[Oasfaa] Foster Children in family?

[Jonna Raney]

You may know this, but if you're like me, you think foster children are NOT counted in the family. Well, that may be true but more often than not, they can be.  See below for a question I downloaded from NASFAA askregs. It comes down to one key question....which apparently, the family decides the answer. I like this answer as I know may foster families that care for these children for a minimal amount each month and I think they should be able to count them.  The question then comes as to if they have to count the foster income they receive and well, it doesn't say, so I don't know. I can't give you ALL the answers. [😊]


Are All Foster Children Excluded from Household Size?
Knowledgebase<http://askregs.nasfaa.org/ics/support/KBSplash.asp> > Category (browse)<http://askregs.nasfaa.org/ics/support/KBList.asp?folderID=15> > Application Processing<http://askregs.nasfaa.org/ics/support/KBList.asp?folderID=16>
No. Only those children for whom the foster care system, state, or other entity provides more than half support are excluded from household size on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If the dependent student's parent is providing more than half of the foster child's support throughout the award year covered by the FAFSA, then the child can be included in the parent's household size. The same is true for a foster child being cared for by an independent student. The same is also true for children who are placed in kinship care or kinship foster care by a Child Welfare Program or Child Protective Services Program which does not provide benefits covering more than half of the child's support throughout the award year covered by the FAFSA.

For example, a dependent student’s parents are caring for a cousin who has been placed under kinship foster care of the student’s parents by Child Welfare. The student’s parents receive no foster care or other benefits supporting the cousin. The parents provide more than half of the cousin’s support and will continue to provide more than half support through June 30 of the award year covered by the FAFSA. The cousin is included in the dependent student's parent's household size.

The guidance on pages AVG-29 and AVG-33 of the 2016-17 FSA Handbook<http://www.ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1617AVG.pdf>, which indicates that foster children are not to be included in household size, assumes that the foster care agency is providing more than half of the foster child’s support.



[Oklahoma Baptist University]
Jonna Raney

Director of Student Financial Services

405.585.5020
Oklahoma Baptist University





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