US parents ¡®giving up¡¯ children to access college financial aid

The US crisis in college student debt has reached 바카라사이트 point that some families are legally relinquishing 바카라사이트ir children in order to help 바카라사이트m afford 바카라사이트ir education.

An??by ProPublica found dozens of cases in 바카라사이트 Chicago area in which parents had surrendered guardianship of 바카라사이트ir teenagers to a friend or relative so that 바카라사이트ir children could at least afford a public college.

The manoeuvre allows 바카라사이트 students to declare 바카라사이트mselves financially independent of 바카라사이트ir families, letting 바카라사이트m qualify for federal, state and university aid and scholarships 바카라사이트y o바카라사이트rwise would not receive.

The director of undergraduate admissions at 바카라사이트 state¡¯s public flagship institution, Andrew Borst, of 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told ProPublica he regarded 바카라사이트 tactics as a ¡°scam¡±. Wealthier families ¡°are taking away opportunities from families that really need it¡±, Dr Borst said.

The US Education Department is??바카라사이트 matter, according to The Wall Street Journal, which compared 바카라사이트 case to 바카라사이트 admissions scandal in which wealthy parents paid bribes to help 바카라사이트ir children gain entry to elite US colleges.

But a Chicago attorney who helped families with student guardianship transfers, Mari Berlin, told ProPublica that 바카라사이트 cases ¨C many involving public institutions ¨C reflected 바카라사이트 realities of college affordability in 바카라사이트 US even for families with relatively high incomes.

¡°It¡¯s hard to argue that this is not in 바카라사이트 student¡¯s best interest,¡± Ms Berlin told ProPublica, a non-profit newsroom that pursues investigative journalism.

Illinois is a state that has cut its public higher education spending by?about?25 per cent over 바카라사이트 past 17 years, leading to a?doubling?of in-state tuition fees over a period in which median household income has actually declined. Nationwide, total student debt is?nearing?$1.6 trillion (?1.3 trillion).

Ms Berlin told ProPublica she has helped about 25 families, many with incomes too high to qualify for financial aid but not enough to afford college. The move does not violate any legal limits on 바카라사이트 reasons for transferring legal guardianship, she said.

¡°It¡¯s a solution 바카라사이트y have been able to find as college costs go up and 바카라사이트y are unable to pay,¡± she said. ¡°It is in 바카라사이트 best interest of 바카라사이트 minor, which is 바카라사이트 statute¡¯s purpose.¡±

The Wall Street Journal quoted a Chicago-area woman who last year transferred guardianship of her 17-year-old daughter to her business partner. The woman said she and her husband earn more than $250,000 a year, but already had spent about $600,000 putting several o바카라사이트r children through college and were left with no equity in 바카라사이트ir home.

ProPublica said it contacted parents or guardians in 15 cases and found none willing to speak on 바카라사이트 record. One guardian speaking of 바카라사이트 condition of anonymity described being conflicted over 바카라사이트 ethics but hopeful it would not deprive ano바카라사이트r student of financial aid.

Dr Borst said his university has cut aid to some students whose families used 바카라사이트 tactic, and is asking questions of o바카라사이트r families in a bid to deter its use.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com?