RN to BSN Program
If a student’s application is selected for verification, the student must complete the verification process or forfeit federal student aid and the student will be responsible for any charges incurred. Verification of required documents is generally completed in two weeks after submission of all documents. During peak periods (July, August and September) more time should be allowed. To obtain a copy of the verification worksheet, see the links below:
2012-2013 Dependent Verification Worksheet
2012-2013 Independent Verification Worksheet
New for 2012-2013
All students in all cases who are selected for verification are encouraged to use the new helpful service- IRS Data Retrieval Tool now available on the FAFSA web application. Any student who was unable to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool will be required to obtain and submit a tax transcript directly from the IRS. The tax transcript can be requested by using the following link:
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=232168,00.html
Click here to view the different ways to request the transcript.
Under certain conditions, some applicants will need to submit to their institution an IRS Tax Return Transcript instead of using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
These conditions are:
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When information included on the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Process was changed after being imported from the IRS
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When the parents of a dependent student filed separate tax returns
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When an applicant or an applicant’s parent had a change in marital status after the end of the tax year on December 31, 2011
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When the applicant or an applicant’s parent filed a foreign tax return
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When a married independent applicant and spouse filed separate tax returns
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When the applicant, or parent or spouse, as applicable, filed an amended tax return. The applicant, parent, or spouse will need to request an IRS Tax Account Transcript as well as an IRS Tax Return Transcript if he or she filed an amended tax return. This is because the IRS Tax Account transcript only reflects changes and the IRS Tax Return Transcript reflects the original figures. Both must be used to properly verify the applicant’s file. The applicant should notify the financial aid office if an amended tax return was filed.
A person can request multiple copies of an IRS Tax Return Transcript for a single aid year, however if they request a second copy within a short timeframe of requesting their initial copy, the person may get a message denying their second request, stating that a transcript has already been processed for them. To avoid this situation, a person can make a copy of the original transcript sent to them for future use or wait approximately 3 weeks before submitting an additional request in order to allow the first request be processed before making a second request. Another final option is a person can walk into an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center with a photo ID (driver's license) and obtain a copy of their IRS Tax Return Transcript for free. It is not uncommon for persons to stop back in for additional copies of their Tax Return Transcript. This is a service offered by these centers, which can be located from the link below:
http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/index.html
(link to locate taxpayer assistance centers by state)
Each center will have a link for 'Services Provided' and copies of returns/transcript is listed as one of those services.
The primary items that are verified are:
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Household size
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Number in college
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Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
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U. S. Taxes Paid
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Child Support Paid (2012-2013 year)
Certain types of untaxed income:
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Education Credits
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IRA/Keogh Deductions
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Tax-exempt interest
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Untaxed portions of IRA distribution
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Untaxed portions of pensions
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Payments to tax-deferred pension/savings plans (found on W-2)
Other untaxed incomes not found on tax return:
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Housing/food/living allowances paid to members of the military, clergy and others
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Veterans NON-EDUCATIONAL benefits
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Other, such as workers’ compensation/disability
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Food Stamps also known as SNAP
Verification Item |
Documentation Requested |
Other Documentation in Lieu of Worksheet or Tax Information |
Household Size |
Verification Worksheet (below) |
Signed Statement |
Number Enrolled in College |
Verification Worksheet (below) |
Signed Statement and/or Institutional Certificate |
AGI & Taxes Paid |
Use of IRS Data Retrieval Tool |
IRS Tax Transcript (below) |
Untaxed Income & Benefits |
Use of IRS Data Retrieval Tool |
Signed Statement or Verification Worksheet or Official Agency Documentation |
Required Documents
The “Dependent Verification Worksheet (2012-2013)” is required for students whose parental information was needed to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
The “Independent Verification Worksheet (2012-2013) is required for students whose parental information was not needed to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
To request IRS Tax Transcripts, click here: http://www.irs.gov.
