Limited Income Personal Statement
Lincoln Land Community College
TRIO Student Support Services

Thank you for your interest in Lincoln Land Community College's TRIO Student Support Services program!  TRIO is a federally-funded program that serves students who are first-generation, have a limited income or are experiencing a disability.  

One of the eligibility requirements for TRIO SSS students is to have a limited family income.  This statement serves as verification of dependency status and income level.

Please complete this form as thoroughly as possible.  You cannot save and restart this form.  If you have any questions, please email our office at trio@llcc.edu or visit us in the lower level of Sangamon Hall.

If you can answer “Yes” to any of the questions below, you are considered to be an Independent student.

• Were you born before January 1, 2001?
• As of today, are you married? (Also answer “yes” if you are separated but not divorced.)
• At the beginning of the 24-25 school year, will you be working on a Master’s or doctorate program?
• Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?
• Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
• Do you now have or will you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025?
• Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2025?
• At any time since you turned age 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?
• As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor?
• Does someone other than your parent or stepparent have legal guardianship of you, as determined by a court in your state of legal residence?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at-risk of being homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2023, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

Family Size

A family is a group of two or more persons related by birth, legal marriage, or adoption who live together.

For dependent students, this includes: self, parent(s), stepparent, siblings who still live at home and any other dependents of your parent(s)

Even if you do not live at home, you are still considered a dependent if you cannot answer yes to the dependency questions, so you should consider yourself in the number of family members.

For independent students, this includes: self, spouse, children and other dependents.

Adjusted Gross and Taxable Income

Please refer to your 1040 Federal Tax Return from 2023. If you do not have taxable income or did not complete a 2023 Federal Tax Return, write 0 on both lines. Adjusted gross income can be found on line 11 and taxable income can be found on line 15. See example below.

If the applicant is a dependent student, only the parent income should be reviewed.  You do not need to add student and parent income together.  Only parent adjusted gross and taxable income should be listed for dependent students.

For dependent students, a parent must complete signature section.

By electronically signing below, I (student or parent) certify that the indication of dependancy status, household size, and taxable income listed above are true and complete to the best of my knowledge.