Lori Meadows
The CSS Profile is an online application that students submit to apply for financial aid from colleges and scholarship programs. It is different from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as it is used to apply for non-federal financial aid. The CSS Profile asks for details about the student's financial situation, including home value, non-custodial parent income, and medical expenses. Child support and alimony amounts are also included in the CSS profile as nontaxable income. While the FAFSA application will determine what kind of federal aid you qualify for in terms of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities, the CSS Profile allows for a more detailed explanation of your family's financial circumstances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Application type | Financial aid for college |
| Application fee | $25 for the first school, $16 for each additional school |
| Application deadline | October 1 |
| Application process | Online |
| Applicant | Student |
| Account | College Board account |
| Applicant's information | Student's name, date of birth, Social Security Number |
| Parent's information | Custodial parent's information, non-custodial parent's information |
| Income | Child support, alimony, taxable income, non-taxable income |
| Assets | Home equity value, cash in bank accounts, retirement accounts, investment funds |
| Expenses | Medical, dental, educational |
| Aid | Non-federal |
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What You'll Learn
Child support and alimony payments
Alimony and child support are common components of preparing to financially separate from a spouse. Alimony, or separate maintenance, refers to payments made to a spouse or former spouse under a divorce or separation agreement. These payments are typically made in the form of cash, checks, or money orders and are not considered child support or property settlements. It's important to note that alimony is generally taxable, and the payer spouse can deduct these payments from their income. However, this may vary depending on the date of the divorce or separation agreement and any subsequent modifications.
Child support, on the other hand, is a payment meant to help raise young children and is typically received by the custodial parent who spends more time with the children. These payments usually continue until the children reach a certain age, often 18 or 21. Child support is not considered taxable income, and the receiving parent does not need to pay income tax on this money.
In cases where a divorce or separation instrument provides for both alimony and child support, if the payer spouse pays less than the total required, the payments are first applied to child support. Only the remaining amount is then considered alimony.
It is always recommended to seek the advice of a financial advisor or lawyer to determine the best course of action for your specific situation. They can provide personalised guidance on the financial aspects of divorce or separation, including alimony and child support payments.
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Custodial parent reporting
Custodial parents can request a hearing to resolve disputed issues concerning the distribution of child support payments. They can also place a lien on a noncustodial parent's property for unpaid child support, which allows them to retain possession of the property until the owed child support is paid.
Custodial parents should inform their caseworker of any assets that the noncustodial parent has, as it is possible to collect past-due child support from sources other than wages, including tax refunds, insurance settlements, unemployment compensation, workers’ compensation benefits, property, and bank accounts. The CSS can intercept the federal and/or state tax refund of a noncustodial parent who owes past-due child support. However, custodial parents cannot receive these tax intercept payments unless the noncustodial parent has filed taxes and is eligible for a tax refund.
In California, a non-custodial parent's legal duty to disclose changes in income stops once a final child support order is entered. However, they must comply with a written request for income disclosure from the custodial parent, which can be made annually without needing to show cause.
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Non-custodial parent information
In a child support case, there are typically three parties involved: the child, the custodial parent, and the non-custodial parent. The custodial parent is the individual who resides with the child and has primary responsibility for their care. On the other hand, the non-custodial parent is often the other legal parent, although when a child is in the custody of another family member or in foster care, there may be multiple non-custodial parents.
Regardless of their living arrangement or relationship, both parents are expected to provide financial support for their children. This financial support is crucial for the well-being of the children. In the state of Connecticut, the Department of Social Services (DSS), through its Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), can assist in obtaining child support orders and receiving payments. Non-custodial parents can apply for Title IV-D Child Support Enforcement Services to ensure they are providing the necessary financial support for their children.
When it comes to completing a CSS Profile application, non-custodial parents are advised to create a College Board student account using their own information. This separate account is necessary if the primary parent does not want to share financial information on their student's account. It is important to accurately provide information such as the student's name, date of birth, and Social Security Number to ensure the applications are properly linked when sent to schools.
