<p>I filed the FAFSA before the IRS link was up. At the end it did not say my file was chosen for verification. Should I leave it like it is? I am sure all my numbers are correct anyways…</p>
<p>ohiobassmom, the reason married parents filing separately can’t use it is because you can only link to one return via FAFSA … if the parents are married, you need to submit both returns. In this case, though, Arutha is filing HoH. One cannot be married and file HoH unless one is separated. I assume Arutha is married but separated, therefore will only need one return.</p>
<p>If Arutha is married but filing HoH, both returns will be needed … but I don’t think this is the case.</p>
<p>Oh, I see what you meant, ohiobass. Yes, filing status “could” be a factor in retrieval. I would hope, though, that parents would be able to figure out that it won’t work if they have two different returns that are needed. :)</p>
<p>I am married and not separated, yet I filed HoH, because DH being a non-resident alien, is not required to file. His income will however be reported on FAFSA as ‘untaxed income’. I guess I better correct the FAFSA myself instead of waiting for the tool to show up.</p>
<p>Well, you will only have one tax return, so you are still able to use the tool. The only time you can’t use it is if you need to import two returns.</p>
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<p>Dang! I wish I had checked here before I did the data retrieval. I decided that my change would be updating the amount in my 529 college savings account to reflect that the amount today was somewhat larger than the amount when I originally filed on February 1 due to recent contributions. Ah, well.</p>
<p>You are not supposed to update assets after the initial filing. Your school(s) may ask you for more information if you are selected for verification and/or if they catch the change.</p>
<p>Well, lesson learned, for next time! Thanks, kelsmom. We’ve received notification from one school and all we qualified for was $600 or so in work study dollars after merit was applied. So maybe it won’t make that much of a difference in any case.</p>
<p>They are not likely to worry about the change, then.</p>
<p>Is anyone having trouble getting the tool to load at all? Mine times out everytime it tries to go from the FAFSA site to the IRS. I live on a school campus so I know my network is fine and I’ve tried 3 browsers already but no luck. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Yeah, it just times out. Busy today I guess.</p>
<p>Thanks, now I at least know it isn’t on my end.</p>
<p>One more question (which I hope kelsmom will answer)…Last year I filed CSS in Nov 2010 and FAFSA on Jan 1 2011. This year (D is a college freshman) her school said to file by March 15 and get paperwork in by May 1. I am self-employed so my returns will not be done until April 15 (or possibly later). Does “filing” consist of filling out FAFSA as best I can with the “will file” and estimated numbers? Or does “filing” consist of getting FAFSA and tax returns uploaded?</p>
<p>did my fafsa corrections by hand. how do you know if you’re subject to verification?</p>
<p>I can’t answer for all schools, but where I worked, the initial date of filing was the “date” used. It was okay to estimate & use “will file” … the initial filing date still held for purposes of awarding aid.</p>
<p>So does it have to be exactly 2 weeks after filing before the Data retrieval tool works?</p>
<p>No, there’s no exact time frame. Some are reporting a few days, others more than two weeks. I think it probably has to do with how complex the return is as to how long processing takes. You can go into fafsa and try it. If it doesn’t work simply don’t submit the fafsa.</p>
<p>My son’s and our returns finally have showed up in ‘Where’s my refund’ but the the fafsa transfer still doesn’t work. My son’s showed up there after 7 days for a 1040EZ, my 1040 with one sort of unusual schedule took 13. Hopefully in the next few days the transfer will work.</p>
<p>Okay, today I can get through to the FAFSA website and initiate the transfer. However, once I hit to transfer the data I get a message that FAFSA on the web encountered an error. UGH! Has anyone else had this happen?</p>
<p>Is anyone having a problem using the tool in the last day or two? I’ve tried 20 times at least on 3 different browsers over the last two days.</p>
<p>It worked for me this morning.</p>
<p>“So does it have to be exactly 2 weeks after filing before the Data retrieval tool works?”</p>
<p>Guess I’ll have to change my previous answer, it worked for me today, exactly 2 weeks later. 
YMMV</p>