Verification

What is Verification?

Approximately 30% of all FAFSA filers are selected for a process called verification by The U.S. Department of Education (DoE).   Verification is the process by which the Financial Aid Office (FAO) compares the information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with source documents provided by the student to verify the accuracy of the FAFSA information.  Students selected are required to submit documentation to the FAO before their financial aid can be memoed or disbursed.  In addition to those students selected by DoE, FAO reserves the right to select additional students for the process of verification at its discretion.  This discretionary selection may be generated randomly, or based on conflicting information or concerns that data may not be accurate or complete. 

***NEW***
Staring the 2013-2014 Aid year the DoE has created five different verification tracking groups.  Depending on the group the student falls in different documentation will be required.   The different verification tracking groups will be:

1) Standard Verification Group
2) SNAP Verification Group
3) Child Support Paid Verification Group
4) Custom Verification Group
5) Aggregate Verification Group

 

What are the deadlines for submitting verification materials?

All verification materials must be submitted before any federal aid can be placed on the student's account.  Verification can be completed at any time during the academic year provided that we have an official FAFSA before the last day of attendance and we have received all verification materials by the last day of classes.  If we do not receive the verification materials by that date we can not proceed with the verification process and the student will not be eligible for any federal aid.

 

How do we collect the information?

1) Standard Verification

     A) Fill Out a Verification Worksheet

2012-2013 Verification Worksheet    doc / pdf
2013-2014 Standard Verification Worksheet    doc / pdf

Instructions:

2012-2013 Verification Instructions  doc / pdf
2013-2014 Standard Verification Instructions  doc / pdf

          Step 1 - Student Information

          Step 2 - Collect household size, number in college

          Step 3 - SNAP benefits (formerly the food stamp program)

          Step 4 - Child Support Paid/Received for Calender Year

          Step 5 & 6 - Financial Information

 

     B) In order to verify financial information there is a couple of different scenarios:

          a) If taxes were filed you will need to:
               1) Have the student and/or the parent of the dependent student access the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (Make FAFSA Correction Section) to submit tax information.  This will expedite the verification process.
      Instructions on how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool    doc / pdf
OR
               2)   If you cannot use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool you will need to supply the Federal Income Tax Transcript and W-2 for the student and/or parent(s) of dependent student.
      Instructions for ordering tax transcripts     doc / pdf / Mail in Form

           b) If no taxes were filed we will need to collect any W-2s from the student and/or the parent(s) that were employed but not required to file taxes

            Step 7 - Must be signed by the student and the parent of any dependent student.

 

What information are we required to verify?

During the verification process the Financial Aid Office will need to verify at least the following information as required by the federal government. 

For all applicants:

Household Size
Number in college
Supplimental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps)

For non-tax filers:

Income earned from work 

For tax filers:

Adjusted gross income
U.S. taxes paid
Education Credits
Untaxed IRA distributions
Untaxed Pensions
IRA deductions
Tax-exempt interest 

 

 2) SNAP Verification Group

     In this group we need a signed statement showing that family did receive SNAP benefits.  We may also need to request documentation from the agency that is providing the benefits.

     SNAP Benefits Form doc / pdf
     Agency Verification Form doc / pdf

 

3) Child Support Paid Verification Group

     In this group we will need a signed statement from the person that is paying the child support.  In some cases we may need documentation supporting the amount claimed, such as cancelled checks, court documentation, etc...

     Child Support Paid Form doc / pdf

 

4) Custom Verification Group

     In this group we will need to collect the forms from the previous two groups as well as documentation showing that the student has completed the equivalence of a high school diploma and a signed statement of educational purpose.  With the last requirement the student will either sign the statement in the Financial Aid Office and will produce a government issued photo ID or the student must sign the statement and have it notarized.  If student has statement notarized we must have the original statement we can not accept a copy of this.

     High School Graduate Documentation doc / pdf
     Statement of Educational Purpose doc / pdf

 

5) Aggregate Verification Group

     In this group we will need to collect all of the documentation from the previous 4 groups.  You will need to supply all forms and supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Office.

 

 

PLEASE MAKE AND SEND COPIES OF ALL MATERIALS AND KEEP THE ORIGINALS.  THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS THE STATEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE, THAT MUST BE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

updated on 2/28/13 - bds