February 5, 2009

Do You Know the Answer?

Q. How did the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) impact provisions related to
     emancipated minors?

A. HEOA clarifies that a student meets the definition of an independent student if he or she:

• is, or was immediately prior to attaining the age of majority, an emancipated minor, or
• is in a legal guardianship as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in the student’s state of legal residence.

Prior to the clarification provided in HEOA, students whose emancipated minor status or legal guardianship terminated due solely to their age would be reclassified as dependent students.