FAFSA VERIFICATION PAPERWORK
COMPLETING VERIFICATION PAPERWORK
Any student who files a FAFSA may be chosen for a verification review. This process is required by federal regulation and the College is mandated by this regulation to adhere to the procedures explained below.
The verification process entails the review of IRS tax documents and household information to ensure the accuracy of the FAFSA application. FAFSA applications may by selected for verification at random or based upon a set of common edits developed by the U.S. Department of Education which check data for consistency and logic. Others are checked against prior year applications that students have submitted.
Financial aid will continue to be processed during the verification process, though the financial aid remains estimated until the verification process is complete. No federal or institutional financial aid will credit to students’ accounts until this process is complete. Failure to complete paperwork in a timely manner will lead to possible late fees, inability to request transcripts, and loss of permission to register for upcoming semesters for students whose accounts are not paid by the deadlines specified by the Business Office.
NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION
Incoming new and transfer students selected for verification review will be notified via the email address they provided on their FAFSA. Returning students will be notified via their Davisny.edu email. Student should complete this process as quickly as possible. Please note that this process can take upwards of 2-3 weeks if IRS transcripts need to be requested.
DOCUMENTATION NEEDED TO COMPLETE VERIFICATION
Students should complete the form listed in their notification email. All signatures must be handwritten. No electronic signatures will be accepted. Each form contains directions for completing and submitting all required paperwork. Dependent students must also submit parent income information. Independent students should spouse income information if applicable.
- 2022-2023 V1 Dependent Verification Form
- 2022-2023 V1 Independent Verification Form
- 2022-2023 V4 Verification Form
- 2022-2023 V5 Dependent Verification Form
- 2022-2023 V5 Independent Verification Form
*Double check that you are completing the correct form for the correct academic year*
If you have not done so already, you will need to update your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) for the income information section(s). If you cannot get the IRS DRT to work correctly on your FAFSA, you may instead request official IRS tax return transcripts on the IRS website.
CAN I SUBMIT A PERSONAL COPY OF MY FEDERAL TAX RETURN?
No. Recent updates to federal regulations have declared that schools cannot accept a personal copy of the federal tax return from the student or parents (if required) for verification purposes. Beginning for the 2018-2019 academic year, either a tax transcript from the IRS or your FAFSA filed using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool are the only two ways to verify tax data. If you do not or cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you will be required to obtain a tax transcript from the IRS.
IRS TAX RETURN TRANSCRIPT
An IRS Tax Return Transcript may be obtained through:
- Get Transcript by MAIL – Go to irs.gov, under the Tools heading, click “Get Your Tax Record.” Click “Get Transcript by MAIL.” Make sure to request the “IRS Tax Return Transcript” and NOT the “IRS Tax Account Transcript.”
- Get Transcript ONLINE – Go to irs.gov, under the Tools heading, click “Get Your Tax Record.” Click “Get Transcript ONLINE.” Make sure to request the “IRS Tax Return Transcript” and NOT the “IRS Tax Account Transcript.”
- Automated Telephone Request – 1-800-908-9946
- Paper Request Form – IRS Form 4506T-EZ or IRS Form 4506-T
In most cases, for electronic tax return filers, IRS income tax return information is available for the IRS DRT or the IRS Tax Return Transcript within 2–3 weeks after the electronic IRS income tax return has been accepted by the IRS. Generally, for filers of paper IRS income tax returns, the IRS income tax return information is available for the IRS DRT or the IRS Tax Return Transcript within 6–8 weeks after the paper IRS income tax return has been received by the IRS. Contact the financial aid office if more information is needed about using the IRS DRT or obtaining an IRS Tax Return Transcript. If the student and spouse filed separate IRS income tax returns, the IRS DRT cannot be used and the IRS Tax Return Transcript(s) must be provided for each.
IF YOU DID NOT FILE TAXES FOR THE YEAR REQUESTED
you must submit all W2s for that year as well as documentation from the IRS that indicates a IRS income tax return was not filed with the IRS or other relevant tax authority. You can request this form from the IRS by completing a 4506-T form and checking box 7.
Additional documentation may be requested at the discretion of the Financial Aid Director. The Office of Financial Aid will follow up with questions or request for more paperwork if information is conflicting, missing, or appears inaccurate. Students with unique circumstances may also need to complete additional paperwork. These circumstances can include recent marriage, death of parent, divorce/separation of parent, and/or loss of job.
TIME PERIOD
A valid FAFSA application must be submitted prior to enrollment if the student intends to apply for financial aid. Verification paperwork should be submitted within 30 days of receipt of notice of selection. Verification paperwork can be submitted as late June 1 following the end of the semester, though late fees will already have been applied by this point.
Verification must be complete before the Office of Financial Aid will certify any federal aid.
Students who are eligible to work on campus through the work study program will not be allowed to work until the verification process is complete and eligibility for this program is confirmed.
NONCOMPLIANCE
If the required documentation is not submitted, the following may occur:
- No federal financial aid for the semester or academic year.
- Holds will be placed on student accounts for overdue balances. Those students will be unable to request transcripts or register for future semesters.
CORRECTION INFORMATION
When possible, the Financial Aid Office will make electronic corrections to students’ FAFSA applications. These corrections will generate an updated Student Aid Report sent via paper or electronic means. The estimated family contribution may change based on the corrections made.
COMPLETION OF THE VERIFICATION PROCESS
The Office of Financial Aid reviews paperwork within one week of submission. When the verification process is complete, students will immediately receive an updated award letter via email indicating any change to the financial aid package.
OVERAWARDS
If it is determined that a student has received funds which they were not eligible to receive, the student must repay the amount. If a repayment is not made, the overpayment must be referred to the U.S. Department of Education. No further applications for financial aid will be processed by the U.S. Department of Education Davis College’s Office of Financial Aid.
Contact the Financial Aid Office at (607) 729-1581 or financialaid@davisy.edu if you have any questions regarding verification or any other aspect of the financial aid process.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Students who feel that their FAFSA does not accurately portray their financial situation can appeal to request that the Financial Aid Office complete Professional Judgment to change the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). Situations that warrant professional judgment include a parent losing a job, excessive medical bills for an ill family member, death of a parent, divorce/separation of parents, and other extenuating circumstances. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information about whether you may qualify for more aid through Professional Judgment.
