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The Best Way to Qualify for Pell Grants When Married

Pell Grants are one of the best types of financial aid to get for college because you do not have to repay them. The federal government provides Pell Grants to undergraduate students who have significant financial need, meaning that they and their families cannot afford to spend much on college. When you are married, you and your spouse file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid without your parents' information. Based on these answers, the federal government calculates your Estimated Family Contribution, which directly affects whether you get a Pell Grant and if so, how much you get.

Things You'll Need

  • Last year's tax return for you and spouse
  • Spouse's Social Security number
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Instructions

    • 1

      Plan your wedding day to occur before you file the FAFSA for the upcoming school year if being married will help you. In general, being married will help if your spouse attends school as well or if you would have to file as a dependent if unmarried and your spouse earns less than the average of your parents' income.

    • 2

      Have your spouse attend school at the same time as you if you are both planning to further your education. This will cause the federal government to divide your EFC between the two of you, increasing the amount of aid you each receive.

    • 3

      Earn less than $31,000 in adjusted gross income each year prior to filing the FAFSA if you have children. In addition, you and your spouse must be eligible to file Form 1040EZ or 1040A. If you meet these conditions, you should qualify for an automatic zero EFC. This will give you the maximum Pell Grant, which is $5,550 per year as of 2011.

    • 4

      Earn less than $49,999 in adjusted gross income each year and maintain eligibility to file Form 1040EZ or 1040A if you do not have children. That way, the federal government will use the simplified EFC formula and ignore your assets in the calculations, which should lower your EFC.

    • 5

      Ask your parents to not give you cash gifts, which you have to report on the FAFSA as income. Instead, ask them to save the money and help you pay off some of your student loans after you graduate.

Tips & Warnings

  • The employees at the financial aid office can answer any specific questions you have about how marriage will affect your financial aid. They are very knowledgeable about federal aid, including Pell Grants, and lose nothing by helping you get the biggest Pell Grant possible.

  • Do not falsify information on the FAFSA in an effort to get a larger Pell Grant. The federal government selects some applications for verification, which means that you have to show proof that all your answers are correct. If you are found to have intentionally lied, you could be prosecuted.

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