Additionally, it is important to note that child support and alimony may be relevant factors in the CSS Profile, impacting the determination of financial aid. However, it is unclear whether these factors are mandatory inclusions or how they should be classified in the profile.
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Financial aid
Students and their parents can apply for financial aid to help pay for college. The CSS Profile is an online application that students submit to apply for financial aid from colleges and scholarship programs. It is used by about 300 colleges and scholarship programs to award their own aid, including scholarships, grants, and loans. The CSS Profile asks for details about the applicant's financial situation, which may increase the amount of aid they receive. Students should submit both the CSS Profile and the FAFSA form to maximize the amount of financial aid they receive.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the financial aid form required by all schools. It is used to determine what kind of federal aid the applicant qualifies for in terms of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The FAFSA form has been streamlined, with the number of questions reduced from 108 to under 40, and income data is now directly transferred from the IRS. The parent who has provided the most financial support is the one who should fill out the FAFSA.
The CSS Profile is different from the FAFSA in that it is used to determine non-federal aid. Some colleges require students to use the CSS Profile to apply for non-federal aid, and it allows applicants to explain their family's financial circumstances in more detail. There is a fee for submitting the CSS Profile to colleges, but many students are eligible for fee waivers.
Divorced and separated parents face special challenges when applying for college financial aid. Child support is reported as an asset, not income, and should be listed as nontaxable income on the FAFSA and CSS Profile. If the parents have a 529 plan, which is a savings plan for future educational costs, and then get divorced, the custodial parent will need to report this as an asset on the CSS Profile. If the 529 plan is in the name of the non-custodial parent, whether or not this needs to be reported as untaxed income will depend on the school.
To increase the chance of needs-based aid, students from divorced or separated families can apply to FAFSA-only and CSS Noncustodial Schools. About one in three CSS schools do not consider the noncustodial parent's income and assets when determining how much the student should pay for college.
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CSS Profile application
The CSS Profile, administered by the College Board, is an online application that collects information used by colleges, universities, professional schools, and scholarship programs to award financial aid from sources outside of the federal government. It aims to paint a fuller picture of a family's finances than the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is recommended that parents complete the CSS Profile application using their student's College Board account. However, in some cases, parents may need to create their own account, especially if they are noncustodial parents or if the primary parent does not want to share financial information on their student's account.
The CSS Profile is free for families with an adjusted gross income of up to $100,000 per year. First-year domestic undergraduate students may also qualify for a fee waiver if they are orphans or wards of the court under the age of 24, have received an SAT fee waiver, or meet other criteria. For those who do not qualify for a fee waiver, submitting the CSS Profile to one college or scholarship program costs $25, with additional reports costing $16 each.
To complete the CSS Profile application, families will need to provide information about their income, assets, and expenses. It is important to have tax records and financial documents readily available. The application includes sections for both student and parent information. One common mistake that parents make is answering "Student Status" questions for themselves instead of their student. The CSS Profile may also include specific sections for divorced or separated parents.
The CSS Profile is required by about 270 colleges, universities, and scholarship organizations, mostly private institutions, but some public schools as well. It is important to check with the specific colleges and scholarship programs of interest to see if they require the CSS Profile. The application should be started at least two weeks before the earliest priority application date. The CSS Profile can unlock access to billions of dollars in grants and scholarships for students, providing opportunities for financial aid and institutional scholarships that can lower the net price of attendance.
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Frequently asked questions
The CSS Profile is an online application that students submit to apply for financial aid from colleges and scholarship programs.
The FAFSA application will determine what kind of federal aid one qualifies for in terms of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. The CSS Profile, on the other hand, is the application one fills out to qualify for non-federal financial assistance. The CSS Profile uses “Institutional Methodology”, which takes a more rounded look at a student’s financial situation, looking at factors such as home value, non-custodial parent income, and medical expenses.
If your parents are divorced, there are some extra steps to properly fill out and submit your CSS Profile. You will need to contact the institution receiving your CSS Profile directly, and they may ask for documents for verification. If your school wants the information of the non-custodial parent, you can use the joint taxable income from that year.
