BDCP - FAFSA Dependency Status

[JSnake]

I'm going through the process of filing my FAFSA right now and I'm not sure whether I'm considered an independent or dependent. In the determination questions, FAFSA asks:

"Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?"

While my next step would be to go into training, it isn't the sole purpose of my active duty affiliation. So would that be a yes or no?

 

[nugget81]

You're reading too much into it. You are active duty Naval Reserve. You aren't in training yet.

 

[m26]

I suspect that "active duty for purpose of training" would be something like a reservist drilling, or going through A-school. BDCP is active duty, period.

 

[OnTopTime]

I suspect that "active duty for purpose of training" would be something like a reservist drilling, or going through A-school. BDCP is active duty, period.

A reserve drill period is not active duty. Yes, BDCP is active duty, but what do you mean "active duty, period"? If the wording on the FAFSA form is trying to find out if an active duty applicant is in a training status or not, what option or options are there if not in training? Assigned to an operational unit? I could make a good-faith argument that being in BDCP does NOT meet the definition of "currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training." Enrolling in and successfully completing BDCP allows one to go to OCS, which is without a doubt a training program. BDCP and OCS are linked hand in hand.

 

[m26]

Ah, thanks for the correction on drill periods.

I mean that BDCP is active duty in the eyes of the Navy, with no particular caveats. This is how it has been explained to me. It's not "kind of" active duty, it just is. We are definitely not training. It's in the future, sure, but that's not why we're on active status while in school.

The impression I have gotten again and again is that to explain BDCP you just say "active duty." Same as any Airman currently assigned to a carrier, the difference being that our assignment is school, and we don't have the title, haircut, uniform, etc. But for technical/paperwork purposes, it's easier just to think of it that way.

 

[OnTopTime]

Again, I think that you can easily make an argument that you ARE training. School = training, yes? You're undergoing a course of instruction that's required for your military specialty. The Airman on the carrier is assigned to an operational command and is deployable world wide. The BDCP body is about as far as he/she can get from being assigned to an operational command and isn't deployable anywhere. He/she needs to be trained first.

 

[m26]

Semantically, yeah, I guess you could make an argument.

Back in the terms of the question asked:
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalinfo/g/actdutr.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/active-duty-for-training
http://www.militarywords.com/result.aspx?term=active+duty+for+training&tab=dod
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/initial+active+duty+for+training

But again, by title we are "active duty", full stop.

 

[VmiMMXI]

Hey jsnake,
I'm not sure if the essence of your problem is the answer to the question "Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?", or whether you can still be claimed as a dependent. If the latter is the case, I can tell you that when I swore in a little over 5 weeks ago I asked my processors the same question (well really they had me fill out a tax form which made me ask the question), and they said in no uncertain terms that I COULD NOT be claimed as a dependent by my parents on the FAFSA and their own taxes. I believe the reason they gave was that because I was now active duty I could not be claimed as a dependent. I don't have any paper in front of me saying this at the moment, but that is what they told me, so take that for what its worth.

 

[yakboyslim]

You are not training, you are active duty. Like m26 said we are not supposed to read into it that much. Just active duty.

We aren't really active duty, but we aren't training. We are BDCP and unfortunately FAFSA/IRS don't know what that is. For them you are active duty, E3.

And no you cannot be claimed as a dependent. You pay (or you should pay) more than half of your bills now. That means you are not DEPENDENT on your parents. The FAFSA will still consider parental income though (it always does unless you are emancipated or a graduate student, no matter what your tax filing status)

 

[BACONATOR]

I was still a dependent until I graduated, for all intents and purposes. Future audits notwithstanding, that's what I'd bank on.

 

[OnTopTime]

I wouldn't rely on an internet forum or even your recruiter/processor for tax advice. The IRS definition of "dependent" is laid out in excruciating detail in IRS pubs and depends on each person's specific situation. That being said, after a good night of sleep, I agree with m26 on the answer to the FAFSA question, which I believe is very poorly worded. I think what the FAFSA form is trying to do is to exclude from active duty status those reservists who are serving under active duty orders for a limited period of time, such as on Annual Training (AT) orders or Active Duty for Training (ADT) orders, at the time the form is being completed. I can think of a better way to ask the question that identifies those situations.

 

[yakboyslim]

I was still a dependent until I graduated, for all intents and purposes. Future audits notwithstanding, that's what I'd bank on.

The way I guess I looked at it (after talking to my parents) is I pay my own bills I should get my own tax deduction. As a general rule of thumb it really only affects who gets your deduction and freebies (like the stimulus check) - you or your parents.

Of course I am in no way a tax lawyer, I do my taxes with turbo tax and I have no firm grasp of tax law. Like ontoptime said, not the best place for tax advice. Actually turbo tax is a pretty good place for help if you haven't filed already. They have a FAFSA thing now too, so all your tax info automatically goes over to the FAFSA.

 

[Moc1Sig]

I was still a dependent until I graduated, for all intents and purposes. Future audits notwithstanding, that's what I'd bank on.

Last year I was filed as dependent with my parents, because I was. This year I am filing Independent, well because I was this year. FASFA, I dont remember doing anything different, maybe I was still dealing with FS when I decided to figure it out. Pretty sure I was still dependent and received no financial aid besides my scholarships, because apparently FAFSA thinks that airline pilots still make good money. Must be using income data from the 80's or something.

 

[Double_A]

"Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?"

While my next step would be to go into training, it isn't the sole purpose of my active duty affiliation. So would that be a yes or no?

I answered "yes" on my FAFSA last year and filed as an independent. My school then requested to see my orders regarding the active duty/training question and approved them a couple weeks later. By filing as an independent it greatly increased my financial aid choices and money scholarships. I filed the same way this year.