Do I Have to Put My Parents on My FAFSA?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a gateway to federal financial assistance, including grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans. Its primary purpose is to assess a student’s financial need and determine eligibility for various aid programs. Completing the FAFSA often involves providing parental financial information, which helps calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) – a figure colleges use to determine aid packages.

Determining Your Dependency Status

The FAFSA classifies students as either dependent or independent, which directly influences whether parental financial information is required. If a student meets any one of the independent status criteria, they will not need to provide their parents’ financial details on the FAFSA. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA cycle, a student is considered independent if they were born before January 1, 2002.

Other criteria for independent status include:
Being married as of the FAFSA application date, even if separated but not divorced.
Being enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program at the beginning of the academic year.
Being a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or currently serving on active duty for purposes other than training.
Having children who receive more than half of their support from the student, or other legal dependents (excluding a spouse) who live with them and receive over half their support.
Being an orphan, a ward of the court, or a current or former foster youth at any time since age 13.
Being an emancipated minor or someone in a legal guardianship as determined by a court in their state of legal residence.
Being an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless, as determined at any time since July 1, 2024.

If a student does not meet any of these specific criteria, they are considered dependent for FAFSA purposes and must include parental financial information.

Information Required from Parents

For students classified as dependent, the FAFSA requires specific financial details from their parents to accurately calculate the Student Aid Index. The primary financial information needed includes income and assets. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, income data is derived from the 2023 federal income tax return, often referred to as “prior-prior year” data.

Parents will need to report their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), which can be found on IRS Form 1040. In addition to AGI, untaxed income such as child support received, untaxed IRA distributions, and tax-exempt interest must be reported.

Regarding assets, the FAFSA requires reporting of current cash, savings, and checking account balances. Investment values, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other securities, are also necessary. The net worth of businesses and investment farms must be included, though the family’s primary residence is generally excluded from asset calculations.

Submitting Parental Information on FAFSA

Submitting parental financial information on the FAFSA involves specific procedural steps. For many applicants, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) offers a streamlined method to transfer tax information directly from the IRS into the FAFSA. Using the DRT is highly recommended as it helps ensure accuracy and may reduce the likelihood of the FAFSA being selected for verification.

To use the tool, parents typically log in with their FSA ID, navigate to the financial information section, and select the option to link to the IRS website. After authentication, the tax data can be transferred securely into the FAFSA.

If the DRT cannot be used, perhaps due to an amended tax return or certain filing statuses like “Married Filing Separately,” parents will need to manually enter the required income and asset information. After all relevant data is entered, parents must provide their electronic signature using their FSA ID to complete their portion of the application. The final step involves the student reviewing and submitting the entire FAFSA form.

Addressing Special Circumstances

There are “unusual circumstances” that may allow a financial aid administrator to override a student’s dependency status. This process, known as a dependency override, permits a student who would otherwise be considered dependent to be evaluated as independent for financial aid purposes. These situations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the college’s financial aid office.

Examples of circumstances that might warrant a dependency override include parental abandonment, an abusive home environment that threatens the student’s health or safety, or the incarceration of both parents. Other qualifying situations could involve human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, or instances where parents cannot be located. A parent’s refusal to provide financial support or tax information alone typically does not qualify for a dependency override.

To request a dependency override, a student must contact the financial aid office at the college they plan to attend and provide documentation supporting their claim. This documentation might include letters from school counselors, social workers, or court documents detailing the unusual circumstances. The decision to grant an override rests with the financial aid administrator, and if approved, it allows the student to proceed with the FAFSA without parental financial data.