Should i file fafsa as independent

Your dependency status—whether you're a dependent of your parents or legal guardians, or an independent student—determines, in part, what information you include on the form and what aid you're eligible to receive. If you plan to complete the FAFSA for the upcoming academic year, here are some helpful things to know about applying for aid as an independent student.

Dependency status is determined by the U. Department of Education. Answering yes to any of these questions means you may be considered an independent student. But if you answer no to all of them, then you're most likely a dependent student for the purposes of completing the FAFSA. The Department of Education offers a simple worksheet to help you determine your dependency status.

It's important to understand whether you're a dependent or independent student because your dependency status determines what information you need to include on your FAFSA. Schools use this number as a gauge for deciding how much financial aid you should be awarded. As an independent student, it's generally assumed that you're responsible for your own financial support. The upside of that status is that you may qualify for more financial aid without that extra financial support.

If you've reviewed the Department of Education guidelines for independent student status and you think you qualify, the next step is completing the FAFSA. If you're eligible for unsubsidized federal loans only, then no further verification will be required. But if you also qualify for subsidized federal loans , you may need to offer additional proof of your independent student status, such as:.

After your school verifies your status, it can forward your information to the Department of Education. In some cases, you can still complete the FAFSA as an independent student, even if you don't meet the Department of Education's guidelines. To do so, you'll need to ask for a dependency override. When completing the FAFSA, you'll have an opportunity to mention special circumstances that keep you from providing information about your parents or legal guardians, even if you're considered a dependent student.

An override isn't usually an option if your parents or legal guardians simply refuse to offer their financial information so you can complete the FAFSA. Some schools award financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you're applying as an independent student, verifying your dependency status can add time to your application processing. FAFSA dependency status has no impact on private student loans. Instead, these rely on your credit score and financial background for approval. Also, keep in mind that if you've already completed the FAFSA as a dependent student but are now independent, you can ask your school for a dependency review.

This may help you qualify for additional aid. Independent students can borrow more as they get closer to graduation. Check the Student Aid Handbook for details about maximum loan amounts, terms, and more. Federal Student Aid. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content.

Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Just take solace in the fact that the rest of us are doing it as well. Image Credits: hand writing on paper. Skip to content The guidelines in this article have been updated to reflect the — academic year. Just for reference, here are those criteria: You must have one of the following relationships to your parents: child biological, step, adopted, or foster , brother or sister, or a descendant of one of these.

You must be under 24 and be a full-time student for at least five months of the year, or under 19 and not in school.

You must have not provided more than half of your own support for the year. You must have lived with the parent wanting to claim you for more than half the year. So, naturally, you come to the next conclusion: Being independent will net me a lot more financial aid as well.

Therefore, to be considered an independent on the FAFSA, you need to meet at least one of these criteria: Be born before January 1, Be married as of the day you apply. Be an active-duty member or veteran of the U. Have children who get more than half their support from you between July 1, and June 30, Have other dependents who get half their support from you and live with you at the time you apply through June 30, Have both of your parents deceased, be in foster care, or be a ward of the court at any time since you turned You are or were an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship as determined by the court of your state of legal residence.

You have been deemed homeless or at risk of homelessness by a high school homelessness liaison or a director of a homeless shelter or transitional program at any time on or after July 1,