<p>I managed to e-file both our and DD's tax returns early (Feb. 1), and complete the FAFSA early as well, prior to the school's Priority filing deadline.</p>
<p>We were selected for Verification. Ugh. Been through this before, it's a pain, but not difficult as at that time we could submit paper copies of our tax returns.</p>
<p>This year, they're requiring only the official IRS Tax Return Transcript, or use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Both are unavailable at this time. School's deadline for receiving ALL Verification documents is March 15.</p>
<p>We also had money due on the returns. So, from what I now understand, the official tax return transcripts are not going to be available for a long, long time. In case it will help to speed things up, I did go ahead and mail checks for the tax due. But, it's still going to be impossible to meet the school's March 15 deadline.</p>
<p>This is DD's junior year and she's received a good amount of Federal and State grant funds every year, and Federal Work Study. She NEEDS these funds. I'm very concerned that the State funds, in particular, will be gone by the time we can provide the requested documents -- given out to other deserving students even though we did everything we could to get everything in early.</p>
<p>An IRS rep told me the school should be accepting PAPER copies of tax returns. (She also was the one who explained how long it will take to get the transcript with a balance due return). But the school says they won't accept paper copies. Which is correct? I've tried to ask if I could provide the paper copies now so that they could begin processing her application, then follow-up with the official copies later, but they kept insisting I'd be able to get the official one soon. :(</p>
<p>I've already spoken with the financial aid department several times about this, and don't want to risk making them (more) irritated with me and affect her financial aid award! But at the same time, I'm very concerned her award will be affected no matter what anyway.</p>
<p>Well, lovely, but that’s not their call to make - the school can require whatever it wants!</p>
<p>If you’ve mailed payment, that will speed things up significantly, so it’s possible that the retrieval tool will be available by or soon after March 15.</p>
<p>The school’s not going to do anything between now and the 15th anyway, so I’d suggest waiting until then (or until the 14th, anyway), checking with the IRS at that point to see if your return has been processed, and then, and only then, calling the school and saying, “Now what? You said it would be available. It’s not - so what are you going to do to help my daughter?” And speak to someone with some seniority in the office - who might actually be able to help.</p>
<p>Thanks! That’s pretty much what I was thinking! Just wish I’d known that not paying when we e-filed was going to be such a problem; would have just paid then and I might not be in this predicament. Live and learn! (Although, how can you possibly keep up when the rules keep changing…this documention rule wasn’t in place 2 years ago, so I had no way of knowing).</p>
<p>The fafsa people set the rules for what schools can accept for verification, not the IRS. Starting last year the retrieval tool or return transcripts were required by the fafsa folks. Schools have to follow fafsa rules. </p>
<p>You may only be a few days late, give it 10 days. Obviously the tool will be faster.</p>
<p>We ran into a similar problem last year, the irs also told us the paper copies of our taxes would be accepted for financial aid purposes, they were not, the electronic copy transmitted from the irs was required. But we were able to order the electronic copy from an outside company for a Fee then they emailed it to us we printed it out and hand delivered it, somehow this is acceptable but us making a copy of what we filed was not. Using the outside company will get you the returns about 10 days to 2 weeks sooner once the return becomes available through the irs website. Somehow these outside companies have better access to our tax returns than we do. It may be worth doing if it helps you avoid the stress of missing the deadline. I can’t remember the name of the company but I would be careful to use one that is legitimate.</p>
<p>and see if a “return transcript” is available for 2012. If it is you can go then go to your local IRS office and they will make you a copy or fax a copy of the transcript to you instead of waiting the 10 days that you would have to wait if the IRS mailed it to you. Local IRS offices don’t make appointment for this just show up.</p>
<p>Financial aid folks were also told that they can accept paper copies to make awards … but that they had to have the direct transfer or the tax transcript in order to actually disburse the funds. Financial aid offices are almost always understaffed, so they are not going to do more work than necessary … and collecting paper copies when they still have to get the DRT or transcript is a waste of time. I would expect that schools are going to be understanding if you do everything BUT the DRT/transcript by the date. If you don’t submit everything else (including verification form), though, they won’t be understanding.</p>
