<p>Idocs requires my 2012 tax returns, but I don't have them. Some of the schools for my Idocs require it to be sent by February 15, and obviously, that date has passed. Should I send my 2011 ones or wait past the deadline to send my 2012?</p>
<p>Go to [Internal</a> Revenue Service](<a href=“http://www.irs.gov%5DInternal”>http://www.irs.gov) and pick one of the e-file options. You can transmit these things today, print out a copy of the e-document, and use those for the Idoc. If your paperwork is at hand, you can probably finish the whole shebang before suppertime.</p>
<p>I would read the instructions for each school in question. Some schools state that if the 2012 returns cannot be completed by the deadline, then the 2011 forms should be sent to IDOC. The 2012 forms should then be faxed/mailed/emailed directly to the school as soon as possible. The aid package you get might be based on 2011 numbers so it is subject to change. The instructions for these circumstances are usually on the school’s financial aid page; if not, you should call and find out how to proceed.</p>
<p>happymom - I appreciate your optimism, but not everyone can sit down and complete their own tax returns in the course of an afternoon. Some among us have lives - and finances - that are a bit more complicated than that.</p>
<p>OP - Do check with the schools in question as to what you should do if the 2012 return isn’t ready yet. The one school I’ve spoken to said it would delay the student’s financial aid award . . . but wouldn’t prevent the student from getting the award.</p>
<p>Thanks all for your help.</p>
<p>Because filing my taxes for 2012 isn’t possible at the moment (my parents are away for this and next week), the only thing I can do is see if the schools will accept my 2011 returns in the meantime. I do really hope that it won’t jeopardize my FA application. Money is probably the most important factor for me for going to college.</p>
<p>IDOC is quite specific that you should NOT send 2011 returns unless specifically requested by the school. You need to contact the schools and let them know you have a delay. Most of them will say to wait for the 2012 returns, but get them in ASAP. Honestly, if your parents have not started (or have to wait for business returns or something), your delay may be more than a week. However, I do think colleges are getting more pushback on dates than usual this year because the IRS has had some delays in accepting some forms (particularly for small businesses), thus delaying the completion of some returns needed by colleges. So you are not alone!</p>
<p>I personally am finding that this whole process is like peeling an onion – just discovered today that one school is requesting a tax return for small trust. We hustled to get all the business and personal returns done, but now need this one. :(</p>