Each year, Federal Student Aid Programs randomly select about 25 percent of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) filers for a process known as “federal verification”. If a student is selected for federal verification upon filing the FAFSA, the Office of Financial Aid is required to verify certain data elements the student listed on his/her FAFSA by having a student complete the Federal Verification Form and, in some cases, supply additional documentation. Upper-class students selected for federal verification on the FAFSA must supply the required documentation and be verified by the Financial Aid Office before a financial aid package can be prepared. Additionally, by federal guidelines, all students selected for federal verification (new and returning) must have federal verification completed on their file before any federal aid can be disbursed to their student account. You can attach your completed verification documents below. (Note: Verification Form must be signed by both the student and one parent if the student is dependent).
Forms:
Request Tax Transcript
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You may download an IRS Tax Transcripts via the Get Transcript option at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript, request one by phone at 1-800-908-9946, or mail the paper Form 4506T-EZ, which can be printed out from the IRS website. To use the Get Transcript Online tool to download a pdf of your Tax Transcript, users must have (1) access to a valid email address, (2) a text-enabled mobile phone in their name, and (3) specific financial account numbers, such as a credit card number or an account number for a home mortgage or auto loan. The process will not cause charges to the card or the account.
- Please note: If you did not yet use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when filing your FAFSA, but were presented with the option to do so, please return to https://fafsa.gov, select "Make a Correction". Navigate to the Income Sections (FSA ID required) to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool; Students and parents each must use the Tool separately for their respective income tax returns. If your information successfully transfers from your federal tax return in the IRS database to the FAFSA, you are not required to request IRS tax transcripts.
Verification of Non-Filer status
- Parents(s) of dependent students and independent students who were not required to complete a 2021 federal tax return must submit an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter or other confirmation of non-filing status from the IRS dated on or after October 1, 2022. Dependent students that did not file a tax return are not required to obtain a Non-Filing Statement www.irs.gov. To obtain an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter, visit www.irs.gov, under "Tools", click “Get Transcript Online”. Enter the non-filers SSNO, choose “Verification of Non-Filing Letter”, and in the tax year field, select “2021”. You may also request one by phone at 1-800-908-9946.
- All non-tax filers selected for federal verification must also provide a copy of a 2021 W-2 or equivalent document for each source of employment income.
Victims of identity theft who cannot get a return transcript or use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when filing the FAFSA must submit a Tax Return DataBase View (TRDBV) transcript as well as a statement they have signed and dated indicating that they were victims of tax-related identity theft and that the IRS has been made aware of it. To do so, call the IRS’s Identity Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU) at 800-908-4490. After the IPSU authenticates the tax filer’s identity, the individual can request that the TRDBV transcript be mailed which is an alternate paper transcript that will look different than a regular transcript but that is official and can be used for verification. Those who cannot obtain a TRDBV transcript may instead submit another official IRS transcript or equivalent IRS document if it includes all of the income and tax information required to be verified.
Identity and statement of educational purpose
This form is only required for those assigned to Verification Tracking Groups 4 and 5. Students who must complete this form will see it listed in The Nest. Students required to submit this must visit the Financial Aid Office during business hours (Barbelin 121) to present a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification (ID) such as a passport or a driver’s license or other state-issued ID. Note that an ID issued by a state university or college is not sufficient for this purpose. For those unable to come to the Financial Aid Office, there is an option to have the form below completed by a Notary Public.
This form is only to be used for students coming in person to the Financial Aid Office (Barbelin 121 on Hawk Hill campus; Griffith 100 on University City campus) to present their credentials if selected in verification group 4 or 5.
This form is for students to use if they are signing and presenting their ID to a notary because they are unable to make it to campus.