<p>The deadline for my IDOC is approaching and we still have not sent anything out yet. My dad is nervous about sending all of that personal information through the US mail.</p>
<p>I really want to attend the school I need to send the documents to. Any tips or information to help me convince my dad?</p>
<p>You dad can send it registered mail or return receipt requested or some other sort of upgraded method. He can send it by US postal service, FEDEX, UPS – however he wants really.</p>
<p>There really isn’t anything in there that he probably hasn’t sent by mail to the IRS before.</p>
<p>IDOC is actually a safer way to send it than sending it to each school, because you’re only sending it once, and IDOC has very developed security and privacy practices in place, which might not be the case at different colleges’ own financial aid offices.</p>
<p>Unfortunately your dad is just going to have to just mail that puppy or you’re going to be screwed.</p>
<p>You can tell him that a gazillion other parents do this every year and it isn’t a problem. He is not on the forefront of some risky new practice. Once hes done it the first time, it’ll be easier in the following years.</p>
<p>Here’s a little blurb from IDOC: <a href=“Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) – CSS Profile | College Board”>Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) – CSS Profile | College Board;
<p>If the actual mailing process is more of a concern to him, then he should talk to someone at the post office or FedEx or UPS and ask them about the most secure way of mailing the packet. Personally, I just plunk a stamp on mine and send it regular first class mail, but I don’t have particular issues around that stuff. Everyone has to do what makes sense to them though, so tell you dad to ask and see what his mailing options are.</p>
<p>The IDOC website says “The College Board’s processing center is a secure facility and cannot accept envelopes or packages via FedEx, UPS, courier, etc.”</p>
<p>We sent our stuff by priority mail with delivery confirmation. (H was nervous also!)</p>
<p>Thanks, bkcsmn99, I didn’t know that about FedEx and UPS. I just assumed they’d accept any deliveries like any other company. So, Yuppitttales, just have your dad talk to the post office. They’ll let him know what his options are, but I really think it’s not something to worry about.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, I blacked out nmy bank acct #s and check routing numbers on the forms. There really is no reason for those items to be floating around their “secure” facility. Really, they have all your SSN s from the online form. I dont know why you just cant write in an ID # they give you on the top of each form and blank out the SSNs as well. Also, why cant they accept the forms being sent securely online? They are a bit behind the times at CSS/IDOC.</p>
<p>gnw213 Surprised to hear that you had to send bank account numbers and check routing numbers!!!</p>
<p>We only had to send tax forms, w-2s and verification worksheets. And I sent them certified priority mail with a return receipt card.</p>
<p>I think what she means is the bank account info is on the tax form if you have your refund deposited directly into (or your tax paid from) your account. Blacking that out seems reasonable to me.</p>
<p>As for the SSNs I can see why they want to verify that everything you send to them matches up exactly with what you file with the IRS. That is part of the verification.</p>