Consequences of Failure to Submit Verification Documents
The timeframe for submitting verification documents for Pell recipients is established yearly by the federal government. Generally, students may submit these documents by August 31 of the last year during a two-year award year, or no later than 120 days after the last day of the student’s enrollment, whichever is earlier.
Campus-based and Stafford Subsidized Loan recipients must complete verification within 30 days of the beginning of the award year or 14 days after notification, whichever is last.
If the student selected for verification does not provide the required documentation by their deadline, then the university cannot:
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Disburse any FSEOG or Federal Perkins Loan funds to the student.
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Allow the student to continue employment in an FWS (Federal Work-Study) job.
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Certify a Stafford Loan application for the student.
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Disburse Stafford Loan funds to the student.
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Future registration of classes may be delayed.
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The student is responsible for any charges incurred.
Notification Methods
During peak periods, it may take a minimum of 5 business days for documents to be reviewed and logged into the system as received. Students may track the documents by logging onto their Scots account to see the updated status after the 5 days have passed. Please see the instructions below. E-mail notifications will be sent within 2 weeks if additional information is required. Students may also view outstanding requirements on their Scots account.
To check your missing/incomplete documents:
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Log onto Scots
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Select Student Services and Financial Aid
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Select Financial Aid
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Select My Eligibility
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Select Holds
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Select Student Requirements (this link will appear near the bottom of the page)
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Select the current aid year i.e. 2012-2013
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Submit
The satisfied requirements will display as completed requirements. The unsatisfied documents will display as outstanding requirements. These requirements will delay the processing of your financial aid.
Disbursements
Students selected for verification will not have their aid disbursed until all required documents have been received and required reprocessing completed. If a change in award has occurred upon completion of the verification, an e-mail notification will be sent within one week. Students selected for verification after disbursements have been made, will not have adjustments made to the disbursement. However, no subsequent disbursements will be made until the verification process is completed.
Exclusions
A selected application may be exempt from some or all verification requirements due to certain unusual circumstances. Except in the case of the student’s death, however, none of these verification exclusions excuses the university from the requirement to resolve conflicting information.
Incarceration
A selected application does not have to be verified if the student is in jail or prison at the time of verification.
Recent Immigrant
A selected application does not have to be verified if the student is an immigrant who arrived in the United States during calendar years that are representative of the academic year.
Spouse unavailable
The university does not verify spouse information if any of the following conditions apply:
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The spouse is deceased or mentally or physically incapacitated.
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The spouse is residing in a country other than the United States and can’t be contacted by normal means.
Parents Unavailable
The Financial Aid Office does not verify a dependent student’s application if any of the following conditions apply:
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The student’s parents are deceased or mentally or physically incapacitated. (If both parents are dead, the student is an orphan and thus is an independent student. If the parents die after the student has applied, the student must update his or her dependency status.)
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The parents are residing in a country other than the United States and can’t be contacted by normal means.
The Financial Aid Office will document the basis for this exclusion in the student’s file. These exclusions do not affect any other part of required verification; the selected application must still be verified according to all other requirements.
Death of the student
If the university makes an interim disbursement during the verification process, and the student dies before verification is completed, the Financial Aid Office will not continue to verify. In such a case, the university can’t make any additional disbursements to any of the student’s beneficiaries, except for FWS funds already earned. Also, the university cannot originate or certify a Stafford Loan, or deliver proceeds from either FWS or Stafford Loans to the student’s beneficiaries.
Unsubsidized Loan
The Financial Aid Office will not require verification documents if the student is only receiving Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. A student cannot avoid the verification requirements by choosing to borrow an Unsubsidized Loan instead of a Subsidized Loan.
Applicant verified by another school
The Financial Aid Office will require verification documents even if previously submitted to another school for the award year. This ensures the accuracy of our information when audited.
Pacific island resident
The university does not verify the selected application of a student who is either
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A legal resident of Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or
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A citizen of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.
To qualify for this exclusion, a dependent student’s parents must also be citizens of one of these former territories. As documentation, the permanent mailing address will be noted in the student’s file.
