She’s Refusing To Co-Sign Her Stepdaughter’s College Loans, Because Her Stepdaughter Could Easily Qualify For Tuition Benefits, But Just Won’t Apply
This woman and her 44-year-old husband first met in 2013 before tying the knot in 2015. And ever since then, she has been in her 17-year-old stepdaughter’s life.
So, her husband and his ex-wife have been separated since 2011. But now that it’s time for her stepdaughter to apply for college, she claims that her husband’s ex is getting in the way.
For context, her husband’s ex went to college but did not use her degree. Yet, her husband’s ex still had over $120,000 in college loans and had to struggle to get through school.
That’s why her stepdaughter now believes that student loans and financial struggle are necessary, too.
However, her husband is actually a totally and permanently disabled combat war veteran. And since she works as a School Certifying Official at a community college– certifying Military Education and Veterans benefits to Veterans Affairs– she knows that there are benefits out there for her stepdaughter, being that her husband’s service was connected to disability.
“My stepdaughter is eligible for CH35, or Dependents Education Assistance Benefit, which is a monthly stipend paid to my stepdaughter, plus a state benefit that is a tuition waiver up to eight semesters or four years,” she explained.
“It covers all tuition and fees, just not books or campus housing or food plans.”
But all of these benefits would take anywhere from 45 to 90 days to kick in. So, she started urging her stepdaughter to apply for the benefits following her 18th birthday later on in the month.
That way, her stepdaughter’s applications would be processed before starting college in August.
Minerva Studio – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
Her stepdaughter was accepted to a university that costs $25,000 per semester, too. And at that specific school, every freshman is required to live on campus and have a meal plan for their first year.
Rather than using the benefits she knows her stepdaughter qualifies for, though, her stepdaughter has instead asked her and her husband to co-sign on student loans. Apparently, her husband’s ex is refusing to do it for her stepdaughter.
She has also tried to explain numerous times that applying for the VA Educational Benefits is a much better route to take. However, her husband’s ex has been telling her stepdaughter that the application will not get approved.
“Which is false. This is my job. I know the ins and out’s of these benefits like the back of my hand,” she argued.
Aside from that, she and her husband simply are not financially capable of co-signing student loans– mainly because her husband is still fulfilling child support obligations.
Nonetheless, her stepdaughter has refused to apply for the benefits– despite the fact that she is eligible– simply because her husband’s ex has led her stepdaughter to believe that the application will be a “waste of time.”
So, she and her husband were forced to tell her stepdaughter that they simply would not co-sign student loans when there was an opportunity to have the tuition paid for otherwise.
“She is just… refusing to listen to us and is listening to her mother, which is going to bite her in the butt,” she said.
“Her mother is telling her that we are wrong when I have worked this job for 12 years and know what I am talking about.”
In spite of that, her stepdaughter is now beyond angry with her and her husband and has even accused them of “ruining her future.” And honestly, she does feel for her stepdaughter and wishes she could help.
“But I am also not about to co-sign on loans when she has these benefits at the ready for her to use due to her father’s time in the service,” she vented.
Nonetheless, with her stepdaughter still really upset, she’s been left wondering whether refusing to help pay the college tuition makes her a jerk or not.
Why do you think her husband’s ex is trying to claim that her stepdaughter would not qualify for assistance? Regardless, can you understand why she and her husband do not want to co-sign loans when her stepdaughter’s tuition could easily be covered? How can she get through to her stepdaughter about this? What would you do?
You can read the original post on Reddit here.
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