It may depend on the states but from what I know with friends who attend college...I believe your income is included if your SD lives with you two. It's hard to say though since with steps and all they may have special situations. My friend's parents had a certain amount they were to pay. Colleges figure that the parents will pay that amount, however, my one cousin does it all on her own. That amount does mess things up for her loan wise because they don't figure in that she'll be paying that out of her pocket. But her parents can't afford it. I think your SD needs to sit down and fill out her own paperwork. Get the info she needs from you guys and her mother, after seeing what the college bases it on, and do it herself. Afterall, she's going to college and she's supposed to be an adult.

Also, you'll have to check on the rules for independacy, too. Some people think it's that simple but I found out from my cousin, that she didn't qualify for it even though she lived with her boyfriend, worked, supported herself and put herself through school. I guess she said that until you have a child or marry, they still consider you under your parents care and still figure in the parents part of the tuition.

Basically, you need to find out whatever info you can on your state or the college she's attending. Try calling and asking them this stuff. Either way, though, you're still going to be paying child support for this girl until she's out of college. You shouldn't have stopped it when she graduated or turned 18, it continues after that as long as she attends college.

Child support does not always continue after the child turns 18. In Michigan, it stops at 18. Check your divorce decree or call your state agency managing the issue of child support. I would encourage her to work while she attends school and help her if you can. There are still alot of ways to get money for college without qualifying for "free" income based avenues.

Good Luck

My child support orders are from Colorado. They state that my ex will continue child support until age 19 or until 24 if still a student. Check your DH's child support order.
My son just started college this week. When I filled out the FAFSA I reported my income and the child support that I received. (i have sole custody) They based his aid on those figures. he did get some grants along with subsidized loans that he will have to repay. He also qualified for a 4 year academic scholarship that helped.

Colorado now offers a choice of helping with college expenses or paying child support. I would rather keep the child support because it's much easier since his father is 2500 miles away and uninvolved. Besides, with his mega income, he would probably be paying more for college than what child support costs him.
If she supports herself, has a job, apartment etc, then she is independent. If she's still living with mom, she's dependent.

Thanks for the info, In my state cs stops when the child turns 18 or untill the child is out of high school,it is not in my husbands divorce papers that we pay for collage, she lives with her mother in another state close by that she can drive to collage, her mother has custody,she is useing our address because the collage she wants to attend is in our state and there for cheaper rates of $395 per quater, I called and asked about financial aid and was told she would not quilty for grants since my husband and my income is a little more then $30,000, but there was all kinds of finincal aid, I also think a child should have to work to help support there self my children did from the time they were old enough to work part time while in school but it sure helped me being a single parent, I dont feel my income should be included in any finical matter concering my sc since the mother has custody, and shes the one telling my sd that she does not have to work, my husband said he thinks she should work for awhile before attending collage, but it doesnt matter what we think nor were we inculed in anything we learned latter that she had used our address, I dont mind helping this child I just dont want to be responisable for $10000s , the only reason she desided to go to this collage is because she has a boyfreind who will be going there also, her mother and her have made all the arangements I feel we are being left with the finical part, Iam sure alot of you think I am being selfish and maybe I am but my husband was around while my children were growing up lived with me throu the week went home on the weekends when he had his children, never offered to help me nor my children with anything finical and didnt ask me to marry him till my children were out of school and home, we dated for 10 years I would have married him alot sooner,guess i am just venting and right now feeling used, I work full time to help us keep afloat and afford all the extras the mother says the kids just have to have, we still owe over $2000 for braces for my sd, the mother told my husband that she set up a appt for my ss to get contacts, guess who pays for those, even thoe my husband and i bouth need glasses, seems we pay for everything and the mother just sets back and collects the cs I know it cost to raise children but we also have them from friday evening till late sunday while in school every weekend! the mother also works I think she ought to help also with the extras insted she brought her a brand new suv last year, we do well to keep our cars on the road. thanks agine for the info

As far as college loans go, I know when I went to college it must have been based solely on my mother's income, without considering my stepdad's income - which is fine, since he contributed nothing to my college education.

It seems that since you're claiming she lives with you so she can attend college in your state, you are going to be stuck with the financial part of it all. When you fill out the FAFSA, the government will automatically figure your expected family contribution. My gross income per year (with child support) is comparable to yours and my contribution is very manageable. Check out the FAFSA website it may answer some questions. Also talk to the admissions counselor at the school that she wants to attend. They've dealt with almost everything before and they will be more than happy to help you out.

Here is a link that might be useful: FAFSA on the Web

In my state, age of majority (adulthood) occurs at age 21. Check your state laws.

Thanks for the info, to susnnn thanks for the link to FAFSA it sure has helped me learn a few thing, to phyllis how do you know your sf did not contributed to your collage education, did you live in there household, did your sf work in my home we bouth work and our money is put in a joint account that all household expences are paid from, its not my money or his its ours and the way it should be.when looking throu the FAFSA form there is a space where the stepparents income is listed and the total income is what is used to base what the child can receive, I do have to sine also, seems this makes me responisble as well as my husband. Where does the mothers respoinisably lay this child is 18 they had her together, if they were still together could they afford it, who knows but it seems to me we are expected to rather or not we can is not imporant its just expected! because this childs parents are divorced, I knew when I married my husband we would be expected to pay support and the hundred other things children need and want, besides medical,dental and vision, and co-papments,three day weekend vists, weeks durring the summer with food, rooms of there own and all the extra on uittile bills, seems the parent with custody gets all the help and the one without gets no help! yes I knew we would be paying child support till they were 18 0r out of school, I feel its my husbands and his exwife responisable to help my sd throu collage not mine nor her sf,s, my children are adults also with children of there own and have to readly strugle to get by, my son asked for help one time this was to co-sine for a loan to buy a desent car, my husband said we couldnt afford to make the papments if somthing happed and he couldnt, this is true, but its also true now. The MOTHERS income should be inculed since the child is 18 on the FAFSA not the sp and they bouth should sine not just the father, they had her together! not I,and should share in the expence of there daughters collage education and also bouth sine and be responisable. PS I am not looking for a freebie for my sd education just a cheaper way, i have never recived anythinf free in my life nor have I expected to.