (the Financial Aid dept.) interest to find a way to get you what you need.  \n\nApologies if you've already gone this route.  Anyway, good luck.
511585
You are automatically considered independent if...\n\n* you are 24 or older\n* you are married\n* you have dependents other than a spouse\n* you are a veteran of the US armed forces\n* you are an orphan or ward of the court\n* you are pursuing an advanced degree\n* you have a prior bachelor's degree\n\nHowever, you can "appeal" to be considered independent at any age. Schools know that there are cases in which a "technically" dependent student is really independent. There ARE provisions in the Federal Student Aid regulations that allow for a SCHOOL (not you yourself) to make exceptions to a student's depdendency status. Most schools will make exceptions in cases of abuse or the death of the students' parents. Many schools will also make exceptions if you can document that you truly are completely self-suffient. You will need to submit proof that the following statements have been true of your situation for a while (usually about 2 years)... \n\n* your parents don't claim you on their tax return\n* you pay for your own housing, food, utilities, etc.\n* you pay for your own health insurance\n* you pay for your own transportation (and, if you have a car, the car insurance)\n* you don't receive any other in-kind support\n\nIf you think you can submit this information, give your school a call and ask them what their specific policy is. They should have one in place and you have every right to know what it is.\n\nRemember: if you submit fraudulent information your school can deny you aid and you may be subject to other penalties. And remember that covering your tracks doesn't simply stop at your tax return: your school's financial aid office can request just about anything if it believes that it has received conflicting information.\n\nYour school has a reason to be picky when it comes to these things: Financial Aid offices are subject to annual audits. If their auditors pull your file and notice that undocumented exceptions to your dependency status have been made, their ability to give financial aid (to anyone, including you) can be seriously jeopardized.
1040878
Separation does not mean divorce.  You still have to get the legal paper work done.  Check with your state to see how this is done.
861250
I was in this situation myself.  Since you are short on money, I would recommend that you try completing the forms yourself.  See below for a link to a site that was useful to me.  Prepare for a lot of homework.\n\nAs a warning, there are fees which must be paid with these applications.  In addition, one of the forms require that you show that you and your husband are able to support yourself financially.  If you meant literally that you have no money, you may need an additional sponsor (parent, friend, etc.) to help you.\n\nGood luck.
1011149
no, to be able to fill out a Summary Dissolution, you have to have been married less than 5 yrs.  you just missed it.  sorry\nalso, if your debt was acquired after your marraige, it must be less than 4K.  most Ca courts have family law facilitators who can help you fill out your paperwork free of charge.  call your local courthouse for info.\n\nhttp://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/family/divorce/qualify.htm