one more financial aid question

<p>When submitting the tax returns to the colleges in the spring, does one include W-2 forms and supporting documentation or just the actual, signed form? Also, state and city forms?</p>

<p>I think a copy of the actual form is plenty (that's all I gave them). What they really want is some kind of verification on the numbers you provide, and the felony-level penalties and known accounting rules that govern tax returns provide at least SOME assurance that you're telling the truth there.</p>

<p>Thanks JHS. That makes a lot of sense to me.</p>

<p>we submitted signed 1040 forms & schedules- including W-2s but not the worksheets.
but some schools don't want all that paperwork</p>

<p>D's school specifically stated they wanted the W-2's. If not stated, then I think the return itself is sufficient.</p>

<p>By the way, they also have the right to check the return you submit against the one you filed with the IRS.</p>

<p>What about including the state forms? Do they only want federal?</p>

<p>I think that, by far, the easiest thing to do is just make a copy of everything and sign everything with the date you are to send it on there. Then, send everything to the head of the financial aid department first day priority mail and have that be it.</p>

<p>For whatever blessed reason, I am always picked for the verification. And, I am a totally independent student. So, I send everything and have that be it, because if one is slow in sending off all of the verification paperwork, one can be out of the running for a grant or something.</p>

<p>So, make copies of everything and send it all.</p>

<p>Merlin, somehow the W-2s got detached from the form and I can't find them absolutely anywhere.</p>

<p>We dont' have state income tax- but the school where D attended does, and she had a workstudy job, so she filed state</p>

<p>So we also included the state income tax forms & I suppose if your city has income tax, you would include those as well.
We did this for the 5 years she applied- ( she took one year off)
I think some schools don't require it past the first year unless something has changed a lot.</p>

<p>It was a pain- I admit & since little changed from year to year- I wasn't thrilled with having to file FAFSA AND PROFILE, every year.
But it was a generous scholarship, so if you broke it down by time spent it was well worth it.</p>

<p>Also if you haven't filed before- be aware that they may update your FAFSA numbers. This was a surprise to me, when I checked the FAFSA online the first year.</p>

<p>Always double check- because while the aid office may actually increase your aid, when given your updated numbers, they also have been known to make mistakes.</p>