Unless you’re considered “independent” (based on strict definitions that the FAFSA® lays out), you’ll need to provide financial information about your parents. This is true even if they’ve told you that they will not be contributing anything to your college costs. Here are some things we’d recommend you do:
Double-check that you are considered dependent. Independent students are usually those aged 24+, are married, have dependents (like children), are active military or veterans, or are enrolling in graduate or postgraduate programs. You’re also independent if you’ve been determined to be homeless, a ward of the court, or an emancipated minor. In all of these cases, you would not have to provide financial information about your parents.
Explain to your parents what is at stake: On average, undergraduates who fill out the FAFSA® get access to $15,000 in aid per year--that’s $60,000 over four years of college! Even if your family is relatively high income, you may be eligible for some financial aid (if not grants, then lower-interest federal loans).
Ask your parents to fill out the FAFSA® with you: If your parents simply want to keep their financial information private, you can ask them to fill out the financial information part of the FAFSA® for you.
If your parents simply don’t know how to fill out the FAFSA® (due to language barriers or financial literacy), you can simply ask them for their tax forms.
Finally, if your parents really refuse to give you their financial information, you can answer that you have "special circumstances" that don't allow you to fill out the parent finances on the FAFSA® form. In our experience, this leads to lots of issues and delays with financial aid, so we do not recommend it.