Notes for questions 38-40 (page 2)
Enter “Yes” if you received a determination at any time on or after July 1,
2020, that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or at
risk of being homeless.
• Homeless - means lacking fixed, regular, and adequate housing,
which includes living in shelters, motels, or cars, or temporarily living
with other people because you had nowhere else to go.
• Unaccompanied - means you are not living in the physical custody of
your parent or guardian.
• Youth - means you are 21 years of age or younger or you are still
enrolled in high school as of the day you sign this application.
Answer “No” if you are not homeless or at risk of being homeless,
or if you do not have a determination. You should contact your
financial aid office for assistance if you do not have a determination
but believe you are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or
are an unaccompanied youth providing for your own living expenses
who is at risk of being homeless.
• Your parents are incarcerated.
• You have left home due to an abusive family environment.
• You do not know where your parents are and are unable to
contact them (and you have not been adopted).
In these special circumstances, it is important for you to understand
the following: The financial aid staff may ask for additional information
to determine whether you can have an expected family contribution
(EFC) calculated without parental data. Gather as much written
evidence of your situation as you can. Written evidence may include
court or law enforcement documents; letters from a clergy member,
school counselor, or social worker; and any other relevant
documentation that explains your special circumstance.
Question 41 and 43-56. Report your legal parents’ marital status as of the
date you sign your TASFA (enter married if they are separated but not
divorced). If your parents’ marital status changes after you sign your
TASFA, check with your financial aid office at your institution.
• If your parent was never married and does not live with your other
legal parent, or if your parent is widowed and not remarried, answer
questions 43-49 about that parent.
• If your legal parents (biological, adoptive, or as determined by the state
[for example, if the parent is listed on the birth certificate]) are not married
to each other and live together, select “Both parents live together
unmarried” and provide information in questions 43-56 about both of
them regardless of their gender. Do not include any person who is not
married to your parent and who is not a legal or biological parent.
• If your legal parents are married, select “Married or Remarried.” If
your legal parents are divorced but live together, select “Both parents
live together unmarried.” If your legal parents are separated but live
together, select “Married or Remarried,” not “Divorced or Separated.”
Answer questions 43-56 about both parents.
• If your legal parents are divorced or separated, answer questions
43-49 about the parent you lived with more during the past 12
months. (If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give
answers about the parent who provided more financial support
during the past 12 months or most recent year that you received
support from a parent.) For instance, if you feel the support was
equal (50/50), list information for the parent that provided at least
51% (slightly more) of your support for the year. If this parent is
remarried as of today, answer questions 43-56 about that parent and
your stepparent.
• If your widowed parent is remarried as of today, answer questions 43-
56 about that parent and your stepparent.
Question 42. Enter the month and year of your parents’ marital status
selected in question 41. If your parents have never been married,
remarried, separated, divorced, or widowed, mark “N/A.”
SECTION FOUR: INCOME INFORMATION
PART A. EARNINGS
Notes for questions 57-58 (page 3)
Notes for questions 63-64 (page 3)
Question 57 and 63. Indicate whether you, your spouse, and/or your
parent(s) worked anytime from January 1, 2019 through December 31,
2019. If you, as the student, are married, you must provide spouse
income and information.
Question 58 and 64. Enter 2019 earnings (wages, salaries, tips, etc.),
even if a tax return was not filed. This information may be on the W-2
forms or on the tax return: IRS Form 1040—line 1 + Schedule 1, lines 12
+ 18, + Box 14 (Code A) of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065). If any individual
earning item on these tax forms is negative, do not include that item in
your calculation.
In order to accurately assess your financial situation, your institution
needs to account for all sources of income. In cases where your family’s
earnings from employment are at or above the IRS filing threshold
requirements, the financial aid office will require that you file taxes
before processing your TASFA. Tax filing requirements can be found in
IRS Publication 17, Table 1-1: 2019 Filing Requirements for Most
Taxpayers. See https://www.irs.gov/uac/About-Publication-17.
Nontax filers: If you (and your spouse) and/or your parent(s) did not file
taxes, contact the financial aid office to see if additional information is
needed.
Notes for questions 59 and 60 (page 3)
Notes for questions 65 and 66 (page 3)
Question 59 and 65. Indicate whether you, your spouse, and/or your
parent(s) have completed a federal or foreign tax return for 2019. If
“Yes,” you will be required to submit documents to your financial aid
office (e.g., tax returns, tax transcripts, W-2s).
Question 60 and 66. Enter an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
(ITIN) for you, your spouse, and/or your parent(s), if used to file a 2019
tax return. Note: Mark “N/A” if an ITIN was not used to file a 2019 tax
return.
Notes for questions 61 and 62 (page 3)
Notes for questions 67 and 68 (page 3)
Question 61 and 67. Adjusted gross income (AGI) is on IRS Form 1040—
line 8b. If you did not file a tax return, mark “N/A.”
Question 62 and 68. Income tax amount is the total of IRS Form 1040—
line 14 minus Schedule 2—line 2. If negative, enter a zero. If you did not
file a tax return, mark “N/A.”
Note: Income tax is not income. It is the amount of tax that you, your
spouse, or your parents paid on income earned.
2021-22 Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) Page 7
SECTION THREE: PARENT INFORMATION
NNototees for s for quequesstiotionns s 441-1-556 6 ((ppaaggee 33) )
Note: If you believe you have a special circumstance in which you are
unable
to
enter parental
information
when completing the TASFA,
it is
important for
you to notify and work closely
with the
financial aid
office
of the
institution
you plan
to
attend.
In
limited circumstances
such as the ones
listed
below, you may be able
to submit your TASFA without
providing parental
information: