My GF's parents are scumbags thus far (Fin. Aid)

[SoloAJ]

I think you're right Big Poppa Smurf. From what I read you have to be 23 and it is automatic. Other than that you have to talk to your school's fin. aid advisor and get exempt or something. My girlfriend could never get one.

Basically it looks like we're going to have to convince her parents to get online and submit the information with the online application. At least that way they don't have to let her know what their info is....(even though we could just look at it later...but still)...

[L_Dude]

My girlfriend (now wife) was in the same situation 20 years ago. There wan't much you could do then or now. She never finished college.

Probably the best and riskiest answer is to get other members of her family involved (grandparents, aunts and uncles).

Make it clear to them that she isn't asking them for money, she just needs some stupid forms filled out by her parents, so that she can get loans. Have her ask them to talk to her parents. Peer pressure is an amazing thing.

[aceupthepants]

I was actually in this same situation last year. My father died when I was two and I lost contact with my mother around 2 years ago. Obviously I couldn’t file for FAFSA because my mother was not around so I had to withdraw from school as I couldn’t possibly afford it on my own. I hired a lawyer and went to court in an effort to be declared an emancipated minor. I found this to be odd because I thought you were declared this when you became 18 but apparently not for cases such as this. There really was no precedent on such a thing so I basically just had to tell the judge my story and she declared me independent. Because of this I was able to get federal aid for schooling but I still was unable to receive state aid because they basically don’t “accept” the ruling.

[SoloAJ]

ace, that story is pretty bad. that is unfortunate. and here people think it is just our primary and secondary education that has problems...

This is pretty lame overall.

As an update: My girlfriend now thinks that she is going to move down here to live with me but possibly not take any classes and work fulltime. Chalk up another one for our government I guess.

[HajiShirazu]

Best solution is to steal their tax documents making copies (you will need these if you actually get FA for verification) and fill it out with those yourself forging all signatures. Illegal yes, but prob of being caught is very low and since the information is all true anyway, you probably wouldn't get much of a penalty if you explained the truth. If they are evading taxes and are that worthless anyway I would turn them in.
FWIW I was in the opposite situation - my mom wanted to claim me as dependent but couldn't due to a change in tax laws made just last year.

[m80smusic]

Tell them to get off of their high horses, and give up their info. there are a ton of wealthier people than them who have given up their income #'s for their students. They shouldn't flatter themselves by thinking their income numbers are so important that they can't write down the [censored] bracket they fall into for their daughter's education

[weaklyatomic]

To be independent you have to:

Be 24 or older
Have Graduated with a 4 year degree
Have served in the Military
Be an orphan or ward of the court
Be married

However, if any of the above are met she'll lose health insurance if she's on her parents plan. Most state schools can be enrolled in for less than $10k a year, just tell her to get a job. If she lvied on her own loans or not she'd need a job anyway.