Emancipated Minor
Emancipated Minor
As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor?
Answer "Yes" if you:
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- can provide a copy of a court's decision that you are an emancipated minor
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Answer "No" if the:
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- above does not apply OR if the court order is no longer in effect.
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NOTE: The court must be in your legal state of residence and you WILL be required to provide documentation from the courts to show you are an emancipated minor.
Legal Guardianship
Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your current state of legal residence or your state of legal residence at the time you received the determination?
NOTE: The definition of legal guardianship does not include your parents, even if they were appointed by a court to be your guardian. You are also not considered a legal guardian yourself.
Answer "Yes" if you:
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- can provide a copy of a court's decision that as of today you are in "legal guardianship" or if you can provide a copy of a court's decision that you were in legal guardianship immediately before you reached the age of being an adult in your state.
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Answer "No" if the:
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- if you are still a minor and the court decision is no longer in effect, or if the court decision was not in effect at the time you turned 18.
- OR if custody was awarded by the courts and the court documents/papers say custody (not guardianship).
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NOTE: The court must be located in your state of legal residence. The court documents must reference "legal guardian" and not refer only to custody. The federal law indicates that you must be in legal guardianship, which means that your documentation from the courts must state that someone has been appointed as your guardian, legal guardian, or that you are in legal guardianship. It cannot only refer to custody, legal custody, joint custody, or physical custody.