Letter sent only to financial aid applicants who are selected for verification by the Department of Education

 

Dear student, 

Our office has been notified by the Department of Education that your file was selected for a process called federal verification.  For Bucknell's verification process, we need copies of tax returns and W-2s, but the Department of Education's verification process is a little different. 

Before any federal funds can be credited to your student account, you will need to utilize IRS Data Retrieval for the Department of Education's verification process, so please do the following for each tax return filed (parent and/or student):

•          Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and use your PIN to get to your FAFSA record.
•          Select "Financial Information" on the toolbar.
•          If your parents have filed a tax return, be sure that the filing status is marked as "Already   
           Completed." (If a tax return was not filed, make sure to select "not going to file.")
•          If you (the student) have filed a tax return, be sure that the filing status is marked as
           "Already Completed." (If a tax return was not filed, make sure to select "not going to file.")
•          Click "Link to IRS."
•          On the IRS website, enter the requested information.
•          Once the IRS has validated your identification, your IRS tax information will display.  Check
           "Transfer My Tax Information into the FAFSA" and then click the "Transfer Now" button.
•          Do not change any of the imported data.
•          Submit your updated FAFSA.
•          This process will need to be completed for both the parent and student if tax returns were
           filed.
•          If you have any questions regarding IRS Data Retrieval, you may contact the Federal
           Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). Their customer
           service team is a great resource and can answer any questions you may have.

However, the following families will not be able to use IRS Data Retrieval:

•          A married, independent applicant and spouse who filed separate tax returns;
•          If both custodial parents (of the dependent student) filed separate tax returns;
•          An applicant or applicant's parent who has had a change in marital status after the end of
           the tax year on December 31;
•          The applicant, or parent or spouse, as applicable, who has filed an amended tax return;
•          The applicant or the applicant's parent and/or spouse, who have an unpaid federal tax 
           liability.

If you are unable to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval process, you will need to request a Tax Return Transcript. For information on how to request a Tax Return Transcript, please go to www.bucknell.edu/x77647.xml.  You will be required to submit the Tax Return Transcript to the Office of Financial Aid to satisfy your federal verification requirement.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Office of Financial Aid