However,	a	stepparent	who	did	not	adopt	the	student	cannot	be	the	sole	parent	for	determining	dependency	status.	If	one
parent	dies,	the	student	is	still	a	dependent	of	the	remaining	biological	or	adoptive	parent,	not	the	stepparent.
If	parents	are	divorced	or	never	married	and	not	living	together,	the	parent	on	the	FAFSA	form	should	be	the	parent	who
provided	more	than	50%	of	the	financial	support	for	the	student	during	the	last	12	months.	This	may	be	different	from	the
parent	the	student	lived	with	during	that	same	period.	If	one	parent	pays	child	support	and/or	alimony	to	the	other	parent,
the	amount	paid	counts	for	the	payer	when	determining	which	parent	provided	more	than	50%	of	the	student9s	financial
support	and	is	a	required	contributor	on	the	FAFSA	form.	Once	the	parent	who	provides	more	than	50%	of	the	financial
support	for	the	student	has	been	determined,	that	parent	(and	their	current	spouse,	if	applicable)	should	report	their
financial	information	on	the	student9s	FAFSA	form	as	a	contributor.
If	neither	parent	provided	more	than	50%	of	the	financial	support	for	the	student	(including	when	neither	parent	provided
support	for	the	student)	during	the	last	12	months,	the	parent	with	the	greater	income	and	assets	is	a	required
contributor	on	the	FAFSA	form.	Once	the	parent	with	the	greater	income	and	assets	has	been	determined,	that	parent
(and	their	current	spouse,	if	applicable)	should	report	their	financial	information	on	the	student9s	FAFSA	form.
Note:	It	is	not	typical	that	a	student	will	receive	support	from	both	parents	exactly	equally.	Usually,	you	can	determine
that	the	student	received	more	than	half	support	from	one	of	the	parents.
A	foster	parent	or	a	legal	guardian	is	not	treated	as	a	parent	for	Title	IV	purposes.	If	at	any	time	since	the	age	of	13	both
student9s	parents	were	dead	(and	they	did	not	have	an	adoptive	parent	at	that	time)	or	the	student	was	in	foster	care,
they	are	independent.	If	the	student	is	now	or	was	when	they	became	an	adult	an	emancipated	minor	or	in	legal
guardianship,	the	student	is	independent.
If	a	student	is	living	with	their	grandparents	or	other	relatives,	their	data	should	not	be	reported	on	the	FAFSA	form	as
parental	data	unless	they	have	adopted	the	student.
Parent	Identity	Information	(30)
Like	the	student,	the	parent	identity	information	should	match	what	appears	on	their	social	security	card.	If	the	parent
Surviving	Parent	and	Stepparent	Example
AVG,	Chapter	2,	Example	9:	A	dependent	student9s	parents	divorced	when	the	student	was	five	years	old.	The
student9s	mother	remarried,	and	the	student	lived	with	her	and	the	student9s	stepfather,	who	did	not	adopt	the
student.	The	student9s	mother	died	last	year,	but	the	student9s	biological	father	is	still	living.	The	student	does	not
meet	any	of	the	criteria	to	be	independent.	Because	the	student9s	biological	father	is	the	only	surviving	parent,
the	student	needs	to	report	the	biological	father9s	information	on	the	FAFSA	form,	even	if	the	student	is	still	living
with	and	being	supported	by	the	stepfather.
Student	Living	With	Relatives	Example
AVG,	Chapter	2,	Example	10:	A	student9s	father	is	dead,	and	the	student9s	mother	can9t	support	the	student,
so	the	student	is	living	with	their	grandparents.	The	student9s	mother	doesn9t	pay	any	money	for	the	student9s
support.	The	student	doesn9t	meet	any	of	the	independence	criteria,	so	the	student	must	provide	parental
information.	Because	the	student9s	grandparents	haven9t	adopted	the	student,	they	are	not	the	student9s	parents.
The	student	will	have	to	provide	information	about	their	mother	on	the	form	unless	there	are	unusual
circumstances	that	would	warrant	a	dependency	override	or	the	student	may	elect	to	receive	only	unsubsidized
loans.	See	Chapter	5	for	additional	guidance	on	unusual	circumstances.