"College students who plan to marry in the coming year might want to hold off on filing their applications for federal student aid," reports The Salt Lake Tribune. "Students can establish their financial independence through several means, and getting married is one of them. If students are independent, they don't have to include their parents' income on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms, which may allow them to qualify for increased grants and subsidized loans. However, in some cases, students benefit more if they claim their parents' income, especially if the income levels are on the low end and the parents have several dependents or children in college, said John Curl, financial aid director at the University of Utah."