<p>A few of the colleges I applied to (but not all of them?) want a copy of my mother's IRS Forms and W-2s. I didn't want to send it to the colleges I don't choose, but I need the financial information before I can make a decision. Will it be an important impact?</p>
<p>You need to ask them. Some schools will not prepare a financial aid package for you at all if you don’t send it to them. At other schools they may just tell you that your package is tentative pending confirmation of the tax forms.</p>
<p>Call the schools and ask. Where my kids applied, ALL required forms and supporting documents had to be received or the school did not process your financial aid request. Maybe that isn’t true at all schools.</p>