Do i have to fill out a FAFSA to get financal aid for college?

Ok so i have a difficult situation. I just turned 18, i鈥檝e graduated from high school, and i am now ready to start college. Since i have to pay my way through college i thought i鈥檇 fill out a FAFSA form to see if i can get any financial aid. The only problem is that my mother, who i am still dependent of, doesn鈥檛 agree with giving out all her personal/financial information. so what do i do?!? how am i supposed to get any financial help if i don't get my FAFSA filled out?!? i don't know what to do鈥lease help! What are my alternatives?

Unfortunately, your mom is going to have to cooperate if you are going to be able to receive financial aid. Far and away, the largest provider of educational aid in this country is the federal government, and the FAFSA is THE application for federal government aid.

Here's the thing - no matter where your aid winds up coming from (even if it's sources other than the federal government), the aid granting body needs to analyze your need for aid. Your need for aid is based on what you and your family can reasonably be expected to contribute to the cost of your own education. If your mother refuses to provide the information about your family's ability to contribute, you will not be able to apply for any type of financial aid.

I realize, that in this day and age, some people are less than trusting of the government, and what the government wants to do with information. In this particular case, however, your mother's fears are unfounded. The body that reviews and analyzes your FAFSA is the US Department of Education. The Department of Education asks that you provide information that is copied from your last year's tax return, and information about the value of certain, very limited assets that your mother might have. The FAFSA does not ask about the value of your family home, and the FAFSA does not ask about the value of retirement funds that your mother has put away.

The financial aid office will not be able to help you work around your mother's refusal to provide the requested information - the only thing that they might be able to do is provide you with some printed literature that you can give your mother to explain how the financial aid system operates. Unfortunately, the financial aid regulations specifically state that "parent's refusal to provide income and tax information" does not provide any kind of exception to the aid rules.

If your mom won't share that limited information with the Department, so that they can analyze your financial aid need, you are not going to be able to complete the application, and you are not going to qualify for federal or state financial aid.

I would highly recommend that you see if someone in the financial aid office will volunteer to speak directly with your mother. Another option would be to see if you can get your mom to call the Department of Education at their student service number 1-800-4Fed-Aid. Maybe they would be able to explain the system to her in a way that will reassure her.

Good luck to you!

Go to the financial aid office of the school you want to go to. Tell them that your mother is being uncooperative and refuses to give her information. They can get it from the IRS. It's much easier if you can convince your mother to provide the info, but if she won't they can get it another way.

You're mom can refuse all she wants but eventually she'd have to give in because considering your under the age of 24, you'll always be her dependent. I've heard of a lot of cases dealing with parents who are unwilling to share their financial information or are no longer helping out their child for any assistance. You need to go see a financial aid counselor and they can handle the situation. I believe there is some sort of release form that you can claim but like I said you are still your mother's dependent and that might cause a lot of chaos. Explain to your mother it is all confidential information and none of her info gets leaked out to anyone that is unnecessary to you're situation and financial support. FAFSA offers a great package and a lot of support for you thru college. And let her know that that without her information you'd be in great debts. because it is so difficult without the FAFSA money to get through school.