Verification Process

The following questions relate to the Verification Process. Please select your option. If you have additional questions, please contact the Student Financial Services Office or you may also log into ASSIST to check your financial aid file status.

• What is the Verification?

• Why was I selected?

• What items are required to be Verified?

• What do I do if I am selected?

• Other than tax returns, what other documents might be requested?

• If I don't have copies of tax returns or if one was not files, what do I need to do?

• Can my Financial Aid offer change as a result of Verification?

• After I turn in the required documents, how long do I wait for my award announcement?

What is Verification?

A process that the US Department of Education requires schools to use to verify the information reported on the FAFSA of selected applicants.

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Why was I selected?

The US Department of Education selects a group of applications because certain FAFSA information appears inconsistent; and others are selected at random.

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What items are required to be Verified?

• Household Size

• Number in College

• Adjusted Income

• US Taxes Paid

• Certain types of Untaxed Income and Benefits

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What do I do if I am selected?

If your application is selected for verification, you must provide our office with the required documentation to show that the FAFSA information is accurate. Note: if you do not know if you are Dependent student or an Independent student, click on Dependency Status.

Independent Students:

     1. Submit your (and your spouse's, if you are married) financial documents (signed Federal tax forms, W-2

        forms, etc)

         Acceptable Federal Tax Forms include:

• 1040

• 1040A

• 1040EZ

• 1040PC (or other electronic return, excluding 8453)

• TeleFile with IRS Confirmation Number                           

• 1040NR

• IRS Letter 1722

• RTFTP

• IRS Tax Account Summary

     2. Complete and sign the Verification Worksheet-Independent (IVF-I).

     3. Submit the completed IVF-1, financial documents and any other documents required to our office.

Dependent Students:

     1. Submit you and your parents' financial documents (signed Federal tax forms, W-2 forms, etc.)

          Acceptable Federal Tax Forms include:

• 1040

• 1040A

• 1040EZ

• 1040PC (or other electronic return, excluding 8453)

• TeleFile with IRS Confirmation Number                           

• 1040NR

• IRS Letter 1722

• RTFTP

• IRS Tax Account Summary

     2. Complete and sign the Verification Worksheet-Dependent (IVF-D)

     3. Submit the completed IVF-D, financial documents and any other documents required to our office

        program rules (34 CFR, Part  668). You may be required to submit additional documentation after the

        initial verification process. You must complete the verification process or you will not receive financial aid

        assistance.

        If you did not retain copies of your Federal Tax Forms, you will need to request this information from the 

        IRS at 1-800-829-1040. If there are differences between your FAFSA information and your IVF and financial

        documents, corrections will be electronically made to your FAFSA for reprocessing.

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Other than tax returns, what other documents might be requested?

     Certain Untaxed Income and Benefits Documents to confirm data. Please see examples below:   

                   Item in Question:                                                            Document Needed:

• Social Security Benefits                                            Social Sec. Administration Form 1099

• Child Support                                                            Divorce Decree

• IRA / Keogh Deductions                                             Income Tax Return; W-2's

• Foreign Income Exclusion                                         IRS Form 2555

• Interest on Tax-Free Bonds                                        Income Tax Return

• Aid to Needy Families (TANF)                                    US Dept. of Human Resources Forms

• Veteran's Benefits                                                      Veteran's Affairs Benefits Forms

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If I don't have copies of tax returns or if one was not filed, what do I need to do?

Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Ask for a 1722 letter or tax transcript for the calendar year of 2003. This form will be sufficient in lieu of an actual copy of your tax return.

If you and/or your parents did not file a tax return, then you will need to get a transcript 1722 from IRS to confirm you did not file. If your parents are non-residents, they will need to provide proof of other income resources that your family survived with during the prior calendar year.

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Can my Financial Aid offer change as a result of Verification?

The Financial Aid package offer to you was based on the information provided on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal Programs such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study and the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan Program have strict eligibility requirements. I f your tax information differs from the information on which your FAFSA is based, your awards could be reduced or cancelled altogether.

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After I turn in the required documents, how long do I wait for my award announcement?

Please allow two to three weeks for the verification process to be completed. If your are eligible assistance, an award announcement will be created and mailed to you outlining your eligible awards. Check ASSIST for awards on-line.

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