2022 - 2023 Federal Verification

All applicants will have to submit the following to the Office of Financial Aid:

    Dependent:

• 2022-2023 Dependent Federal Verification Worksheet
• Parent(s)/Student’s tax filer income information either by the IRS Data Retrieval Process, 2020 IRS Federal Tax Return Transcript, or a signed copy of the 2020 federal tax return and all applicable schedules.
• If the student and/or parent(s) did not file a Federal Tax Return, a IRS Verification of Nonfiling letter confirming their non-tax filing status will be required for the student and each parent on the FAFSA along with proof of income earned such as 2020 W-2(s)
• Parent(s)/Student’s signed 2020 Amended Federal Tax Return (IRS Form 1040X) (if applicable)
• Parent(s)/Student’s signed copy of pages 1 & 2 of their 2020 Federal Tax return for their Pension/IRA distribution
• Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose – For the 2022-2023 award year, certain applicants will be required to verify their identity and resubmit a Statement of Educational Purpose, as was originally provided as part of the FAFSA submission

Independent:

• 2022-2023  Independent Federal Verification Worksheet
• Student’s and Spouse’s (if applicable) tax filer income information either by the IRS Data Retrieval Process, 2020 IRS Federal Tax Return Transcript, or a signed copy of your 2020 Federal Tax Return and all applicable schedules.
• If the student and/or spouse(s) did not file a Federal Tax Return, a IRS Verification of Nonfiling letter confirming their non-tax filing status will be required for student and/or spouse along with proof of income earned such as 2020 W-2(s)
• Student’s/Spouse’s signed 2020 Amended Federal Tax Return IRS Form 1040X (if applicable)
• Student’s/Spouse’s signed copy of pages 1 & 2 of your 2020 Federal Tax return for their Pension/IRA distribution
• Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose – For the 2022-2023 award year, certain applicants will be required to verify their identity and resubmit a Statement of Educational Purpose, as was originally provided as part of the FAFSA submission

IMPORTANT: Do not leave any lines blank on submitted documentation. No processing will take place until all information has been received and a paid deposit has been received by the school for new students. 

If conflicting data or further clarification is needed based on the already submitted FAFSA and verification documents other documents may be requested from the Office of Financial Aid.  Some of these documents may include tax schedules, sibling/spouse enrollment verification worksheet, asset worksheet, divorce decrees, legal separation agreements, proof of separate residencies, bank statements, brokerage statements, documentation of child support etc.

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is used to transfer your tax information directly from the IRS site into your FAFSA.  For step by step instructions please visit our IRS Data Retrieval Process webpage.

You should be aware that if you fail to submit all of the requested information all Federal Financial Aid remains on hold.  Students that are currently enrolled for the Fall semester who have outstanding charges and have not completed the Verification process will be prohibited from registering for the subsequent spring semester until the verification is complete and/or their bill is paid in full.  The Federal Verification process could take as long as 6 weeks so it is highly recommended that students file their FAFSA by October 31st of each year and turn in all required verification paperwork requested by the school in a timely manner no later than June 15th.  Individuals who have filed extensions beyond the automatic sixth-month are not excused from the process.  If selected for verification please file income tax returns and/or return the requested documentation as soon as possible.

All requested documents should be submitted in full as soon as possible but no later than 120 days after your last day of attendance.

DO NOT make any changes to your FAFSA after you have used the IRS Data Retrieval Process. Instead please follow the Appeal for Federal Aid Procedures and submit the required documentation to the Office of Financial Aid.  Once this has been received it will be evaluated and eligibility is recalculated if possible. A response will be sent to the student regarding the appeal determination.  The Federal Verification process must be completed before any appeals will be processed by the Office of Financial Aid.  Also note that the verification/appeal process will NOT be processed for new students until a paid deposit is received by the school.

Tax filers can request an IRS Tax Return Transcript for their 2020 tax information, free of charge, from the IRS in one of three ways:

• Online
• By Phone
• By Paper

Online Request

Available at www.irs.gov

• Click "Get Your Tax Record"
• Click “Get Transcript Online” (If at any point, you cannot validate your identity – for example, you cannot provide financial verification information or you lack access to a mobile phone – you may use Get Transcript by MAIL, see below)
• Enter the tax filer’s Social Security Number, email address, filing status, account numbers for loan or credit card associated with your name, and mobile phone associated with your name.
• Click “Continue”
• Select "IRS Tax Return Transcript” and in the Tax Year field, select "2020".
• If successfully validated, you will be able to view your IRS Tax Return Transcript.
• Submit the IRS Tax Return Transcript to Fredonia; make sure to include the student’s name and Fredonia ID on the transcript.

OR

• Click "Get Your Tax Record"
• Click “Get Transcript by Mail”
• Enter the tax filer’s Social Security Number, date of birth, street address, and zip or postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS.
• Click “Continue”
• Select "Tax Return Transcript” (not “Tax Account Transcript”) and in the Tax Year field, select "2020".
• If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address included in their online request within 5 to 10 days.
• Submit the IRS Tax Return Transcript to Fredonia; make sure to include the student’s name and Fredonia ID on the transcript.

Telephone Request

Available from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946

• Tax filers must follow prompts to enter their social security number and the numbers in their street address. Generally this will be numbers of the street address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. (Problems entering your street address?)
• Select "Option 2" to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript (not “Tax Account Transcript”) and then enter "2020".
• If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address provided in their telephone request within 5 to 10 days from the time of the request.
• IRS Tax Return Transcript requested by telephone cannot be sent directly to a third party by the IRS.
• Submit the IRS Tax Return Transcript to Fredonia; make sure to include the student’s name and Fredonia ID on the letter.

