Verification and Tax Information

Verification Requirements and Tax Information

New for 2013-2014

To improve the Program Integrity of Federal Student Aid, the Department of Education has added several items to the Verification Process.  You may be asked to provide proof of completing high school (copy of diploma, high school transcript that includes your graduation date, copy of your GED, etc.) and resign the Statement of Educational Purpose and provide a valid government issued photo I.D. (Driver’s License, State-issued I.D., Passport, etc.).  The Statement of Educational Purpose must be signed in front of school personnel who will ask for your I.D. and copy it for your file.  You may also present I.D. to a Notary Public and complete the “Notary Public” version of the form which can then be sent via postal mail only to the main address of the school along with a copy of your valid I.D.  Note:  An expired I.D. is not a valid I.D.

You may also get selected for the standard verification for which the school must verify things like gross income, certain untaxed income, household members, number in college, receipt of food stamps, paid child support, and other items as determined by the Department of Education.

The simplest way to provide verification of income items is to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool within the FAFSA form.  If you originally estimated your income and have since filed your 2013 taxes electronically at least a week ago you should be able to update your income by simply pulling in your tax information through the FAFSA.

Possible Required Verification Documents (Read your letter carefully that we sent you to request documents.  Not everyone will be required to send the same documents.) 

1.         Dependent Students as defined by the Department of Education and FAFSA answers may have to provide:

• 2013-2014 Dependent Student Verification Worksheet
• 2012 IRS Tax Return Transcript for student who filed a Federal Tax Return and did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA
• 2012 IRS Tax Return Transcript for parent/s who filed a Federal Tax Return if your parents did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA

2.Independent Students as defined by the Department of Education and FAFSA answers

• 2013-2014 Independent Student Verification Worksheet

• 2012 IRS Tax Return Transcript for student who filed a Federal Tax Return and did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA

• 2012 IRS Tax Return Transcript for Spouse if married and filed separately

***If you are married and filed separately, you will not be able to use the Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA and will have to provide the Tax Return Transcript

Schools are no longer able to accept Federal Income Tax Returns for Verification.  If you are selected for Verification you have two options:

1.         Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool that is part of the FAFSA on the web.  Go to FAFSA.gov, log into the students record and select “Make FAFSA Corrections” then go to the Financial Information Section of the form.  Follow the instructions to determine if you (and/or your parents if applicable) are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer IRS income tax information into the student’s FAFSA.

2.         Request an IRS Tax Return Transcript.

• IRS 2012 Tax Return Transcript (must be requested from IRS)
• By phone: 800-908-9946
• Go to www.IRS.gov, click on the “Order a Return or Account Transcript” link
• Be sure to order the “IRS Tax Return Transcript” and NOT the “IRS Tax Account Transcript”
• You will need to use your Social Security Number, Date of Birth, and address on file with the IRS
• Complete a 4506T paper request at www.irs.gov and under Forms and Pubs click “4506-T”