equal	the	tax	filer(s)	plus	dependents)	claimed	on	an	individual9s	tax	return.	Individuals	who	complete	the	FAFSA	form
online,	provide	the	required	consent	and	approval	to	retrieve	and	use	IRS	FTI,	and	have	their	tax	data	successfully
transferred	via	the	FA-DDX	will	not	be	asked	to	report	the	size	of	their	family	as	their	family	size	will	be	derived	from	that
FTI.	Instead,	these	individuals	will	be	asked	if	their	family	size	is	different	from	the	number	of	individuals	claimed	on	their
tax	return.	If	they	indicate	there	was	a	change,	they	will	be	asked	to	manually	report	their	number	of	dependents	in	a
follow-up	question.
On	the	paper	(PDF)	FAFSA	form,	family	size	appears	in	both	the	student	and	parent	contributor	sections.	Dependent
students	are	instructed	to	skip	Question	9	on	the	paper	(PDF)	FAFSA	form.	Dependent	students	completing	the	online
FAFSA	form	will	not	see	the	family	size	question	in	the	student	section.
The	following	persons	are	included	in	the	family	size	of	an	independent	student:
The	student	and	their	spouse,	unless	the	spouse	has	died	or	is	not	living	in	the	household	due	to	separation	or
divorce.
The	student9s	dependent	children,	if	they	live	with	the	student	(or	live	apart	from	the	student	due	to	a	qualifying
temporary	absence	under	IRS	code,	such	as	living	apart	due	to	college	enrollment)	and	will	receive	more	than	half	of
their	support	from	the	student	(and	spouse)	from	July	1,	2025,	through	June	30,	2026.	Unborn	children	should	not	be
included	in	the	family	size,	though	the	family	size	can	be	updated	if	the	child	is	born	and	will	receive	more	than	half
of	their	support	from	the	student	(and	spouse)	during	the	award	year.
Other	persons,	who	live	with	and	receive	more	than	half	their	support	from	the	student	and	will	receive	more	than
half	support	for	the	entire	award	year.	For	FAFSA	forms	submitted	after	the	start	of	the	year,	see	the	relevant
paragraph	and	example	about	legal	dependents	provided	earlier	in	this	chapter	under	the	<Children	and	Legal
Dependents=	section.
Number	in	College	(10)
While	number	in	college	is	no	longer	used	to	calculate	a	student9s	SAI,	the	FAFSA	Simplification	Act	requires	the	question
to	be	included	on	the	FAFSA	form.	Schools	can	use	the	information	provided	to	perform	a	special	circumstance	adjustment
for	a	student.	See	<Professional	Judgment=	in	Chapter	5	of	this	volume	for	additional	information.
The	student	is	always	included	in	the	number	in	college.	Also	included	are	those	in	the	family	size	who	are	or	will	be
enrolled	at	least	half	time	during	the	award	year	in	a	degree	or	certificate	program	at	a	Title	IV-eligible	school.
Student	Demographic	Information	(11)	and	Student	Ra ce	and	Ethnicity	(12)
These	questions	collect	sex/gender	and	race/ethnicity	information	about	the	student.	The	answers	to	these	questions	will
not	affect	the	student9s	eligibility	for	federal	student	aid,	be	used	in	any	calculations,	or	be	shared	with	the	schools	to
which	the	student	applies.	They	will	be	used	for	research	purposes	only.
Student	Citizenship	(13)
Family	Size	Example
AVG,	Chapter	2,	Example	8:	A	married	student	recently	separated	from	their	spouse,	and	they	are	no	longer
living	together.	They	have	a	child	together	who	is	currently	living	with	the	student9s	spouse.	The	student	is	paying
child	support	to	the	spouse,	but	it	isn9t	enough	to	provide	more	than	half	the	child9s	support.	The	spouse	and	child
cannot	be	included	in	the	student9s	family	size,	even	though	the	student	and	spouse	are	not	yet	legally	divorced.
However,	the	student9s	nephew	lives	with	the	student	and	receives	more	than	half	of	their	support	from	the
student	(and	will	do	so	for	the	award	year).	The	student	can	count	the	nephew	in	their	family	size,	which	is	two.
The	nephew,	who	recently	turned	24,	is	an	independent	student	on	his	own	FAFSA	form	and	his	household	size	is
one.
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