The Catholic University of America

Verification

Verification is a review process in which the Office of Student Financial Assistance determines the accuracy of various data elements reported by the student/parent on the student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education selects approximately 30% of all aid applicants for verification. The Catholic University of America selects an additional percentage of first-time undergraduate students for federal and institutional verification. During the verification process the student and parent will be required to submit documentation for the amounts listed (or not listed) on the financial aid application. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the financial aid they are entitled to receive and prevents ineligible students from receiving aid they are not entitled to receive.

Typically, students can expect to receive notification that they have been selected for verification within 10-to-14 business days after the Office of Student Financial Assistance receives the student’s FAFSA results from the federal processors. (Note: CUA will not start requesting FAFSA information from the federal processor until February 1st) The Office of Student Financial Assistance will send Missing Information Letters (MIL) to those students who have been selected for verification. The MIL will direct the student to submit several required documents to the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Since academic aid years overlap calendar years, please refer to your MIL or online account for the year appropriate forms and documentation needed. They should be completed in their entirety, signed and mailed to our office within 30 days of your notification. You should not submit verification materials unless you receive a request.
Important: Please submit all requested forms and supporting documentation together at the same time. No processing can take place until all documentation is received.
Participation in the verification process is not optional. If the student does not submit the requested documentation, the student will not be eligible to receive federal or institutional need-based financial aid and the parents of dependent student will not be eligible to receive a PLUS loan.
Students selected for verification will not be packaged for financial aid until the Office of Student Financial Assistance has received all requested required documentation and the verification process has been completed. Depending on the time of year, the verification review process can take up to 20 business days from the time the Office of Student Financial Assistance receives all requested required documents. The process can take longer if additional nonstandard documentation is required. Individuals who have filed extensions or are self-employed and file their taxes later in the year are not excused from the verification process. It is recommended that federal income tax returns be filed as soon as possible if selected for verification, since no aid or estimates of aid will be offered until the verification process is completed.
The following is a list of standard verification documents:
2011-2012 (fall 2011, spring 2012 & summer 2012)
Dependent
2.     Signed copy of your complete federal income tax return.*
3.     Signed copy of your parent(s) complete federal income tax return.*
Independent
2.     Signed copy of your federal income tax return.*
3.     If married at the time of completing the FAFSA, your spouse’s income tax return.*
 
*A complete tax return includes all schedules and W2’s. If self-employed, please provide a complete copy of your business return. Verification cannot be completed unless all supporting schedules referenced on the tax return are submitted.
2012-2013 (fall 2011, spring 2012 & summer 2013)
Dependent
1.     2012-2013 CUA Verification Worksheet (dependent). (Available February, 2012)
2.     All W-2’s for student and parent(s).
3.     IRS Tax Transcript for student and parent(s).
Independent
1.     2012-2013 CUA Verification Worksheet (independent). (Available February, 2012)
2.     All W-2’s for student and spouse (if married).
3.     IRS Tax Transcript for student and spouse (if married).
NOTE: If you used the IRS Data Retrieval process when completing your FAFSA and if you did not make any changes to that data, then you do not need to submit an IRS Transcript or W2’s, you only need to complete, sign and submit the Verification Worksheet. Please review the Missing Information Letter (MIL) for information specific to your status.
Please send all required documentation at the same time as we will not start the verification process until we receive all documentation.
How to Obtain a Free Tax Return Transcript from the IRS

If your FAFSA is selected for verification, and you did not use the IRS Data Retrieval option or you changed the IRS data, you will be required to request a tax transcript from IRS and submit it to the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Personal copies of tax returns can no longer be accepted.

Three ways to request your Tax Transcript: by phone, online, or by mail.
Please make sure you request a Tax Transcript. DO NOT request a Tax Account Transcript or Record of Account because they cannot be used for financial aid verification purposes.
To order by phone:
·         Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040, then select the following prompts:
·         Option 2 (Personal Income Taxes)
·         Option 1 (Tax History)
·         Option 2 (Tax Return Transcript)
·         Enter and verify Social Security number (if joint return both SSN’s required)
·         Enter and verify number of street address
·         Press 2 for Tax Transcript and indicate which year (i.e. 2011)
To order online:
·         Go to www.irs.gov, then select the following:
·         Click Order a Tax Return or Account Transcript located in the left-hand column
·         Click Order a Transcript under Step 3
·         Enter your SSN, Date of Birth, Street Address, and Zip Code
·         Click Continue
·         Select Transcript for Tax Year (i.e. 2011)
·         Click Continue
A tax return transcript can be ordered by mail:
·         Complete Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return)
·         Form 4506-T is available online at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf.
·         Mail to the address indicated on the form
Your transcript(s) will be mailed within 5 to 10 days from the IRS.
Income Information for Tax Filers with Special Circumstances
For an individual who is required to file a U.S. income tax return and has been granted a filing extension by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), we will need:
1.     A copy of IRS Form 4868, “Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return” that the individual filed with the IRS for tax year 2011 or 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 2011.
2.     A signed statement by a self-employed individual certifying the amount of the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and taxes paid for tax year 2011.
For an individual who has requested a transcript that lists tax account information for tax year 2011 and the IRS, a government of a U.S. territory or commonwealth or a foreign central government cannot provide or locate a transcript that lists tax account information.
1.     A copy of the letter from the IRS, indicated that you have filed but they are unable to provide a tax transcript
2.     Copy of the return filed (translated into English if a foreign return)*
3.     A signed statement certifying the amount of AGI and taxes paid for tax year 2011.
For an individual who has not filed and, under IRS rules or other applicable government agency rules, is not required to file an income tax return.
1.     A signed statement certifying that you have not filed and are not required to file an income tax return for tax year 2011.
2.     The sources of income earned from work as reported on the FAFSA and amounts of income from each source for tax year 2011 that is not reported on IRS Form W-2.
*A tax filer who filed an income tax return other that an IRS form, such as a foreign or Puerto Rican tax form, must use the income information (converted to U.S. dollars) from the lines of the relevant income tax return that corresponds most closely to the income information reported on a U.S. income tax return.
Important Deadlines for Submitting Verification Information to receive Federal Loans
January 1, 2012-- FAFSA is available as of January 1 every year. You should complete the FAFSA and submit your results to the Central Processor as quickly as you can to prevent delays in your aid.
November 29, 2012 -- Last day to turn in verification documents for fall 2012 only loans.
May 1, 2013 -- Last day to turn in verification documents for fall 2013-spring 2013 loans or spring 2013 only loans.
July 19, 2013 -- Last day to turn in verification documents for fall 2012-spring 2013-summer 2013 loans or spring 2013-summer 2013 loans or summer 2013 only loans.