Attention Financial Aid Applicants!

It is strongly recommended that you use the IRS Data Retrieval tool to import your tax information when completing the FAFSA. Choosing to import your tax information has the following benefits:

1. It makes completing the FAFSA a lot simpler.

2. It cuts down on the amount of errors.

3. It highly reduces the likelihood that you will be required to submit tax documents to us.

4. It greatly reduces the processing time of your aid.

The majority of people are eligible to import their data. However you will not be able to use the tool if you or your parents (if required to submit parent’s info):

1. Filed married but filing separately.

2. Filed a Puerto Rican or a foreign tax return.

3. Filed an amended tax return.

4. Only recently filed a tax return.

If you originally did not use the tool you can go back and make a correction to import your tax information. If you were not eligible to import data because you only recently filed your taxes you can go back in after two weeks from when you filed your taxes and make a correction to import your taxes.

If you are unable to import data because due to a divorce, separation, or because you filed an amended return, you will be required to submit tax documents. See Acceptable Tax Documentation below.

Effective fall 2012, as long as you imported your tax information into the FAFSA and did not make any changes, you will not be required to submit tax documents to us.

Acceptable Tax Documentation (New for Fall 2012)

Effective 2012, the Financial Aid office will no longer be able to accept copies of tax returns (form 1040 or 1040A, or 1040EZ) for purposes of completing the verification process. You must now instead request a tax return transcript from the IRS. This change in policy is due to changes in Federal regulations and we are not able to make any exceptions.

If you filed an amended return you will also need to request a tax account transcript.

You can receive either transcripts one of two ways:

1. You may call 1-800-908-9946 and follow the prompts in the recorded message.

2. You may request a transcript on line here, look for the online tool Order a Transcript.

Either method will require you to wait 5-10 days for the forms to be mailed to you. If eligible to do so, it’s recommended that you go back to your FAFSA and import your data from the IRS. Students and Parents (if required) who import their unchanged data from the IRS into their FAFSA do not have to submit tax documentation.