There should be an option to not include stepparents on the FAFSA form if they do not financially support you. Additionally you should be able to file as independent if your main parent/guardian does not financially support you.
My personal experience/example:
The FAFSA simplification act changed the rules and made it to where step parents now count as contributors and their salary is taken into account whether or not they financially support you. Additionally, your parents must be put on the form and their salaries will be used even if they do not support you. There are extreme circumstances you have to meet in order to be able to file FAFSA as an independent, like being a mother, being a veteran, or being homeless. While I am not any of the things, I am not able to file as independent even though my mother has never financially supported me. I was still fine with using her on my FAFSA because I got money for school. When they changed the rules to where stepparents are now contributors, I had to file my mother’s husband (my “stepdad”) as a contributor, even though I am 21 years old, don’t consider him my father, and he does not financially support me what so ever. Because he makes good money and in combination with the little money my mom made, I lost all of my financial aid because FAFSA expected both of them to pay for me to go to school.
So now that I lost all of my scholarships and grants because I “don’t show financial need,” I also only got offered a very small amount in loans for the same reason. The reason being my mom who has never supported me, and my stepdad that I barely know, won’t pay thousands of dollars to put me through nursing school.