I'm 23 now and on the fafsa I'm dependent but in a month I'm going to be 24 is it better to claim independent?

Question

I'm 23 now and on the fafsa I'm dependent but in a month I'm going to be 24 is it better to claim independent?

Answer 1

I would answer honestly, it's not worth getting in trouble over, because you are allowed to update your FAFSA online anytime.  A lot of people fill out their FAFSA's in January, long before they have done their taxes.  If you get a PIN number and have access to the internet (which obviously you do) then you can update a FAFSA whenever something in your life changes.  Good Luck!

Answer 2

The question you have to answer today is:

were you born before January 1, 1985

If you can answer yes to it today, you are 'independent'.

It won't matter if the answer is no today, the answer will still be no in a month when you do turn 24.  You wouldn't be independent until the 0910 FAFSA is available.

You can't decide whether you are independent for the FAFSA, the series of questions it asks you will determine your dependency.

Good Luck.