Fafsa corrections help

Question

I logged in to check my SAR and it says my EFC is 0 and I don't have a transaction number. Does that mean its not accepted yet? It says i have to make corrections but im confused by the corrections i have to make.

It asks for me and my spouses assets and tax return information but I don't have a spouse and I didn't file taxes I don't even have a job!! I just used my moms tax return info. So why is it asking me questions like this? I don't know what to put!?

32. For 2007, have you completed your IRS income tax return or another tax return?

35. What was your (and your spouse's) adjusted gross income for 2007?

36. Enter the amount of your (and your spouse's) income tax for 2007:

AND-------

80. Enter the amount of your parents' income tax for 2007: Assumed Value: $0.00

^Where can i find this information? I filled out all the other stuff on tax return. I don't get this question.

Answer 1

Don't worry about not having a spouse.  The questions are just written that way.  You should have already filled out the demographic section, so they'll know that you're single.  Don't worry about not having a job.  Many people who enter college do not have jobs.  Relax.  Everyone gets asked these questions.

For #32 the answer is "No" because you didn't file taxes.  It may then ask you if you intend to file taxes, and you will then say no, you don't intend to do so. For #35, the answer is "0" because you don't have an income.  For #36, the answer is also "0" because you don't have an income.

For #80, you need to have access to you parents' 2007 1040 from.  You say you used your mom's tax return info.  You need to look on that 1040 form and see if she owed any taxes.  The FAFSA directions (there should be a help icon next to the question, or further instructions) should tell you which line this would be, depending on whether your mom filed a 1040-A or 1040-EZ.  Look on the 1040 tax form to see which one she filed.

You should get an e-mail when your FAFSA is accepted, if you provided them with an e-mail address.  The FAFSA should be accepted once you make the corrections that they asked you to make, and you re-submit it and sign it with your PIN number.

If it's estimating your EFC as 0, that means that based on the way you have filled things out right now, your Estimated Family Contribution to your education is $0.  That indicates that the government does not think that your family will be able to provide any money toward your education. This will make you eligible for most forms of federal and state financial aid.

If you still can't figure this out on your own (FAFSA can be complicated!) you should sit down with a financial aid officer at your intended school and have that person help you.

Answer 2

Okay, let's have you go back and check some of your answers. Write down these numbers, so you can refer to them while you check the info that you submitted on your FAFSA.

Question #16: Your marital status as of today

Make sure you checked "single, divorced or widowed"

Question #50: As of today, are you married?

Make sure you correctly checked the "NO" box.

Look for Section 4: "Student Finances"

Read the instructions here carefully - they say:

"If you are married as of today, report your and your spouse’s income, even if you were not married in 2007. Ignore references to spouse if you are single, divorced, separated or widowed."

Question 32: Have you completed a 2007 IRS Income Tax return or other income tax return.

Make sure you select the box that says "Will Not File"

Skip questions 33 and 34. Leave the boxes unchecked.

Now answer question #35 with your adjusted gross income from 2007. From what you've said above, that's 0. Make sure you enter the number "0", you can't just leave that question blank.

Question 36 asks about your income tax. Again, if you had no income, write the number 0 there.

Questions 38 asks whether you had any income at all in 2007. It's possible that an applicant earned money in 2007, but didn't file taxes. So again, you must enter the number "0" for question 38.

Leave question 39 blank - you've already said you don't have a spouse. If you write something here, that will confuse things.

Now. Let's jump ahead. You have no choice - you MUST enter your parents' financial information, including information from their 2007 tax returns on your FAFSA application. For federal financial aid purposes, you ARE a dependent applicant. Forget about the dictionary definition of dependent - this is a whole different issue. You are a dependent even if your parents didn't give you any money, even if you don't live with them, even if they're not giving you money for college.

If your parents are divorced, and you live with your mom for most of the year, you can answer the questions about parental income with just her information. If you lived evenly with your mom and dad, you need to answer the questions with information from whichever parent paid more of your financial support for last year. If your mom and dad are not divorced or separated, you must answer all of the parental finance questions with information about BOTH of them.

I know you said don't tell me to "ask my parents", but you have no choice but to ask your parents. Unfortunately, a parent's unwillingness to provide their financial information can not gain you a waiver of having to provide this info. If you can't provide it, you can not complete the FAFSA form, and it won't be accepted by the Department of Education.

Perhaps you need to explain this to your parents, because your filling out the FAFSA in no way 'obligates' them to pay for anything. All they're doing by rejecting your request is keeping YOU from being able to qualify for financial aid from the federal government.

Question 80 must be answered, as must questions 79 (parents' adjusted gross income), questions 82 and 83 (dad's income/mom's income) and question 81 (the number of exemptions your parents entered on line 6d of their 1040 or 1040A tax return).

Here's where to find the answer to Question 80:

If they filed a 1040 return, look at line 57

If they filed a 1040A return, look at line 35

In the unlikely event they filed a 1040EZ return, look at line 10

I hope this helped you. I think if you go back and check the information that you provided on your initial FAFSA, you may find that you checked the wrong box by accident. Check very carefully, focusing on those questions #16 and 50, most of all.

If you still can't figure it out, call the Department of Education's FAFSA help line at: 1-800-4-FedAid (1-800-433-3243).

Good luck to you!