Verification
What is verification?
Verification helps ensure certain information provided on the FAFSA is accurate. Because this information is used to determine need-based aid, reporting this information accurately is crucial.
In this process, B-W will be comparing information from your FAFSA with the financial documents used to complete your FAFSA. The law says we are required to ask you for this information before awarding federal aid under the financial aid program rules 34CFR, Part 668. If there are differences between your application information and your financial documents, the Financial Aid Office will make corrections to your FAFSA electronically.
Additional "Verification FAQs" can be found here.
The verification process for the 2012-2013 academic year is different than 2011-2012.
For 2011-2012 verification information, please click here.
2012-2013 Verification (Summer 2012-Fall 2012-Spring 2013)
Due to new Federal regulations pertaining to the verification process, students and parents are strongly encouraged to complete and file their 2011 Federal Tax Return with the IRS as soon as possible, and then choose the IRS Data Retrieval Option for both the student and parents (of dependent students only) when completing the 2012-2013 FAFSA.
Using the IRS Data Retrieval option to view and transfer your tax information into your FAFSA will minimize the chance of being selected for verification, provided you don't change the information that is imported.
The IRS Data Retrieval Option will be available as part of the FAFSA after February 1, 2012. Please allow two weeks after filing your 2011 Federal tax returns before your information is available to import via the IRS Data Retrieval option.
The B-W Office of Financial Aid strongly recommends that returning students/families file their 2011 Federal Tax Return with the IRS as soon as possible, and then submit the 2012-2013 FAFSA online at least two weeks later.
If your 2012-2013 FAFSA is selected for verification, we'll send you an email that informs you of what you need to submit to our office. The information that will be required may be different for each student, so you need to make sure you carefully read the email we send you so you know exactly what is needed from you/your family.
Below is a list of items that you may be required to submit if your FAFSA was selected for verification. The item(s) is dependent on the reason the U.S. Department of Education selected your FAFSA for verification.
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Statement from your local county Department of Job & Family Services confirming receipt of SNAP (food stamps)
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Copy of W-2 form(s) from each source of employment in 2011, for the student, spouse (if applicable), and parent(s)/stepparent(s) of dependent students
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Official tax return transcript from the IRS (click to order online through the IRS website or call the IRS Tax Transcript Order Line at 1-800-908-9946)
Under certain conditions, some applicants will not be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval option and will be required to submit an official tax transcript from the IRS to our office. These conditions are:
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when the student (or parent/stepparent of dependent students) did not use the IRS Data Retrieval option when filing the initial 2012-2013 FAFSA or through the FAFSA on the Web correction process;
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when student, spouse (if applicable), and/or parent/stepparent(s) of dependent students' information imported into the student's FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval option was subsequently changed;
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when the parents of a dependent student filed separate tax returns. (An official tax transcript from the IRS will be required for each parent/stepparent);
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when a married student and his or her spouse filed separate tax returns. (An official tax transcript from the IRS will be required for both the student and his or her spouse);
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when the student, spouse (if applicable), or parent/stepparent(s), filed an amended tax return;
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when the student or parent/stepparent(s) of dependent students had a change in marital status after the end of the tax year on December 31, 2011; and
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when the student, spouse (if applicable), and/or parent/stepparent(s) of dependent students filed a foreign tax return.
2011-2012 Verification (Summer 2011-Fall 2011-Spring 2012)
For the academic year 2011-2012, the Financial Aid Office is required to verify the following items for all students who were selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education's central processor:
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Household size
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Number in college
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Adjusted Gross Income
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U.S. Taxes Paid
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Certain types of untaxed income and benefits
If there is an asterisk (*) after your EFC number when you receive your Student Aid Report (SAR), you have been selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education. If this is the case, or if the Office of Financial Aid selects your FAFSA for verification, you will also be notified via a "Missing Information" email (sent to the email address you have provided on your admission application and/or your B-W email address if you have been assigned one). You may also receive a paper letter from the Office of Financial Aid through the mail with the items we are required to collect from you.
