<p>Seeking help in this sea of tax returns and financial aid that I am drowning in, here I go:</p>
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<li><p>How do I know if I need to send in copies of my tax return to the institutions I have already applied to? I noticed that some of the schools I have applied to have set deadlines to submit copies of the 2012 tax return, but does this mean that all students have to submit copies of their tax returns?</p></li>
<li><p>After submitting my CSS Profile, I received an email as a confirmation and towards the middle of the email around nine schools were listed as "colleges requiring IDOC". Does this mean that regardless of whether any of the listed schools has contacted me I still need to mail in the copies of my tax documents?</p></li>
<li><p>Aside from the 1040 and schedules, which pages of my tax return packet do I need to make copies of? Are copies of the 1099 required as well?</p></li>
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<p>You send copy of taxes to IDOC and they provide to schools that require it, at least that’s how it worked with the CSS school my D ended up attending. Are all those schools still in the running? We only did it to actual school after acceptance…more of a confirmation of information you provided on CSS.</p>
<p>Thanks for replying! Does the copy of taxes that I send to IDOC only include the 1040, schedules, and W-2s or do I also have to include the other forms (e.g. 8949) in the packet? </p>
<p>What do you mean are the schools still in the running? I am still seriously considering attending these schools and have not received any admissions decisions yet, if that is what you meant. The schools that I have been accepted to did not ask for any copies at all and have not listed any deadlines on their websites.</p>
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<p>That is part of why I am confused. My older sisters, who attended college probably around twenty years ago, only had to submit all of this documentation once they were accepted and set on attending specific schools.</p>
<p>What is IDOC? I don’t know anything about this. U Chicago wanted copies of 2011 taxes a few weeks ago and now I had to send 2012 stuff to U Chicago and Vanderbilt. I didn’t see instructions for ‘IDOC.’ Did I miss something? I post-mailed hard copies to the address they specified and Chicago even had a cover sheet you had to enclose.</p>
<p>U of Chicago does not use IDOC. You work directly with them… if the school uses IDOC, they would have already told you in some kind of paper or email notification.</p>
<p>For the OP, if you have indeed applied for need based financial aid from colleges that use IDOC, you should get an email from College Board specifically telling you how to log into IDOC. Once you are in, they will tell you exactly what you need to do… LOTS of detailed instructions for you (and your parents if you are a student). But if you follow them, then all of those IDOC schools on your list are mostly taken care of. Although my D has one school (Swarthmore) that is IDOC and also seems to have an additional form that is not part of the IDOC packet. :(</p>
<p>But for all schools that are not IDOC schools, you need to work directly with them to understand what needs to be sent and when. This is a reason NOT to apply to tons of schools, the paperwork for financial aid is a nightmare.</p>
<p>Generally IDOC and the colleges require all forms that you filed with the IRS as part of your personal return. Also, the IDOC schools want all copies of your 1099s (insanity, but this is what they want…). A recommendation discussed on another thread out here is to black out your account numbers on the 1099s for the copies sent to IDOC, no reason to give those to the schools.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies! I have signed into IDOC and I realized that the deadline for the documents to be received by College Board is March 1st. My parents’ 2012 Consolidated 1099 has not come in yet and a rep from TD Ameritrade said that it will come in towards the end of this month, which means that my 2012 1040 will not be available in time for me to mail in a copy of it. Will there be a penalty if my tax documents are received slightly after the March 1st deadline? :(</p>
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<p>I have also applied to Swarthmore! What form is this? </p>
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<p>Thanks for the tip! I was a little concerned about that piece of information being divulged to a group of strangers and after reading your advice I immediately took to my trusty black Sharpie! :D</p>
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<p>One of my friends applied there and he only submitted his 2011 taxes. Are the 2012 ones required as well?</p>
<p>Yes, they will require the 2012 tax returns at U of Chicago as well. My D was an EA applicant (accepted), and we had to send 2011 returns. They also want the 2012 ones when they are ready…</p>
<p>Here is a link to this year’s form (on the Swarthmore FA website). It gives a checklist of everything they need on the first page, then follows with a form you also have to fill out and mail directly to them (not through IDOC). Major pain in the neck. :(</p>
<p>In general, I suggest that you notify your colleges if you are going to miss deadlines for getting FA documents to them. Although I think you surely are not the only one this year, there are a lot of delays for small business owners as well this year.</p>
What form is this? </p>