FAFSA for Divorced and Separated Parents: Who Files and How Colleges Decide

In this episode of The Ol’ College Try, hosts Matt Carpenter and Peg Keough dive deep into one of the trickiest financial aid topics—how divorce, separation, and split households affect college costs and aid eligibility. From defining what “separated” actually means to explaining which parent should file the FAFSA (and what happens if you’ve remarried), Matt and Peg break down the rules, the exceptions, and the planning opportunities families often miss.

They also cover:

• The difference between FAFSA-only and CSS Profile schools

• What to do if your ex won’t cooperate—or can’t be reached

• How colleges verify your status (spoiler: not much)