What documentation is required?
Dependent Students:
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Your parents' 1040/1040A/1040EZ, signed* and complete
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Your parents' Schedule C/C-EZ/D (if filed)
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Your parents' W-2 forms(only if they earned income but did not/was not required to file a federal tax return)
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Your 1040/1040A/1040EZ, signed* and complete
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Your schedule C/C-EZ/D (if filed)
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Your W-2 forms (only if you did not/were not required to file a federal tax return)
Independent Students:
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Your 1040/1040A/1040EZ, signed* and complete
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Your schedule C/C-EZ/D (if filed)
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Your W-2 forms (only if you did not/were not required to file a federal tax return)
If you are married, we will also require information for your spouse (your spouse's signed* and completed federal tax return if filed separately from yours, your spouse's Schedule C/C-EZ/D if filed, and your spouse's W-2 forms if he or she did not/was not required to file a federal tax return).
*Note regarding signatures on federal tax returns: There are only two acceptable "signatures" on federal tax returns: An actual signature from the person whose tax return it is or the name (not company name) of a preparer, along with the preparer's EIN/SSN/PTIN.
What are acceptable tax forms?
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1040
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1040A
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1040EZ
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1040PC (or other electronic return, excluding 8453)
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TeleFile with IRS Confirmation Number
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IRS Letter 1722
If you didn't keep a copy of your 2010 Federal Tax Return, you will need to request IRS Letter 1722 from the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040. The IRS will send you a tax transcript within 8-10 weeks. If you complete the IRS Form 4506, the IRS will forward this information directly to our office within 10-15 days (according to information from the IRS).
The Financial Aid Office may request additional documentation, such as a Divorce Decree (to verify Child Support), IRS Form 2555 (to verify Foreign Income Exclusion), U.S. Department of Human Resources Forms (to verify Aid to Needy Families - TANF), Veteran's Affairs Benefits Forms, and/or any other additional documents as requested.
If you weren't required to file a 2010 Federal Tax Return, the Verification Worksheet gives you the opportunity to certify that you were a non-filer. If you earned income you will still be required to submit W-2 forms.
Verification FAQ
Who determines which students are selected for verification?
The U.S. Department of Education selects a group of applications because certain FAFSA information appears inconsistent; others are selected at random. In addition, the Office of Financial Aid has an obligation to select an applicant for verification if FAFSA data appears incorrect. For academic years 2011-2012 and earlier, 33% of all students who file a FAFSA nationwide are selected. Starting with the 2012-2013 academic year, the U.S. Department of Education has reduced the amount of information needed to complete the verification process for all students, instead using a "targeted selection of items based upon each student's characteristics."
What should I do if I am selected?
You must provide our office with the required documentation to show that the FAFSA information is accurate.
What will happen if I don't submit the required verification documents?
If you are a new student to Baldwin-Wallace, we will send you an intitial financial aid award letter even though you may not have completed verification. However, financial aid cannot be released to your B-W student account until verification of your FAFSA is complete. Please know that merit scholarships and other awards that are not based on financial information can be released.
If you are a returning Baldwin-Wallace student, you will not receive a financial aid award until verification of your FAFSA has been completed.
Can my financial aid award change as a result of verification?
The financial aid award you received was based on information you provided on the FAFSA. Federal programs such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Grant, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Work-Study, National Science & Mathematics to Retain Talent Grant, the Academic Competitiveness Grant, and Federal Direct Loans have strict eligibility requirements.
If the information you provide to our office does not match the information you provided on your FAFSA, the Office of Financial Aid will make corrections to your FAFSA, which may result in an increase or reduction of your financial aid award(s).
How will I know when verification of my FAFSA has been completed?
When verification of your FAFSA is complete, you will be notified in one of the following ways: 1) you will receive your first award letter of the academic year; 2) you will receive a revised award letter; or 3) you will receive other communication from our staff.
Please note: The Office of Financial Aid will not be responsible for any finance charges the Bursar's Office may assess if your financial aid cannot be released due to an unverified FAFSA.