Verification Process | Financial Aid

If your FAFSA is selected for Verification, the U.S. Department of Education requires your school to verify the information reported on your FAFSA. In order to complete the verification process, you must:

Verify your federal tax information
Complete a Verification Worksheet
Submit all documents to Onestop Student Services

Step 1: Verify your federal tax information

Option A: FAFSA IRS Data Retrieval Process

We highly recommend this process as it should be easier and faster than Option B.

Visit www.fafsa.ed.gov
Click on Login
Enter your name, Social Security Number and Date of Birth
Click on Make FAFSA Corrections
Enter the Student's PIN and Password and click Next
Click on the Financial Information tab
Answer the income tax return question and follow the prompts on the screen.
When complete, enter PIN and click "Link to the IRS"
Click OK to temporarily leave the FAFSA website
Once on IRS website, enter required information. Be sure to enter your address EXACTLY as it appears on your tax return (i.e. Street, St, St.). Click Submit
If the IRS is able to validate your information, it should display. Check the box under "Transfer My Tax Information into the FAFSA" and click on Transfer Now
Click OK to return back to the FAFSA website
Make sure these steps are completed for both student & parent (if dependent)
Click Sign and Submit tab
Follow prompts and when complete, click Submit My FAFSA Now

IRS Data Retrieval Tool demonstration video

(courtesy of UC Santa Barbara)

Please Note

If you filed your taxes electronically: allow 2 weeks BEFORE using the IRS Data Retrieval Process. If you filed your taxes by mail: allow 6-8 weeks BEFORE using the IRS Data Retrieval Process.