Other Family Issues

questions & answers

Question: My 18 year old daughter, who has been on her own for 1 1/2 years since I became disabled, just signed up for beauty school and they want my information for a loan and I receive ssi. Am I obligated to sign papers for her to get a loan?

Answer:

If a dependent student’s parents refuse to provide their financial information on the FAFSA, the most aid the student could be eligible for is an unsubsidized Federal Stafford loan. Contact the college’s financial aid office for more information on their specific policy and next steps.

College financial aid administrators can also talk to the student’s parents to try to convince them to complete and submit the FAFSA. For example, some parents are unwilling to file the FAFSA because of privacy concerns. The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment (20 USC 1232g and 34 CFR 99) safeguards the privacy of educational records, including financial aid application forms. In particular, FERPA does not permit the release of parent financial information to the student.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/152
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/1232g
http://www.fafsaonline.com/fafsa-questions/who-is-a-dependent-student.php