<Li> Consumer debt, such as car and credit card loans . </Li> <P> A common misconception is that the EFC is a statement of what the family actually will pay . This is usually not the case, and many families have to pay more, sometimes much more, than the EFC . In an ideal world, in which all colleges had enough financial aid to meet all students' financial need, the EFC would be what the family contributed . In reality, only wealthy, selective colleges (the hardest to get admitted to) have the resources to cover every student's need . When the college cannot cover all of the need, the remainder must come out of the parents' resources . </P> <P> In some cases, in which a student qualifies for merit - based (rather than need - based) financial aid, the family pays less than the EFC . </P> <P> Students who are unmarried, younger than 24, and not supporting a minor child are categorized as Dependent Students, and the parents' income and assets are used in determining the EFC . Even if the parents have no intention of helping pay the student's college expenses, which legally they are not required to do, the student remains dependent and the parents' income and assets are used in determining the EFC and through it, the student's financial aid award . Put differently, if the parents are able but unwilling to help pay for the student's college, financial aid will not be increased because of it . This was determined by the United States Congress . </P>

Who determines your expected family contribution (efc)