<p>After doing my corrections, I don't know if I am being verified this year. How do you know?
We were verified last year, as there was a * on the confirmation page. This year there is not a * that I can find. Is this symbol still being used?</p>
<p>Also, must you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool now? If you don't, must one send in all tax returns to the college's FA office? I ask because it was too soon after filing to use this tool.
Also, I would like to know if everyone is now basically verified.</p>
<p>Everyone is NOT verified. Well not at most places. Usually you get the asterick if your FAFSA has been selected for verification. </p>
<p>Do NOT send anything to the colleges that they do not require…or request. SO if they don’t require tax returns…and they don’t request them…don’t send them.</p>
<p>If the college ultimately selects you for verification, the college will tell you exactly what to send them.</p>
<p>Schools can choose to verify students whose FAFSAs are not flagged with the asterisk - the more money they give out, the more likely the school is to collect tax documents to make sure folks are not trying to pull the wool over their eyes. </p>
<p>Since you were not flagged, and it doesn’t sound like your school requires everyone to submit tax returns … don’t worry about the IRS transfer UNLESS asked to do it.</p>
<p>Thumper the format of the confirmation page looks a bit different this year and there is a new “tool” in place to submit tax returns. Since the tool was discussed as a part of our confirmation page, and a comment about how we did NOT use it (actually we could not use it), and how after the FAFSA is processed we could use this tool to link our tax documents/info, I thought they were verifying us. Good to know that the asterik is still the verification symbol. I guess this means that we are not being verified this year and do not HAVE to use this tool (correct me if I am worng, kelsmom). BTW, we were verified for the last 2 years. This is why I was looking for the *. </p>
<p>Where would I find the *, if we had one? Next to our EFC?</p>
<p>NEM…we NEVER had the asterick appear on our FAFSA. Our son attended a Profile school and we were selected by THEM for verification every year (son got no need based aid…never did figure out why they had to have our tax returns and the like every year). The school notified us that they wanted additional documentation…so we sent it. EVERY year for four years.</p>
<p>At this point, just wait and see. Even IF there is an asterick on your FAFSA that is not a guarantee that your son’s school will choose you for verification.</p>
<p>The accountant I work for does not file electronically, so we could not use the FAFSA Retrieval tool.</p>
<p>One child was picked for verification, one was not and it was spelled out that we were selected when I submitted the FAFSA on that child. </p>
<p>I have had to request a 2011 Tax Transcript from the IRS & the Financial Aid Office for this child assured me that is was OK if I did not get the Tax Transcript before April 20th, which is college’s deadline for returning students. They already have our tax returns.</p>
<p>Nice to hear from you, SLUMOM! Hope all is well, but don’t want to derail the topic.</p>
<p>123tweedle, last year the school wanted W-2s for the student, the parents, and tax returns. My son misplaced on W-2 and it was an incovenience to get a new one. He only earned $600 at this job, but the school was required to have it on file. We also had to complete some additional FA forms that the school sent to us. I do not recall the exact questions, but I believe it the form just asked some questions that had already been asked when completing the FAFSA. </p>
<p>My son is at a Profile school and new this year, everyone has to file a Federal Verification Worksheet with their IDOC materials. (The form is not very detailed or difficult.) They are also requiring everyone to either use the IRS link tool or submit a tax transcript, though they will not consider the application late if everything but the transcript is in on time.</p>
<p>I filed on paper in mid-March and got my refund yesterday. I was able to use the FAFSA-IRS link tool yesterday. It was extremely helpful to have the refund check in hand because I could see exactly how they had entered my address. The first time I entered it exactly as it was on my tax return, and the tool didn’t work. Then I grabbed the check and entered it as it appeared on the check (including some things shortened/abbreviated that I had written out in full) and that worked. So maybe that’s a hint for next year – if you’re getting a refund, ask for a check instead of direct deposit so you will know the IRS’s version of your address :D</p>
<p>It’s a very shortened version of your tax return, obtained from the IRS.</p>
<p>We also did not have the asterisk this year. I called the school and they said if selected, we could either use the link or get the transcript. I asked her if no asterisk mean we were not selected, and she appeared clueless even about what I meant. Sigh, will wait and see. I did FAFSA too soon after efiling so the tool wouldn’t have worked, but after reading the horror thread stories about it on cc, I wasn’t going to waste a bunch of unnecessary time.</p>
<p>SLUMOM–how can the accountant not efile? IRS requires any preparer filing more than 10 returns to efile. Just wondering.</p>
<p>It’s Form 4506-T. Can be obtained from irs.gov, “order a transcript” or by calling 800-908-9946. It is free and requests for “return transcript” (there are several addt’l choices) are usually processed within 10 business days.</p>
<p>You may also be able to obtain one from a local IRS service center. They are more short-staffed than in previous years, so you may want to call first to check about this availability and speed.</p>
<p>I ordered a tax transcript online over six weeks ago and it never showed up. I ordered one by phone three weeks ago. It never showed up either. But I went to the nearest IRS office yesterday, and the very polite and competent worker had my transcript for me in less than 10 minutes. Bless her little heart. When I said it was for college FA, she shuddered and said “I am so glad I don’t have to deal with any of that.”</p>
<p>sryrstress, the key is that the tax preparer does not file them, just prepares them and gives them to his/her tax clients. There is a “Loophole” in this E filing stipulation. The tax clients are filing them the old-fashioned way, via snail mail. So until the IRS rewords their requirements on this, then many tax preparers will still be able to do paper returns.</p>