Dependency
Determination
Dependency Overrides
The federal
government developed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
as the tool for calculating all
students' aid in a fair way. For the vast majority of students
it allows for a reasonable calculation of financial responsibility
and aid eligibility. On very rare occasions a student's
situation may need to be reviewed more closely for possible
adjustment.
In
cases where a student is in an abusive family situation, which
creates extreme hardship, a dependency override may be considered by
the Financial Aid Office. Documented child abuse cases,
release into DHS or court custody, or current parental incarceration
are some examples of extreme situations that can be considered for
an override. Such situations should be documented and
should involve a total abandonment by the parents from all
emotional, financial and physical support for the student.
Please note that the factors listed below DO NOT make a student
eligible for a dependency override by themselves.
-
Parental
willingness to give information or financial help to the student
-
Whether or not the parents claim the student on the federal tax
return
-
Whether or not the student lives with the parent
-
Whether
or not the student pays all their own expenses
Dependency Overrides are significant. They are essentially a
request to shift the responsibility of paying for your education from
your parents to the taxpayers. The government's expectation is
that parents meet their own responsibility first. If parents
choose to not help their children, their choice creates a great burden
on the student, but does not justify by itself shifting their obligation
to others. So
dependency overrides are only approved for extreme cases that involve
far more than parent or student choice.
To have
a Dependency Override request considered, students should contact the
Financial Aid Office.
Updated
10/22/2007
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