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Documentation Verification

In some instances, federal regulations require colleges to check the accuracy of the information a student submitted on his or her Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

This verification process must be completed before financial aid can be offered or disbursed, so if you are selected, it is vital to send accurate and complete information as quickly as possible. Please do not submit any documentation unless requested by our office.

We encourage you to submit verification documentation to us within two weeks of our request; however, you must submit documentation prior to the end of the academic year for which the documents have been requested. Failure to submit the documents timely will result in delays in aid delivery and may result in aid not being offered.

Process for Submitting Verification Documents

If you have been selected for verification, we will notify you via email and direct you to MyPack Portal to determine which documents are required.  You may mail, email or fax documents.  If you choose to email, please redact or otherwise obscure sensitive data (SSNs) while ensuring that the student name and ID number remain visible on each page.

Regularly review MyPack Portal to determine each document’s receipt; we will update your status within two to three days of document receipt. If we find that we need additional information, you will receive an email request.

After we receive all required documents, we will compare that information to your FAFSA and make any necessary corrections. Verification is typically processed within 15 business days of the date that all required documentation is received. You will be informed via email of any changes in your EFC and financial aid eligibility that result from verification.

To view your Verification and other documentation in your portal:

MyPack Portal > Student Homepage > Financial Aid tile > Select Aid Year > Required Documents

  1. Log into MyPack Portal
  2. Select your Student Homepage
  3. Select the ‘Financial Aid’ tile
  4. Select the aid year
  5. From the left-hand menu, select the ‘Required Documents’ item
  6. If required, your verification worksheet will appear in the Documents list, along with its status information

Selecting Federal Tax Return Transcript or IRS Data Retrieval

You will be required to submit a Federal Tax Return Transcript from the IRS for both student and parent (if both filed taxes) OR confirmation that you completed the IRS Data Retrieval when you completed the FAFSA.

We highly recommend you use the IRS Data Retrieval (DRT) option on the FAFSA if you are eligible. This is because obtaining a Federal Tax Return Transcript from the IRS can cause significant delays.

DRT retrieves parent and student tax-filing information directly from the IRS and enters it onto your FAFSA. However, DRT is not available to the following students:

  • married couples filing separate tax returns
  • applicants whose marital status changed after January 1 of the tax year
  • applicants who were not eligible or required to file a federal tax return

Certain situations may require a Federal Tax Return Transcript even after using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. The most common situation occurs when students who use the IRS Data Retrieval subsequently make changes to the data on the FAFSA. If you use the IRS Data Retrieval, you should not change any of the data that is imported from the IRS. If you do so, the Federal Tax Return Transcript will be required.

In a few very limited circumstances, an individual is unable to obtain a Federal Tax Return Transcript or use IRS DRT. In these cases, they can submit other documentation in lieu of a Federal Tax Return Transcript or IRS DRT.

Note: If a tax payment is due to the IRS and has not been paid in full when an individual files his or her tax return, the IRS will not process the return until May. A Federal Tax Return Transcript or IRS DRT will not be available until two to three weeks after the return has been processed in May.

Using IRS Data Retrieval

If you did not use the IRS Data Retrieval tool (DRT) when completing the FAFSA, we encourage you to do so now to speed the verification process. If you are eligible, log back into your FAFSA and use the IRS Data Retrieval option. If you are not eligible or choose not to use IRS data retrieval, then you will be required to submit a Federal Tax Return Transcript.

IRS data will be available for DRT transmission within two to three weeks from filing electronically and within six to eight weeks from paper filing.

Obtaining a Federal Tax Return Transcript

Choose one of the following options to obtain a copy of your Federal Tax Return Transcript from the IRS:

  • View and print your Federal Tax Return Transcript immediately from irs.gov. (preferred method)
  • Request to obtain your Federal Tax Return Transcript by mail from irs.gov. (Transcripts generally arrive within five to 10 business days.)
  • Request your Federal Tax Return Transcript by mailing IRS Form 4506-T to the IRS.
  • Request your Federal Tax Return Transcript by calling 1-800-908-9946.

Unusual Circumstances

For the following limited cases when an individual is unable to obtain a Federal Tax Return Transcript or use IRS DRT, he or she can submit other documentation in lieu of a Federal Tax Return Transcript or IRS DRT. Please contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid if any of these circumstances apply to you.

If you are required to file an IRS income tax return and have been approved for an extension beyond the automatic six-month filing extension by the IRS, provide a copy of the following documents:

  • Unexpired IRS approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension (IRS Form 2350)
  • Verification of non-filing letter from the IRS dated on or after 10/1/19
  • IRS Form W–2 for each source of employment income received and/or, if self-employed, a signed statement certifying the amount of the individual’s estimated Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and the U.S. income tax paid

If you filed an amended IRS income tax return, provide both of the following:

  • an IRS Tax Return Transcript that includes information from the original tax return and
  • a signed copy of IRS Form 1040X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) that was filed with the IRS

If you were a victim of IRS identity theft, provide both of the following:

  • a signed and dated statement indicating that you were a victim of IRS tax-related identity theft and that the IRS has been made aware of the tax-related identity theft and
  • a Transcript Database View (TRDBV)

A victim of IRS or tax administration identity theft who is not able to obtain an IRS Tax Return Transcript or use the IRS DRT must contact the IRS at 1-800-908-4490 to get a TRDBV. Upon authentication of the tax filer’s identity, the IRS will provide, by U.S. Postal Service, a TRDBV printout of the tax filer’s IRS income tax return information.

If you filed or will file an income tax return with a Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory (e.g., Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands), or with a foreign country, provide a signed copy of that income tax return(s).