Emancipation and FAFSA

[Hannah PWD]

My question involves emancipation laws for the State of: Colorado

I've read the law and more info on the Colorado Courts page. My question is actually related to filling out FAFSA.

A 21 yo woman lives in a room in my house. Parental rights were terminated when she was small. Her great-grandparents were given custody of her, but she was not adopted. Great grandfather has died and grandma is in assisted living.

She has now finished high school and is trying to get into college. The college is insisting that her parents (dead and unknown) or guardians sign paperwork (can't happen) or that she provide proof of going through formal emancipation (and there isn't a process in Colorado). The college standard is that one is not considered emancipated until age 24 unless married for at least one year.

They say FAFSA is the same. How do we handle this?

[Hannah PWD]

FAFSA part answered when we tried to do it - they have appropriate questions.

College part still in question. They are demanding a court ordered emancipation. I just want to tell them to read the law!

[Mr. Knowitall]

Once you turn 18 you're emancipated by virtue of your age. That doesn't help you qualify for financial aid. I don't know of any state that allows legal adults to "emancipate" in order to try to qualify for additional financial aid.

[Hannah PWD]

I did not say anything about extra financial aid. And in my 2nd post I said we'd made it through FAFSA.

However, the college is still insisting - for enrollment purposes - on parental or guardian information. Such information does not exist. So they want an emancipation document and that also does not exist. There are no parents and it appears that guardianship ends at age 19. In any case, on guardian has died and the other is incapacitated and they abdicated their responsibilities when she was 16.

[PQN]

Put her parents names, etc in the correct spaces and write deceased on the signature line.

[Mr. Knowitall]

FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You'll please forgive my rash assumption that somebody who is applying for financial aid hoped to receive it.