Verification Process

Verification is a federal process of confirming the accuracy of information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

All students selected for verification must submit their verification documents to the Office of Financial Aid. All students (new and returning) will need to create a Patriot Forms Account to complete the FAFSA verification process.

The DRT allows students and parents who filed a U.S. tax return with the IRS to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form by transferring the data directly into their application.

The 2024-25 FAFSA and beyond will use the Future Act Direct Data Exchange (FADDX), instead of the DRT to receive Federal Tax Information (FTI) from the IRS. Each contributor (student and parents) must give consent for this information to be retrieved by FAFSA.

Tax return recently filed and tax data not accessible for transmission?  

When you attempt to use the Direct Data Exchange (DDX) as the applicant and/or parent who recently filed 2022 federal taxes, FAFSA will inform you that the tax information (if electronically filed within the last 2 weeks or submitted by mail within the last 8 weeks) may not be available.

Student or Parent not eligible for Direct Data Exchange transfer?

Occasionally, the DDX will not be able to transfer in tax information. Applicant will be informed, that based their responses, they are not eligible to transfer tax data from the IRS to the FAFSA. If student is not eligible to use the DDX because of their 2022 tax filing and/or marital status, and their 2024-25 FAFSA is selected for verification, student will be required to submit documentation to verify data reported on FAFSA.

You can access personal tax records through the IRS website, including transcripts of past tax returns, tax account information, wage and income statements, and verification of non-filing letters. Transcripts partially mask your personally identifiable information for protection. Financial data will remain fully visible to allow for tax preparation, tax representation or income verification.

For Individuals Who Were Victims of IRS Identity Theft, the following documents must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid: 

• A Tax Return DataBase View (TRDBV) transcript obtained from the IRS, or any other IRS tax transcript(s) that includes all of the income. Please contact the IRS’s Identity Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU) at 800-908-4490 to obtain a Tax Return DataBase View (TRDBV.)
• A statement signed and dated by the tax filer indicating that he or she was a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and that the IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft.

An individual who is required to file a 2022 IRS income tax return and has been granted a filing extension by the IRS beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2022, must provide to the Office of Student Financial Aid: 

• A copy of IRS Form 4868, ‘‘Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,’’ that was filed with the IRS for tax year 2022; 
• A copy of the IRS's approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension for tax year 2022; 
• Verification of Non-filing Letter (confirmation that the tax return has not yet been filed) from the IRS or other relevant tax authority dated on or after October 1, 2023;
• A copy of IRS Form W–2 for each source of employment income received or an equivalent document for tax year 2022 and,
• If self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of the individual’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and the U.S. income tax paid for tax year 2022.

The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) has been added to the FAFSA question set and will be treated as untaxed income from aid year 2024-25 forward. It is now considered a verifiable item reported on the IRS from 1040. This tax deduction allows taxpayers who earn income in another country to deduct earned income taxed by that country on their United States return, to avoid being taxed twice on the same income.

Additional documents may be required to resolve data discrepancies or to clarify reported information. These may include bank statements, brokerage statements, divorce or separation agreements, child support documentation, asset verification worksheets, W2 forms, and low-income verification forms. All discrepancies must be resolved before any aid is disbursed.

If a service member has not filed their 2022 tax return due to reasons directly related to their service during a war, military operation, or national emergency, and they do not have IRS confirmation of a post-October 15 extension, they ought to submit:

• A statement certifying that they have not filed a return or requested an extension due to their service.
• If the IRS has issued a blanket extension for a disaster in the contributor's area, an individual extension approval letter from the IRS is not needed.

For more information, visit the IRS Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page.

Here are some tips to help you during the verification process:

• Please be advised: It is not recommended to make manual changes to your financial section on your FAFSA if the data transfer on DDX was successful.
• Submit your documents promptly, as your file will not be cleared until all documents are received.
• Ensure all copies of the federal 1040 tax return are signed and dated in the designated section.
• Include Schedules 1, 2, and 3 with the federal 1040 tax return, if applicable.
• Submit complete Verification Worksheets, making sure they match the information reported on the FAFSA.
• Ensure your documents are fully legible. 
• Make sure to always submit both sides of government issued ID`s.
• Students should ensure that the immigration status and USCIS number (formerly A#) reported on their FAFSA match their official documentation.