Verification
Verification, once performed entirely by the school, is increasingly a shared effort by the school and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to ensure that federal student aid funds are awarded and paid based on accurate family financial information. A student’s application for federal student aid (the FAFSA) may be chosen for verification by ED or by the school. The information that must be verified varies by applicant, as, effective for the 2012-13 award year, ED transitioned to a targeted approach that specifies verification of only those items that appear most likely to be in error.
Related topics in this Index: Need Analysis; Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
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Statutory Authority
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Regulations
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ED References
See also Subtopics for more specific references.-
Federal Register, 5/24/19, pp. 24118 to 24122
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Federal Register, 3/28/18, pp. 13266 to 13269
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Federal Register, 9/29/17, pp. 45465 to 45471
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Federal Register, 10/29/10, pp. 66902 to 66933
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Federal Register, 6/18/10, pp. 34825 to 34834
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GEN-19-02
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Program Integrity Q&A, Verification
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2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG
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2019-20 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG
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FSA Assessments
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NASFAA Publications and Articles
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NASFAA AskRegs Knowledgebase
Search or browse the Knowledgebase for answers to regulatory and compliance questions submitted by financial aid administrators.
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NASFAA 2019-20 Tax Transcript Decoder
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NASFAA Compliance Engine
The Compliance Engine is comprised of two modules: the Self-Evaluation Checklists which allows administrators to evaluate their programs in a centralized, shared online space, and the P&P Builder, a tool designed to assist institutions in the creation and maintenance of a policies and procedures manual. Along with an online space to update and maintain policies and procedures, the P&P Builder includes legislation and regulation associated with compliance with Title IV requirements.
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NASFAA U Authorized Events
NASFAA U Authorized Events are a comprehensive set of instructional materials for teaching financial aid concepts to groups of individuals. Materials include a study guide, instructor guide and accompanying presentation slides.
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NASFAA U Online Courses
NASFAA U Online Courses are collaborative learning sessions bring minds and ideas together despite distances. Online courses help you become more proficient, more knowledgeable, and more valuable to your organization, to interact with your colleagues through required discussions, and offer you the option to work towards earning a professional credential from NASFAA.
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NASFAA U Self-Study Guides
NASFAA U Self-Study Guides are written for the independent learner. Each Self-Study Guide includes multiple lessons with a variety of exercises to reinforce each lesson. Individuals do independent study and take quizzes in a traditional paper format (not online). Then you can qualify to take a test and earn a professional credential.
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Subtopics
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Adjusted gross income; U.S. income tax paid; income earned from work
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General information
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Amended tax returns
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Foreign income and foreign tax returns
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Immigrants
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Income Verification Express Service (IVES)
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IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT)
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IRS Documentation Requests, Uses, and Messaging
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IRS Tax filing extension
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IRS Tax Return (when IRS Tax Return Transcript is unavailable)
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IRS Tax Return Transcript Matrix
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IRS Tax Return Transcript Redacted Information
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IRS Tax Return Transcript, Tax Account Transcript, and Record of Account
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Joint return but no longer married
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Non tax filer
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“Per computer” IRS corrections
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Verification of Nonfiling Letter (VNF)
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Victims of identity theft
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Change in marital status
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Correction of application information as a result of verification
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Making and processing changes
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Program Integrity Q&A, Verification, CHD-Q1/CHD-A1
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2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2019-20 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2021-22 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference, Section 2
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2020-21 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference, Section 2
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2019-20 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference, Section 2
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2021-22 ISIR Guide, pp. 61 to 62
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2020-21 ISIR Guide, pp. 61 to 62
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2019-20 ISIR Guide, pp. 57 to 58
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Recalculation of Pell Grant
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Repackaging of subsidized aid other than Pell Grant
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Required submission of corrections
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Tolerance
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Deadlines for submission of documentation
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Disaster guidance
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GEN-17-08
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GEN-10-16
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Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20
UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Electronic Announcement, 4/3/20
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Electronic Announcement, 9/13/17
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Education credits
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Electronic and photocopied signatures
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Exclusions from verification
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Death of student
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Resolution of conflicting information
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Student no longer enrolled
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Student will not receive Title IV aid or will receive only unsubsidized aid
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Transfer student
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Exclusions from verification: Parental information only
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Exclusions from verification: Spousal information only
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Failure by student to provide documentation
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Foreign schools
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High school completion status
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General information
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Federal Register, 5/29/19, pp. 24118 to 24122
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GEN-15-11
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GEN-12-09
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Electronic Announcement, 5/15/20
UPDATED Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Electronic Announcement, 7/23/19
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2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2019-20 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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Ability to benefit alternative
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Foreign high school diploma
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Reporting requirement
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Identity/statement of educational purpose
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Incentive compensation exclusion
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Interim disbursements
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Allowable interim disbursements
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Prohibitions
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Recovery of (and liability for) interim disbursements
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Items / information to be verified
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Applicants selected by ED
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Applicants selected by school
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Auto Zero or Simplified Needs Test
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Number of family members in household (household size)
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Number of household members enrolled in eligible postsecondary institutions (number in college)
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Policies and procedures required of institution
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Communication with applicant about required documentation, deadlines, and consequences of failure to comply
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Institutional processes and procedures
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Professional judgment
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Reporting and status codes
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Retirement account rollovers
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Scope (Aid programs to which verification applies)
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Aid programs to which verification applies
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Authority to require applicant’s documentation
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Impact on unsubsidized aid
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Selection for verification
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30% limitation
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Auto Zero EFC applicants
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Selection by ED
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General information
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Acceptable Documentation for ED
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Failure to use IRS data retrieval when eligible to do so
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Graduate students
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Professional judgment cases
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Selection by institution
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General information
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Acceptable Documentation
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Additional applicants
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Delaying disbursement
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Selection of subsequent application/transaction
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668.54(a)(4)
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668.55(b)(2)
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Federal Register, 10/29/10, p. 66905
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Electronic Announcement, 10/31/16
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2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 5
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2019-20 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2019-20 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 5
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2021-22 ISIR Guide, p. 34
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2020-21 ISIR Guide, p. 33
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2019-20 ISIR Guide, p. 32
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Untaxed income (tax-exempt interest, IRA distributions and deductions, pensions)
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Updating of application information
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Dependency status
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Household size or number in college
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Making and processing changes
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Program Integrity Q&A, Verification, UPD-Q2/ UPD-A2
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Program Integrity Q&A, Verification, DOC-Q22/DOC-A22
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2020-21 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2019-20 FSA Handbook, Vol. AVG, Ch. 4
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2021-22 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference, Section 2
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2020-21 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference, Section 2
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2019-20 Electronic Data Exchange (EDE) Technical Reference, Section 2
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2021-22 ISIR Guide, p. 60
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2020-21 ISIR Guide, p. 62
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2019-20 ISIR Guide, p. 58
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Parent’s marital status
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Student’s marital status
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Verification tracking groups
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Worksheets/Suggested Text
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