<p>I just read on here that I can't use the DRT until I pay what I owe in taxes. Wow. I owe a lot and need time to get the money together. I have tried to be very quick and conscientious about filing the FAFSA and CSS Profile, doing our taxes and filing them asap after the forms were released, and doing everything else the schools want. We need all the aid we can get, need and merit, and I hope this DRT thing doesn't mess us up. I just can't see how I can pay what we owe on our taxes before April, or at least mid-March.</p>
<p>I don't understand if I've filed the return, why can't they download the info on it, whether I've paid or not?</p>
<p>Any ideas about what I should do? Maybe I can borrow from a family member to pay right away. Still, why should I have to pay the IRS sooner than necessary? I usually send my check on 4/15, so I can use my money as long as possible. Seems like a ripoff to have to pay before the deadline just to get financial aid.</p>
<p>(we are self employed and pay estimateds but still have a balance due on 4/15)</p>
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<p>Well, that’s flat out WRONG!</p>
<p>You do not have to pay the balance due (for this year or for prior years) in order to get a tax transcript or use the data retrieval tool. However, returns that have balances owing get pushed to the back of the queue when it comes to processing time. In years past, the IRS generally didn’t process those returns until early to mid-May.</p>
<p>So, whether you owe $20 or $200,000, your return will be processed and you will be able to use the DRT. But you’ll probably have to wait until May. Whether or not that’s a problem depends on the college. I’d suggest reaching out to the financial aid offices of the schools your student is applying to and asking them if they’d be able to issue a tentative award before receiving a transcript.</p>
<p>Once you have that information, you can decide whether or not it’s worth it to pay the taxes now.</p>
<p>But, to be honest, the year your kid applies to college is probably the ONE year when it is worth it to pay in full as early as possible. It’s just not worth the risk of having to make a college decision without having a confirmed financial aid package.</p>
<p>Wow, so you’re saying that even if I pay now (I was going to, now that I’ve found out about this), I STILL won’t be able to use DRT until MAY?!?!?! </p>
<p>I did correct my FAFSA already to reflect “already filed” and the correct data, matching my tax return (filed first, by the deadlines, based on estimates). But my EFT is marked with a “*” which means I’ve been selected for verification (I think). So I wanted to do the DRT right away and get that done.</p>
<p>First choice school uses CSS Profile anyway, and I’ve already sent them the parts of our tax returns they wanted. I will be correcting the Profile (have to make changes in pen and upload a pdf for that school) today. So they probably don’t care much about the FAFSA, except that in the end we ended up being Pell-eligible (a small one), whereas on the first rev of the FAFSA we weren’t. I do want to be sure that they catch that, but they’re very nice and I can just call them. Problem is, we are waiting for an admission decision from them.</p>
<p>Second choice school (where DS has already been admitted), is a FAFSA-only school. I guess I should call them also and offer to send copies of returns if they want. </p>
<p>Third choice (which will become second if we can’t afford second, which does not meet all need) is more of an enigma to me. They use the Profile, also haven’t made admissions decisions yet (but that’s almost a sure thing), and I don’t know whether they will wait for DRT. Guess I’ll have to call them as well.</p>
<p>What a PITA.</p>
<p>OK, I get it now. If I pay, my return will be processed some time thereafter (IRS page says 3-4 weeks, may be sooner; probably more if a paper check is sent, and now that I’ve already filed I think that is what I have to do). If I don’t pay at all (or not until May), my return will be processed then.</p>
<p>So I’d better get that check in the mail.</p>
<p>^^ I sent in a check for tax due. 4 days after the check was cleared, the DRT was available. Hope this gives your a general idea.</p>
<p>You can set up electronic payments using the iRS’s EFTPS system . . . but the enrollment process takes at least a week, so there’s probably no advantage.</p>