Paper Request Form – IRS Form 4506-T

Download IRS Form 4506-T at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf 

• Complete lines 1 – 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.
• Line 3: enter the tax filer’s street address and zip or postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS.
• Line 6: Select the checkbox on the right hand side for Return Transcript.
• Line 9: Year or period requested field, enter "12/31/2020".
• The tax filer must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number. Only one signature is required when requesting a joint IRS Tax Return Transcript.
• Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506-T to the address (or FAX number) provided on page 2 of Form 4506-T.
• If the 4506-T information is successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address provided on their request within 5 to 10 days.
• Submit the IRS Tax Return Transcript to Fredonia; make sure to include the student’s name and Fredonia ID on the letter.

MAIL
Financial Aid Office

209 Maytum Hall

State University of New York at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY 14063

FAX 716-673-3785 
EMAIL financial.aid@fredonia.edu

An IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter - provides proof that the IRS has no record of a filed Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ for the year you requested.

Non Tax filers can request an IRS Verification of Nonfiling of their 2020 tax return status, free of charge, from the IRS in two ways:

• Online
• By Paper

Note: If you filed a Puerto Rican or Foreign Income Tax Return you must submit appropriate non-filing documentation from a relevant tax authority.

Note: Each parent listed on the FAFSA must submit their own IRS Verification of Nonfiling letter.

Online Request

Available at www.irs.gov

• Click "Get Your Tax Record"
• Click “Get Transcript Online” (If at any point, you cannot validate your identity – for example, you cannot provide financial verification information or you lack access to a mobile phone – you may use Get Transcript by MAIL, see below)
• Enter the non-filer’s Social Security Number, email address, filing status, account numbers for loan or credit card associated with your name, and mobile phone associated with your name.
• Click “Continue”
• Select "Verification of Nonfiling Letter” and in the Tax Year field, select "2020".
• If successfully validated, you will be able to view your IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter.
• Submit the IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter to Fredonia; make sure to include the student’s name and Fredonia ID on the letter.

Paper Request Form – IRS Form 4506-T

Download IRS Form 4506-T at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf 

• Complete lines 1 – 4, following the instructions on page 2 of the form.
• Line 3: enter the non-filer’s street address and zip or postal code. Use the address currently on file with the IRS.
• Line 7: Select the checkbox on the right hand side for Verification of Nonfiling.
• Line 9: Year or period requested field, enter "12/31/2020".
• The non-filer must sign and date the form and enter their telephone number.
• Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506-T to the address (or FAX number) provided on page 2 of Form 4506-T.
• If the 4506-T information is successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter at the address provided on their request within 5 to 10 days.
• Submit the IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter to Fredonia; make sure to include the student’s name and Fredonia ID on the letter.

MAIL
Financial Aid Office

209 Maytum Hall

State University of New York at Fredonia

Fredonia, NY 14063

FAX 716-673-3785 
EMAIL financial.aid@fredonia.edu

An individual who filed an amended IRS income tax return for tax year 2020 must provide:

• A 2019 IRS Tax Return Transcript or a signed copy of the 2020 Federal Tax Return and all applicable schedules (that will only include information from the original tax return and does not have to be signed), and
• A signed copy of the 2020 IRS Form 1040X, “Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,” that was filed with the IRS.

An individual who filed or will file a 2020 income tax return with the relevant taxing authority of a  U.S. territory, commonwealth, or with a foreign central government must provide:

• A tax filer who filed an income tax return with Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands may provide a signed copy of his or her income tax return that was filed with the relevant tax authority. However, if we question the accuracy of the information on the signed copy of the income tax return, the tax filer must provide us with a copy of the tax account information issued by the relevant tax authority before verification can be completed; or
• A tax filer who filed an income tax return with the tax authority for American Samoa must provide a copy of his or her tax account information; or
• A tax filer who filed an income tax return with tax authorities not mentioned above, i.e. a foreign tax authority, and who indicates that he or she is unable to obtain the tax account information free of charge, must provide documentation that the tax authority charges a fee to obtain that information, along with a signed copy of his or her income tax return that was filed with the relevant tax authority.

An individual who is required to file a 2020 IRS income tax return and has been granted a filing extension by the IRS, must provide:

• 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 2020;
• A copy of the IRS's approval of an extension beyond the automatic six-month extension if the individual requested an additional extension of the filing time for tax year 2020;
• 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, 2021;
• A copy of IRS Form W–2 for each source of employment income received for tax year 2020 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 2020.

An individual who was the victim of IRS tax-related identity theft must provide:

• A Tax Return DataBase View (TRDBV) transcript obtained from the IRS’s Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490, or any other IRS tax transcript(s) that includes all of the income and tax information required to be verified; and
• 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 is aware of the tax-related identity theft.

When entering the information into the IRS address matching system note the following:

• The address entered must match the address already on file with the IRS exactly.
• The address on file is typically the address on your most recent tax return.
• Spelling out the word “street” rather than using the abbreviation “st.” can be enough to cause an error.
• Addresses on the IRS system are auto-corrected through a post office program and may not match what you put on your tax return.

We suggest the following if you run into problems:

• Have your taxes in front of you and enter the address carefully as it is on your return.
• If you entered your address as it appears on your return and it doesn’t work, try using the standardized version of your address.
  • To get a standardized version of your address: 1) go to www.usps.com 2) Click Look Up a Zip Code 3) Enter Street Address, City, State 4) Click Find
• If you still have problems, the IRS.gov Website Help Desk can be reached toll-free at 1-800-876-1715, Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).