Over the last decade, the Department of Education has made attempts to reduce financial aid verification rates. But despite the attempts to ease the burden, a complex web of promised solutions and new requirements has resulted in little to no change in verification rates, creating a troubling situation for both students and schools.
Financial aid administrators know all too well how easily the verification process can derail students who otherwise would receive the financial aid needed to pursue their college dreams. Not only can it impose an undue burden on students who have already overcome incredible obstacles, but it also creates more work for aid administrators, taking their valuable time away from the people who matter most: their students.
This flowchart, which outlines the sort of "one step forward, two steps back" pattern that the financial aid community has come to know with regard to verification, will be used to help with advocacy efforts related to verification, and ultimately, FAFSA simplification.
Publication Date: 9/28/2020
Top AskRegs Questions: FAFSA Simplification
Verification 2024-25: Verification: 2024-2025
Verification: 2024-25 (Extended Edition)
FAFSA Simplification Web Center
How Do We Verify a Negative Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)? (Award Year: 2024-25)
How Do We Verify a Student's Spouse Who Was Claimed On Her Parents' 1040? (Award Year: 2024-25)
How Are IRA, Pension, and Annuity Rollovers Reported On the FAFSA? (Award Year: 2024-25)
How Do We Verify Rollovers of IRA, Pension, and Annuity Distributions? (Award Year: 2024-25)
FAFSA Simplification Implementation Checklist for Schools
How Do We Verify Income Earned From Work For a Tax Filer? (Award Year: 2024-25)
Can We Complete Verification If the IRS Extension To File Taxes Has Expired? (Award Year: 2024-25)
Can the CSS Profile Be Used To Verify Family Size? (Award Year: 2024-25)
Has the Tax Return Transcript Been Updated To Include Amended Tax Return Information?
Should an Incarcerated Spouse Be Included In the Student's Family Size? (Award Year: 2024-25)
Is a Verification Of Nonfiling Letter Required To Complete Verification? (Award Year: 2024-25)
Must We Re-Verify Students With Tax Extensions Once Their Taxes Are Filed? (Award Year: 2024-25)
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