I still can’t link it! 
I literally check everyday and try to link it. It has been passed 4 weeks so why can’t I link it? I asked my parents and they checked their bank account and they said the government already cashed in the $30,000 check my parents wrote.
Is there a way I can contact the IRS or someone?
@EYeager the only school you need to contact is the one you will be attending. Ask them what the deal is. They will tell you whether your aid will be disbursed without linking to the DRT.
Also with such a high tax bill your parents might have to make quarterly estimated tax payments this year.
I think the delay also depends on if payment was made with the return electronically or sent by check after the return was filed.
Just call the school you have chosen to attend. Call their financial aid department. Ask THEM if this is an issue!
My parents sent a check for the payment.
I did email the college a couple days ago after they called me to remind to link the DRT. I offered them a copy of the tax return but they said they don’t accept it. They didn’t tell me if my aid will be disbursed or anything, should I ask?
Their reply in the email was “Hello XXX, You can do the Data Retrieval once it is available for you or request a copy of your parents tax transcript at irs.gov. Feel free to email me if you have any additional questions.”
So it doesn’t sound like it will be a big issue?
Did you and your parents request tax return transcripts?
Can your family afford the school with zero aid other than loans?
Call, talk to someone in person. Tell them when your parents filed and that DRT is not available yet. Ask if they want tax return transcript ordered. It might not be available yet either.
If you can’t do the DRT, you also will be waiting for a tax transcript.
Yes…call the school again. Ask if your aid will be held up at all.
Here is my concern for you. I am concerned that you will link to the DRT, and something will come up tilt…and the the school will select you for verification. If that happens, your aid will not be disbursed until your verification process is complete, I believe.
So…call the school. Ask them.
And next year…the FAFSA will be available October 1. Just do it as soon as it comes out. Your 2015 taxes are complete…and by October you should easily be able to link the DRT for the 2017-2018 FAFSA.
Since the financial aid forms going forward will be using prior prior tax year, this shouldn’t be an issue for you in the future.
Shot in the dark here, but have you attempted DRT with the other parent’s SSN? We had a similar problem when S1 was a freshman and I tried it on a lark. My wife’s SSN worked, even though I am listed first as head of household.
^Listed first on a joint 1040 does not mean head of household.
I just tried it again today and it finally works!
Do I still need to send them a tax transcript because that is available too? They didn’t ask for it though.
Nothing changed when I linked it, except that my EFC went down $40.
So now that is done, will my aid finally be disbursed? I won’t lose any right?
@thumper1
A lot of colleges did select me from verification. They asked me to send a family size verification and student non filler worksheet. Is this the verification you were talking about?
I applied and got accepted to over 20 colleges so I was lazy and didn’t even send any of them until after May 1st. When I finally decided where I would go to college I sent it to that college. Still really late though.
You decided where to go without knowing your financial aid details?
I still got financial aid packages from most of the colleges I got accepted too. Most even revised it when I updated the fafsa with my parent’s 2015 tax return. The only colleges that never sent me a financial aid package were the ones that rejected or wait listed me.
Interesting.
Did you send everything to the college you chose for matriculation? That’s all that matters. If you linked to the DRT, you shouldn’t need a tax transcript…it’s usually one or the other. But if you are not sure…ask the college.
And keep a very close eye on your email (and spam folder) just in case there is an updated request for information.
But to others reading this thread…
Don’t wait until May 1 to send your verification materials in. It really downs take a huge long time to get it done when you are asked to…and it gets your financial aid all set sooner than later.
Yes I sent everything to them. I didn’t send in those parent plus loan forms since I won’t be taking out any loans.