nt lives with the parent who has the lower income (including the stepparent’s income if this parent has remarried).
So, to the extent that the parents can control the student’s living arrangements, the student might be able to qualify for more financial aid. However, the living arrangements should be genuine. The parents may wish to ask the court to modify the custody agreement. College financial aid administrators have more experience with detecting fraud than parents have in gaming the system. For example, the college financial aid administrator will be suspicious if the custodial parent does not live in the same state or even school district as the student’s high school. Likewise, if the parents claim to be living apart, the financial aid administrator will question the accuracy of the FAFSA if the father answers when the financial aid administrator calls the mother’s residence (or vice versa). College financial aid administrators may ask for proof, such as a copy of the divorce decree, separation agreement, utility bills or apartment rental agreements.
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