How does a divorce or remarriage affect which parent's income goes on the FAFSA?

The current FAFSA rules base the parent contribution on the parent who provided the greater financial support during the prior 12 months, not necessarily the one the student lives with most. If that parent has remarried, the stepparent's income and assets must also be reported, which can significantly change the picture. The other biological parent's finances are ignored for federal aid purposes. Note the divergence with the CSS Profile: many private colleges still require a non-custodial parent's financial information, so a divorce doesn't shield that parent's income at those schools. Families navigating separation should map out which parent's data each target school will require well before the FAFSA opens, because it directly determines the aid offer.