My partner and I are accustomed to filling out forms that don’t reflect our family structure. We regularly scratch out “Father” and “Mother,” usually writing in “Parent” and “Parent”. We’ve trained our son’s school pretty well, and halfway through our first year with them, most of the forms we receive are addressed to the “Parents”. Now that wasn’t hard, was it?
College and the FAFSA
Even though our son is only in first grade, it’s never too early to worry about how we’re going to afford his college education. (After all, it’s a mother’s prerogative to worry). The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used by most colleges and universities to determine how much a student should pay towards the cost of his/her education. Many, if not most, middle- and even upper-income families receive some sort of financial aid.
It occurred to me today that since my marriage isn’t recognized by the Federal Government, could I legitimately include just one parent’s income on the form? I’m not trying to cheat, but I do believe that Uncle Sam can’t have it both ways. If they choose not to recognize my marriage (which will (hopefully) be in its 28th year by the time my son starts college) then they have chosen not to recognize my marriage.
Science and Money Feed