<p>Kelsmom, the only form I was asked to submit for my son’s verification was the Household Size/Number in College and to use the DRT and his deadline was also March 15th. I was told by the IRS that my return may not be processed until the end of April and maybe in May which means I will not be able to use the tool until May or June. Isn’t that too late for state and federal grants and also affect scholarships awarded on first come basis?</p>
<p>The form you filled out has all the info they will need other than the DRT, most likely. I don’t know what schools are doing (I am at a small grad school, and I don’t have to be so strict with deadlines) … I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t have a plan for handling the problems that the late IRS processing is causing. Call them to ask. State grants shouldn’t be affected by this, and Pell won’t be … SEOG and work study could be, if you might otherwise get them & they have been exhausted.</p>
<p>I called my son’s school and explained that I won’t be able to use the DRT or get transcripts because I owe money. The person I spoke to said she had just spoken to another parent with the same issue and that sending in my signed tax return with supporting forms would be fine for now. By the time they are ready to actually disburse the funds, I should be able to use the DRT which I think tends to be available for everyone around mid July.</p>
<p>This is a big problem of with communication between federal agencies. The purpose of the tax return is to pay taxes, not to verify information for the department of education. The tool was created to simplify the transfer of information (and to cut down on costs, since the IRS doesn’t charge for that transcript). There are a number of reasons why a family might not be able to file their taxes by March 15, a number of reasons why they might not be able to e-file, and a number of reasons why the retrieval tool won’t work for everyone. Schools that insist the only way they will release aid packages is use of the DRT are mistaking their place in the process. It is a TOOL! It is meant to help the process, not hinder it.</p>
<p>I have clients who have been told that their “refusal” to file their taxes on time and to use the DRT means the school will not look at their FA file. In at least one case, the FA office lied to them and told them the federal government requires the verification - I know how to read the SAR, and they are not in fact subject to federal verification, yet somehow this school is verifying every student (an excuse not to give aid?) and telling all that it’s required by the federal government. They go too far.</p>
<p>If you’re selected for federal verification, then yes you need the DRT or a transcript before funds can be released. If it’s institutional, the school does have the right to set their own requirements, but a signed tax return should be sufficient to release at least a preliminary aid package.</p>
<p>If I wanted to cheat, it would be very easy to file a false tax return, only showing some of my income, for purposes of using the DRT, and then amend my tax return so I don’t get in trouble with the IRS. The DRT isn’t infallible, and is only as good as the data the taxpayer first sends to the IRS.</p>
<p>I know how to read the SAR, and they are not in fact subject to federal verification, yet somehow this school is verifying every student (an excuse not to give aid?) and telling all that it’s required by the federal government. They go too far.</p>
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<p>Schools are free to set their own rules for verification, and some are in a program that allows them to ignore the federally-selected FAFSAs and instead set their own rules for selection. The choice to verify more requires more work on the part of the school, so I imagine the schools that verify “all” would be doing so in order to make sure they are giving money to those who need it most - they probably are schools with a lot of money to award. </p>
<p>It is interesting to see the change in EFC after the DRT is used. Many people estimate incorrectly - especially when they report taxes paid as the taxes paid on their W2 forms. This results in a too-high EFC.</p>
<p>I don’t think the system is perfect by a long shot, but I do think the feds are trying things that they hope will catch cheaters. It’s definitely still a work in progress, though.</p>
<p>Anyone who can help, please give me any input.</p>
<p>Kelsmom - Post #10
My son was selected for federal verification and I called 2 schools and both insisted on me using the DRT. I checked again this morning and was not able to use the tool. Are there any other options?</p>
<p>Double check to make sure that the information you are entering EXACTLY matches the information on your tax return (including abbreviations). If you are unable to transfer because it is not yet available (like if you owe), call the school. They may request paper returns for now, to be followed by the DRT prior to disbursement in August/September. This is a very big problem, and all aid officers should be aware - it has been a topic of discussion and guidance in the finaid listservs/fed communications for several weeks.</p>